Who is Gianfranco Del Rocco?

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Who is Gianfranco Del Rocco?

 

A member of a long-standing noble family in Genoa, Italy, Gianfranco (Gianni) is the 3rd son of a man who would have been a powerful duke with lots of land, riches, and servants... if it were still the 1700s. Alas, the Republic of Genoa no longer exists, Italian sea merchants no longer own opulent villas on the Mediterranean coast (or at least the Del Rocco family doesn't), and so the latest descendants of Niccolo Del Rocco (1485-1543) have had to make ends meet in different ways. The 3 sons took different paths in life – a stockbroker in Milan, a hotelier running what remains of the Del Rocco estate in sunny Savona (so don't feel too sorry for the family, they're still doing better than you and me), and in playboy Gianni's case, the exotic pursuit of ice hockey.

 

Hockey isn't particularly huge in Italy, although if it's popular anywhere than it's up north and if it's popular with anyone then it's with the rich kids looking for something to do when they get bored of skiing in the Swiss Alps. Boredom and affluent friends is how Gianni Del Rocco got into hockey, the family mantra of “Finish what you started” is how he's now on the cusp of a real professional career in the VHL. Although not a natural when he started off at the age of 8, Gianni was driven to succeed by the twin forces of his family not accepting failure in any endeavour and through his teenage years by a succession of girlfriends he wanted to impress. Whether the latter was a success is not for us to judge but it certainly has helped Del Rocco become a fearsome goalscorer, at least locally in Milan and Turin. Old Giuseppe Del Rocco's money magically attracting some of central Europe's finest coaches to conveniently appear at Gianni's schools may have also played a role in refining Del Rocco Jr's offensive game.

 

Money also brings us to how Del Rocco was spotted by the Victor Alfredsson agency which has now brought him to the VHL. Although the VHL was always the likelier of the international options given its mix of popularity and also ability to stay closer to home in Europe, it's of immense help to have a recognisable name behind you going through the junior ranks. Alfredsson was last seen in the VHL world clearing out his Moscow office in a hurry to avoid sanctions, having made the Russian capital his base in his most recent stint in the league, founding the Moscow Menace and bringing in two Russian players in Vladimir Pavlov and Rara Rasputin. After a decade-long sabbatical travelling around Europe and making rich (and powerful, but mainly rich) friends like the Del Roccos, Alfredsson has taken a punt on this son of a duke to bring forth a triumphant return to the VHL.

 

So who is Gianfranco Del Rocco then? An industry plant punching above his weight about to be found woefully out of his depth in a real league? Or a return to form for a noble Italian family and a storied VHL agency? The beauty is that there just isn't enough evidence to really know for sure. Del Rocco has put up strong stats in his most recent seasons in the Italian junior leagues and whilst we have to take the level of those leagues with a large grain of salt, there is nothing to suggest that there has been any untoward activity to give him an unfair advantage thanks to his background. As for the agency, some will look at Pavlov and Rasputin as evidence of a clear downward trajectory from the days when an Alfredsson player was a Hall of Fame lock, but of course Del Rocco is a forward, not a defenceman or a goaltender. With a track record there of Lars Berger and particularly the pure scorers Alexander Chershenko and Podrick Cast, young Gianni Del Rocco is following in the footsteps of giants – massive shoes to fill and reputation to uphold, but of course that is nothing new to a born nobleman.

 

It's a changed league since the early 80s with more steps to reach the big leagues. Del Rocco will be in unfamiliar territory for the first time in his life from day one in the VHLM, with a season and a half of the minor league to navigate before the VHLE. Does Gianni have what it takes to not fall apart at these hurdles? We are about to go on a fascinating journey to find out. Son of a fallen lord, ice hockey player by accident, VHL prospect by patronage, Del Rocco both carries centuries-old baggage and yet is a completely clean slate that we really don't know much about. Boom or bust, this should be a fascinating story to follow in the coming years.