Monsters sign leading scorer Rocco Grimaldi to AHL contract
Nov 30, 2024The Cleveland Monsters announced Saturday that the club signed forward Rocco Grimaldi, the Monsters’ leading scorer this season, to an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. In 15 appearances for Cleveland this season, playing on a professional tryout (PTO) contract until now, Grimaldi tallied 6-17-23 with four penalty minutes and a +10 rating. Grimaldi currently leads the Monsters in points, assists, +/- rating (+10), and power-play assists (7), and ranks second league-wide in points and assists this season. Grimaldi is also in the midst of an 11-game point streak (5-14-19), the AHL’s longest streak of its kind this season.
A 5’6”, 179 lb. right-shooting native of Rossmoor, CA, Grimaldi was selected by the Florida Panthers in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. In 203 career NHL appearances for Florida, the Colorado Avalanche, and Nashville Predators spanning parts of eight seasons from 2014-22, Grimaldi supplied 30-37-67 with 34 penalty minutes. In 448 career AHL appearances spanning parts of nine seasons with the San Antonio Rampage, Portland Pirates, Milwaukee Admirals, San Diego Gulls, Rockford IceHogs, Chicago Wolves, and Cleveland from 2014-19 and 2021-24, Grimaldi logged 181-212-393 with 220 penalty minutes. An AHL All-Star in 2017-18 and last season, Grimaldi was also named to the 2023-24 AHL Second All-Star Team.
Prior to his professional career, Grimaldi supplied 31-46-77 with 68 penalty minutes and a +22 rating in 86 career NCAA appearances for the University of North Dakota spanning three seasons from 2011-14. Grimaldi was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team and WCHA All-Rookie Team in 2012-13 and helped North Dakota claim the 2012 WCHA Tournament Championship. In 55 career USHL appearances for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program spanning parts of two seasons from 2009-11, Grimaldi logged 23-22-45 with 40 penalty minutes and participated in the 2010-11 USHL All-Star Game. Grimaldi also helped Team USA claim the Gold Medal at the 2012-13 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships.
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