Last July, Massimo Rizzo was in Raleigh, North Carolina, wearing red, white and black at Hurricanes development camp.
Not even a month later, his rights were traded to the Flyers. So this July, it was Voorhees, New Jersey for Flyers development camp.
A whole new playing field and organizational picture.
“Definitely a whirlwind, but super exciting being here and getting to know all the staff, different players,” the 23-year-old center said two and a half weeks ago. “It has been super cool for me.”
Theoretically, the Flyers could give Rizzo a better opportunity at carving out an NHL role.
The Hurricanes have been a team in win-now mode, averaging 53 victories and 113 points a year over the last three seasons and making the playoffs the last six.
The Flyers haven’t made the postseason since the 2020 bubble. They’re a rebuilding team with a focus on youth and a need for centers.
“I would say I’m more of an offensive guy, probably more of a playmaker than a shooter,” Rizzo said. “I like to find my teammates in different spots and be creative, kind of have fun and enjoy myself out there.”
After being selected by Carolina in the final round of the 2019 draft, Rizzo went on to win two national championships with Denver. As a junior last season, he missed 14 games down the stretch, through the playoffs and into the NCAA tournament because of a high ankle sprain. He was able to return in the Frozen Four as the Pioneers beat Boston University and then Boston College to win the national title.
Rizzo finished the season with 44 points (10 goals, 34 assists) and a plus-24 rating in 30 games. The previous season, he led Denver in scoring with 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) over 38 games. As a freshman, he won his first national championship alongside Flyers winger Bobby Brink.
“He’s a good player and a good person,” Brink said in April after Rizzo signed his two-year entry-level contract. “He’s obviously skilled and can make a difference offensively. You see his stats in college, he has those stats for a reason. I think he’ll be a really good pro player.”
Brink and Rizzo will be on the ice together again in September at Flyers training camp.
“Me and Bob are close,” Rizzo said. “So he has been great with kind of taking me in and introducing me, showing me what to do around here and how things work.”
Rizzo is projected to open the 2024-25 season with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley for his first year of pro hockey. He’s on the smaller side (5-11/180) and not regarded as an elite skater, so he’ll have to prove he can take contact and make plays with less space.
But his vision and hands are plus attributes, he was a winner at the college level and there’s positional versatility in his game. Rizzo can play down the middle, an area in which the Flyers are looking for help, and on the wing.
“I’ve played both,” Rizzo said. “I’ve played more center recently, but I’m good to play all positions. I’m comfortable doing both.”
He became more comfortable with the Flyers’ organization at development camp. Next up is rookie camp and then trying to make an impression on John Tortorella.
