Marco Scandella

History

2007-08: Scored four goals with 10 assists in 65 games in his rookie QMJHL season with Val-d’Or, and named the QMJHL Prospect of the Month for December 2007. Member of Canada’s gold medal winning team at the U18 World Championships.

2008-09: In all likelihood, Scandella and the Val d’Or Foreurs will be more than happy to put this season behind them. However, despite the Foreurs disappointing season, Scandella did prove he could put up solid offensive numbers on a very offensively impotent team. Scandella, who is projected to be a very solid stay-at-home defenseman, scored eight power-play goals, good for second on the team and seventh among QMJHL defensemen. He also led all Foreurs defensemen in points.

2009-10: Scandella finished the year with the AHL’s Houston Aeros in an eventful season that included a 15-game suspension in the QMJHL and a silver medal at the 2010 U20 World Junior Championship. Scandella had 1 assist and was +2 with 7 PMs in seven games with the Aeros. He skated in 31 games for Val d’or, receiving the suspension for an illegal hit on Rimouski’s Alexandre Durette. On a team with the QMJHL’s third-worst record, he had a team-leading +10 plus/minus and scored 9 goals with 22 assists and 41 PMs. Five of his nine goals came on the power play. In the six-game playoff series with Rouyn-Noranda he scored 2 goals, both on the power play, had 6 assists and was -3 with 8 PMs. In six games for Team Canada, which lost in overtime to the USA in the gold medal game, Scandella scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +7.

2010-11: Scandella made his NHL debut with Minnesota as a 20-year-old in November 2010 and shuttled between the Wild and their AHL affiliate Houston in his first pro season. In twenty games with the Wild he had 2 assists and was -9 with 2 PMs; averaging 15 minutes of ice time per game. In 33 AHL games he scored 3 goals with 16 assists and had an even plus/minus. The Aeros finished second in their division and reached the AHL finals. Scandella skated in 20 AHL playoff games after missing the last ten games of the NHL season with a finger injury and was -3 with 2 goals, 6 assists and 8 PMs.

Talent Analysis

A strong-skating, physical, stay-at-home blue liner, Scandella takes great delight in using his size and long wingspan to clear the front of his net. He thrives by playing a no-nonsense, simple game in his own end. His decision-making and puck skills have room for improvement.

Future

Scandella started the season with the Wild and played top four minutes as that team dealt with injuries. He was recently sent back to Houston but could very well still graduate as a prospect this season.