Rossmoor NHL Hopeful Discusses Roles of His Height and Religion in Today's Draft

Rossmoor Hockey Player Rocco Grimaldi wasn’t drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft Friday as predicted by many scouts and experts.

Fans will be rooting for him to get scooped up in the early part of the second round Saturday morning. Had he been picked on Friday, Grimaldi would have been the shortest player ever drafted in the first round at 5’6.”

In a live interview at the draft aired on Versus, Grimaldi talked about the roles his height and devout faith have played in his talks with NHL clubs.

The best way to silence questions about his height is to prove himself with his play on the ice, he added.

In interviews with the various clubs, Grimaldi said he was also asked about his Christian Faith, which is a big part of his life. Dressed in a black shirt and suit, the most colorful part of his outfit at the draft was his tie, which featured a cross and the words of the Gospel of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Grimaldi said that some clubs asked if his dedication to his faith would affect his ability to fit in with other players.

“They really asked me if it was going to be a hindrance for me or get in the way of me and my teammates because some of my teammates might make mistakes, or not mistakes, but things I don’t really agree with and go out. I’m not a drinker, and I don’t go out and do that stuff, so they felt maybe I am going to judge them for that, which, you know, I would never judge someone for the things they do,” he said. “We are brothers when we are on the ice and off the ice as well.”

Draft handicappers such as NHL Central Scouting and International Scouting Services predicted that Grimaldi, a center, could be drafted anywhere from 10th to 37th overall. The consensus on Grimaldi is that he is a skill player with a strong work ethic. Orange County hockey fans had hoped the Anaheim Ducks would draft Grimaldi with the final or 30th pick of the first round, but the Ducks opted for right wing Rickard Rakell.

Grimaldi still has a chance to be drafted by a Southern California Team. The Los Angeles Kings are slated to pick 49th in this year’s draft for their first draft pick of the year.

Weighing in at just over 160 pounds, he is among the smaller players in this year’s draft. In the last year, he had 12 goals and a gold medal for Team USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 championship tournament.

Regardless of his height or his draft number, Grimaldi said, “I am going to continue to work hard and make my dreams come true.”

The remaining rounds of the draft will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday in St. Paul, Minn. It will be aired on the NHL Network.