Rocco Grimaldi

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Rocco Grimaldi

| image = 2023-05-09 Deutschland gegen USA (Eishockey-Länderspiel) by Sandro Halank–141.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Grimaldi with Team USA in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|2|8}}

| birth_place = Anaheim, California, U.S.{{cite news| url = http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/florida-panthers/fl-florida-panthers-notes-1105-20151104-story.html | title = A homecoming for Panthers' Rocco Grimaldi | newspaper = Sun-Sentinel | date = November 4, 2015 | accessdate = November 4, 2015}}

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 6

| weight_lb = 180

| position = Right wing

| shoots = Right

| league = AHL

| team = Cleveland Monsters

| prospect_league =

| prospect_team =

| former_teams = Florida Panthers
Colorado Avalanche
Nashville Predators

| ntl_team = United States

| draft = 33rd overall

| draft_year = 2011

| draft_team = Florida Panthers

| career_start = 2014

| career_end =

}}

Rocco Niccolas Grimaldi (born February 8, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL). Grimaldi was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2011 NHL entry draft.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/panthers-pick-rocco-grimaldis-leap-of-faith-at-nhl-entry-draft?urn=nhl,wp8027|title=Panthers pick Rocco Grimaldi's leap of faith at NHL Entry Draft|accessdate=March 29, 2013|author=Greg Wyshynski|archive-date=September 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926042653/https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/panthers-pick-rocco-grimaldis-leap-of-faith-at-nhl-entry-draft?urn=nhl,wp8027|url-status=dead}}

Early life

At the age of five, Grimaldi started to play roller hockey in California. When he was first exposed to the game, he thought it looked more exciting than baseball and basketball. In 2005, Grimaldi and some of his family relocated from Rossmoor to Michigan so that he could play against a better level of competition. As a youth, he played in the 2004 and 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the California Wave minor ice hockey team, and in the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Little Caesars team.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=January 6, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Playing career

Grimaldi played AAA Hockey for Detroit Little Caesars during the 2008–2009 season, collecting 43 points with 17 goals and 26 assists in 31 games.{{cite web|url=http://panthers.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8476428|title=Rocco Grimaldi|accessdate=March 29, 2013|publisher=NHL}} He then played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program against junior teams in the United States Hockey League. During the 2009–10 season, Grimaldi led the United States Under 17 national team in scoring with 40 points in 36 games.{{cite magazine|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=August 2, 2010|title=Where Will They Be?|page=126|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1172543/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017214244/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1172543/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2013|accessdate=March 29, 2013}}

During the 2010–11 season, he led Team USA in scoring with 34 goals and 28 assists in 50 games.{{cite web|title=Grimaldi refuses to allow size to become an issue|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/grimaldi-refuses-to-allow-size-to-be-an-issue|publisher=Fox News|date=June 10, 2011|access-date=June 26, 2011}}{{cite magazine|title=The Hot List: Growing up Grimaldi|url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/40155-The-Hot-List-Growing-up-Grimaldi.html|author=Kennedy, R.|magazine=The Hockey News|date=May 3, 2011|accessdate=2011-06-28}} Grimaldi was eligible to be drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2011. Prior to the draft, there were concerns about his size. At 5'6", he is smaller than most NHL players. Grimaldi is not concerned about his size, and takes the questions about it in stride, "I think it’s fun."{{cite web|title=Taking center stage|url=http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/207543/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125045841/http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/207543/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2013|date=June 22, 2011|accessdate=June 26, 2011|last=Schlossman|first=Brad Elliott|work=Grand Forks Herald}} The 2011–12 Hockey Prospectus ranked Grimaldi as its #36 best hockey prospect noting that he "overcomes his diminutive size with off the chart intangibles and physical ability."{{cite book|title=Hockey Prospectus 2011–12|pages=416–417|author=Pronman, C.|chapter=Top 100 NHL Prospects|editor=Seppa, T.|year=2011|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |isbn=978-1-4663-4452-5}}

Grimaldi committed to the University of North Dakota and entered his freshman season for UND in the 2011–12 season.{{citeweb|last=Switaj|first=Caryn|publisher=USA Hockey Magazine|url=http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2011-01/rocco-grimaldi|title=Rocco Grimaldi|date=January 2011|accessdate=October 9, 2011}}

On May 7, 2014, Grimaldi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers.{{cite web| url = http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=718336 | title = Rocco Grimaldi agree to entry-level contract with Panthers| website = Florida Panthers | date = May 7, 2014 | accessdate = May 7, 2014}} In the 2014–15 season, Grimaldi made his professional debut with the Panthers AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. On November 1, 2014, he received his first NHL recall and made his NHL debut with the Panthers in a 2–1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers the following day.{{cite web| url = http://www.ushl.com/news_article/show/443223-team-usa-alum-makes-nhl-debut | title = Team USA alum makes NHL debut | website = United States Hockey League | date = November 3, 2011 | accessdate = November 3, 2011}} He was again called up to the Panthers on November 18, achieving the rare feat of playing two games in one day—a morning matinee with the Rampage, and another with the Panthers that evening (the morning game, coupled with the Panthers playing on the West Coast that evening and thus played three hours later than usual, allowed Grimaldi the time to travel to the second game).{{cite web | url=https://abc7chicago.com/sports/panthers-make-rocco-grimaldis-day/401734/ | title=Panthers make Rocco Grimaldi's day}}

On June 23, 2016, Grimaldi was traded by the Panthers to the Colorado Avalanche for goaltender Reto Berra.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/panthers-deal-f-grimaldi-to-avs-for-g-berra-1.514145 | title = Panthers deal Grimaldi to Avs for Berra | publisher = The Sports Network | date = June 23, 2016 | accessdate = June 23, 2016}} After attending his first training camp with the Avalanche, Grimaldi was reassigned to affiliate and former AHL club, the San Antonio Rampage, on September 30, 2016, to begin the 2016–17 season.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-makes-roster-moves-before-playing-kings/c-282279246 | title = Avalanche make roster moves | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = September 30, 2016 | accessdate = September 30, 2016}} After 19 games, Grimaldi was leading the Rampage in scoring with 15 points, when he received his first recall to Colorado on December 2, 2016.{{cite web | url = https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/grimaldi-a-pest-the-avs-need/c-284345838 | title = Grimaldi gets his chance | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = December 2, 2016 | accessdate = December 3, 2016}} He made his Avalanche debut the following night in a 3–0 defeat to the Dallas Stars and was returned to the Rampage at the conclusion of the game.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/news/dallas-stars-colorado-avalanche-game-recap/c-284365706 | title = Kari Lehtonen, Stars shutout Avalanche | website = National Hockey League | date = December 2, 2016 | accessdate = December 2, 2016}}

On July 26, 2017, the Avalanche re-signed Grimaldi to a one-year, two-way contract.{{cite news| url = http://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/26/avalanche-signs-rocco-grimaldi-jesse-graham/ |

title = Avalanche signs Rocco Grimaldi, Jesse Graham | newspaper = Denver Post | date = July 26, 2017 | accessdate = July 26, 2017}} In the 2017–18 season, Grimaldi spent the majority of the campaign with the Rampage, where he recorded 31 points in 49 games. He played in a further 6 games in the NHL with the Avalanche, posting a goal and two assists and recording his second-career two-point game on October 28, 2017, against the Chicago Blackhawks.

As a group IV free agent, Grimaldi opted to leave the Avalanche and agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators on July 1, 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2018/07/01/predators-sign-three-players-to-one-year-two-way-deals/36545867/|title=Predators sign three players to one-year, two-way deals|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=February 26, 2020}}

On February 24, 2020, during the NHL Trade Deadline, the Predators signed Grimaldi to a two-year contract extension.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/nashville-predators-sign-rocco-grimaldi-to-two-year-contract/c-315472324|title=Predators Sign Rocco Grimaldi to Two-Year Contract|website=NHL.com|language=en-US|access-date=February 26, 2020}} On March 25, 2021, in a home game against the Detroit Red Wings, Grimaldi scored 3 goals in the 1st period. This was his first career hat trick, and he set a franchise record for the fastest hat trick by a Predators player (2 minutes and 34 seconds). He would add a 4th goal in the third period, making him only the 2nd player in Predators history to score 4 goals in 1 game along with Eric Nystrom.{{cite web | title = Nashville Predators' Rocco Grimaldi has fastest hat trick in team history; ties team record with 4 goals vs. Red Wings | url = https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/predators/2021/03/25/predators-jump-out-4-0-lead-red-wings-first-eight-minutes/7006994002/ | website =tennessean.com | date = March 25, 2021 | access-date = March 26, 2021}}

As a free agent from the Predators at the conclusion of his contract following the 2021–22 season, Grimaldi went un-signed over the summer. In preparation for the 2022–23 season, Grimaldi agreed to join the Anaheim Ducks on a professional tryout basis, attending training camp and the pre-season. After impressing through the Ducks pre-season, Grimaldi was signed to a one-year AHL contract with affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, on October 15, 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.ocregister.com/2022/09/27/ducks-rocco-grimaldi-making-a-strong-case-to-stay-in-anaheim/ | title = Ducks' Rocco Grimaldi making strong case to stay in Anaheim | publisher = OC Register | date = September 27, 2022 | accessdate = September 27, 2022}}{{cite web| url = https://www.sandiegogulls.com/news/detail/san-diego-gulls-sign-rocco-grimaldi-to-one-year-ahl-contract | title = San Diego Gulls sign Rocco Grimaldi to one-year AHL contract | publisher = San Diego Gulls | date = October 15, 2022 | accessdate = October 15, 2022}} Grimaldi was leading the languishing Gulls in scoring, notching 27 goal and 56 points through only 54 games before he was traded to the Rockford IceHogs on March 2, 2023.{{cite web| url = https://icehogs.com/news/rockford-acquires-san-diegos-leading-scorer-grimaldi-for-sikura | title = Rockford acquires San Diego's leading scorer Rocco Grimaldi for Sikura | publisher = Rockford IceHogs | date = March 2, 2023 | accessdate = March 2, 2023}}

Off the back of his most productive season as a professional, collecting 36 goals and 73 points through 72 games with the Chicago Wolves, Grimaldi was unable to secure a NHL contract for the 2024–25 season. On October 11, 2024, he agreed to a professional try-out to join the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, primary affiliate to the Columbus Blue Jackets.{{ citeweb| url = https://www.clevelandmonsters.com/news/detail/monsters-sign-forward-rocco-grimaldi-to-pto-contract | title = Monsters sign forward Rocco Grimaldi to PTO contract | publisher = Cleveland Monsters | date = October 11, 2024 | accessdate = October 11, 2024}}

International play

{{MedalCountry | {{ih|USA}} }}

Grimaldi was selected to the United States Under 18 team and helped the team win their second straight World Championship on April 10, 2010. In the gold medal game versus Sweden, Grimaldi had one goal and one assist as the United States triumphed by a 3–1 mark. Rocco Grimaldi scored twice vs. Finland on Friday, November 12 at the 2010 Men's Under-18 Four Nations Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.usahockey.com//Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_04_02_01&ID=295064|accessdate=March 29, 2013|publisher=USA Hockey|title=U.S. National Under-18 Team Tops Finland, 3–2, at 2010 Under-18 Four Nations Cup}} He was a member of Team USA's gold medal-winning team at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, scoring two goals, including the game winner, in the championship game against Sweden.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldjunior2013.com/en/channels/2013/wm20/top/news/swe-usa/index.html|title=U.S. golden in Ufa!|author=Lucas Aykroyd|website=International Ice Hockey Federation|accessdate=March 29, 2013}}

A decade after his last appearance in international junior competition, Grimaldi accepted an invitation to join the senior national team at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. He recorded seven goals and seven assists in ten games, finishing as the tournament's leading scorer. The Americans reached the bronze medal game, but were upset by Latvia.{{cite news |title=Rocco Grimaldi finishes as leading scorer of IIHF Men's World Championship |url=https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/rocco-grimaldi-finishes-as-leading-scorer-of-iihf-mens-world-championship |last=Schlossman |first=Brad Elliott |newspaper=Grand Forks Herald |date=May 29, 2023 |access-date=May 30, 2023}} Widely recognized as a standout player at the event, he was subsequently named to the Media All-Star Team.{{cite news |title=Top 10 players at the World Championship: Arturs Silovs sealed the door |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/top-10-players-at-the-world-championship-arturs-silovs-sealed-the-door |last=Kennedy |first=Ian |magazine=The Hockey News |date=May 29, 2023 |access-date=May 29, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=O'Brien |first1=Derek |title=Silovs MVP, All-Stars named |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/wm/news/45430/silovs_mvp_all-stars_named |website=IIHF |access-date=29 May 2023 |date=28 May 2023}}

Personal life

Grimaldi was born in Anaheim, California. Grimaldi is a devout born-again Christian. His father was a police officer in California. His mother was the Little Caesars AAA Hockey club team manager.{{cite web |last1=Archuleta |first1=Nadia |title=Colorado Avalanche: All About Center Rocco Grimaldi |url=https://milehighsticking.com/2017/07/26/colorado-avalanche-rocco-grimaldi/ |website=milehighsticking.com |accessdate=October 2, 2018 |date=July 26, 2017}}

In July 2016, Grimaldi married Abigail (Abby) Mattson.{{cite news |title=Grimaldi-Mattson |url=http://www.grandforksherald.com/milestones/4066812-grimaldi-mattson |accessdate=October 2, 2018 |newspaper=Grand Forks Herald |date=July 2, 2018}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2009–10

| U.S. NTDP Juniors

| USHL

| 32

| 11

| 9

| 20

| 22

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| U.S. NTDP U17

| USDP

| 36

| 14

| 26

| 40

| 38

| —

2009–10

| U.S. NTDP U18

| USDP

| 26

| 7

| 16

| 23

| 12

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| U.S. NTDP Juniors

| USHL

| 23

| 12

| 13

| 25

| 18

| —

2010–11

| U.S. NTDP U18

| USDP

| 58

| 39

| 34

| 73

| 65

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| University of North Dakota

| WCHA

| 4

| 1

| 2

| —

2012–13

| University of North Dakota

| WCHA

| 40

| 13

| 23

| 36

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| University of North Dakota

| NCHC

| 42

| 17

| 22

| 39

| 48

| —

2014–15

| San Antonio Rampage

| AHL

| 64

| 14

| 28

| 42

| 22

| 3

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 7

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 4

| —

2015–16

| Portland Pirates

| AHL

| 52

| 16

| 17

| 33

| 20

| 5

| 0

| 4

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| Florida Panthers

| NHL

| 20

| 3

| 2

| 5

| 2

| 0

| 2

2016–17

| San Antonio Rampage

| AHL

| 72

| 31

| 24

| 55

| 39

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 4

| 0

| 1

| 2

| —

2017–18

| San Antonio Rampage

| AHL

| 49

| 15

| 16

| 31

| 32

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 6

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 0

| —

2018–19

| Milwaukee Admirals

| AHL

| 10

| 4

| 7

| 11

| 8

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Nashville Predators

| NHL

| 53

| 5

| 8

| 13

| 10

| 5

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 0

2019–20

| Nashville Predators

| NHL

| 66

| 10

| 21

| 31

| 10

| 4

| 0

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| Nashville Predators

| NHL

| 40

| 10

| 3

| 13

| 4

| —

2021–22

| Nashville Predators

| NHL

| 7

| 0

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| Milwaukee Admirals

| AHL

| 44

| 26

| 52

| 14

| 6

| 1

| 2

| 0

2022–23

| San Diego Gulls

| AHL

| 54

| 27

| 29

| 56

| 31

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Rockford IceHogs

| AHL

| 16

| 6

| 11

| 17

| 12

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 2

2023–24

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 72

| 36

| 37

| 73

| 38

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 203

! 30

! 37

! 67

! 34

! 11

! 3

! 1

! 4

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2010

| United States

| U17

| {{gold1}}

| 6

| 4

| 10

| 14

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010

| United States

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 7

| 2

| 8

| 10

| 6

2011

| United States

| U18

| {{gold1}}

| 6

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013

| United States

| WJC

| {{gold1}}

| 7

| 2

| 4

2023

| United States

| WC

| 4th

| 10

| 7

| 14

| 6

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=4 | Junior totals

! 26

! 10

! 26

! 36

! 24

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=4 | Senior totals

! 10

! 7

! 14

! 6

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | USHL

All-Star Game

| 2011

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | College

NCAA Regional Champions

|2014

All-WCHA Rookie Team

| 2013

|{{cite news|title=WCHA All-Rookie Teams|url=http://www.augenblick.org/chha/wcha_roo.html|publisher=College Hockey Historical Archives|accessdate=May 19, 2013}}

WCHA All-Academic Team

| 2013

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | AHL

Second All-Star Team

| 2024

| {{cite web|url = https://theahl.com/2023-24-ahl-first-second-all-star-teams | title = 2023-24 AHL First, Second All-Star Teams announced | publisher = American Hockey League | date = April 18, 2024 | accessdate = April 18, 2024 }}

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | International

U17 WHC All-Star Team

| 2010

U17 WHC Most Assists

| 2010

U17 WHC Most Points

| 2010

World Championship Media All-Star Team

| 2023