Tiny Grimaldi could make big impact
Rocco Grimaldi has heard all the jokes.
The new Milwaukee Admirals forward enjoys the good ones, has long tolerated the stale ones and is pretty sure the jabs he takes at himself are funnier than any chirping he hears from anyone else.
So let's get this out of the way. Yes, Grimaldi is short.
But if you think his 5-foot-6 frame holds him back as a hockey player, then the joke is on you.
“Our captain, Jarred Tinordi, was just telling me a few days ago how much he hates having to play against me because I’m so small," said Grimaldi, who is a full foot shorter. "He’s obviously so tall, and he can’t even get down to check me because I’m so low already.”
The Admirals begin the home portion of their season at 7 p.m. Saturday at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena against the Hershey Bears. Grimaldi has scored two goals in their 2-0 start, including the winner in overtime in the opener.
"The game's changed a little," Tinordi said. "When I was a rookie there was bigger guys in the game and the game was slower. Now the game's so fast, it's going in the right direction and that's helping Rocco a lot. You don't need to be huge to play the game.
"With his speed, size isn't an issue for him."
The 25-year-old Grimaldi signed in the off-season with the Admirals' parent club, the Nashville Predators, after spending the past two years in San Antonio. He saw the organization as a good fit, from its interest in him to its success to what he considers a family atmosphere both in Nashville and Milwaukee.
If the Admirals are to return to the AHL postseason after missing out in the spring, their good-humored, hard-working, speed-skating forward could play a big role.
"He’s a great example for our young players – and our old players – how he lives his life and how he prepares, how he is in the locker room," Admirals coach Karl Taylor said. "A real professional guy. And he’s sensing a new opportunity with Nashville, and he should."
Last year Grimaldi finished fourth in points on the San Antonio Rampage in 49 games while also spending time with the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche. He has collected more than 30 points in each of his four seasons in the AHL, and in 37 NHL games he has tallied five goals and five assists.
Although Grimaldi has been known for his speed, he also considers himself a solid defensive player. Predators coach Peter Laviolette has referred to him as "relentless."
“Hey, he’s a little vertically challenged … but he’s a guy who’s definitely not afraid,” Taylor said. “Goes to the hard areas.
“And big, small, tall, green, yellow, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t go to the net, you’re not going to score, and he’s not afraid to get to the paint.”
A five-year veteran of the battle for an NHL roster spot, Grimaldi was the final player cut in Nashville.
He fully intends to get back to stay, and his best chance to do so will come from making a difference in Milwaukee.
“It doesn’t matter if I was the first sent down or the last sent down, if you’re playing the best and the team sees that, you’re going to get called up,” Grimaldi said. “So I look at this as startover. OK, you proved yourself at camp to be there that long, well, now it’s a startover and you’ve got to prove that you’re going to be the first call-up.”
Grimaldi is naturally positive, even if the frustrations of his sport sometimes challenge him.
He tries to keep a smile on his face and to be a pleasant alternative to the negativity he sees in the world, particularly on social media. That means some joking around at his own expense.
Over the summer, Grimaldi shared on Twitter a childhood photo of himself on skates with the caption “Crazy to think that I haven’t grown an inch since this day #BabyRocco”
Similarly he encouraged several followers having fun with his name, which could just as easily fit into a mob movie script or, more nobly, the House of Grimaldi, the dynasty that rules the Principality of Monaco.
He is no relation to Prince Albert, but Grimaldi does have a near-miss story about the Prince's Palace.
“My aunt was over there one time … and the people (who heard her name) asked if she wanted to come in and meet the royal family,” Grimaldi said. “For some reason, my aunt said no. I don’t think she wanted to bother anybody. But I was like, ‘Whaaaaa-aaat? C’mon.’ ”
Seriously. No joke.