In terms of Marco Rossi being at a crossroads with the Minnesota Wild, it’s all about worth.
And never simply his common annual worth.
President of hockey operations and basic supervisor Invoice Guerin has mentioned he likes Rossi however has a sure quantity he’s comfy paying the pending restricted free agent. He’s made a couple “significant” offers, he mentioned, together with for a shorter bridge deal final week.
There was one other name between the edges on Tuesday, per league sources, and Rossi’s agent, Ian Pulver, reiterated {that a} bridge deal now not is sensible for Rossi after he was buried on the fourth line within the playoffs.
For the reason that Wild don’t appear to have an urge for food to put money into a long-term deal for Rossi at an AAV round Matt Boldy’s $7 million, it certain appears like his time in Minnesota may very well be coming to an finish over the following few weeks. We all know Rossi already turned down a five-year, $25 million supply a couple of months in the past.
Brock Nelson, a veteran heart the Wild deliberate to pursue in free company, re-signed with the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday on the tune of three years with a $7.5 million AAV. So the Wild will want a Plan B, particularly in the event that they commerce Rossi. Facilities who may very well be accessible in free agency if they remain unsigned before July 1 embody the Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett, Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares, Dallas Stars’ Matt Duchene, Ottawa Senators’ Claude Giroux and Jonathan Toews, who final performed for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023.
If the free-agent route doesn’t make sense, the Wild must purchase a middle through commerce, both in a attainable Rossi deal or one other.
Guerin confirmed final week that groups are exhibiting curiosity in Rossi, and there’ll come some extent the place Pulver also can store for supply sheets upfront of Rossi formally changing into a restricted free agent July 1.
Rossi performed top-six minutes for many of this previous season and was the workforce’s second-leading scorer earlier than being “very disappointed” to see himself get the third-lowest ice time on the workforce throughout the Wild’s first-round playoff collection loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Rossi mentioned he had an “trustworthy” and “man-like” exit assembly with coach John Hynes. So it’s not simply his contract, however what his function may be, which is “the topic of nice debate,” as Pulver instructed The Athletic.
The excellent news for Rossi, 23, is that any workforce that acquires him is aware of it should pay him, so that will imply he’s needed and a probable a part of his subsequent workforce’s future.
Essentially the most telling worth in all of that is how a lot different NHL groups have for Rossi, who’s No. 2 on The Athletic’s offseason trade board for a purpose.
However buying and selling a younger heart means stress on Guerin. The Wild have spent 25 years making an attempt to draft and develop proficient facilities, and successes have been few and much between (Mikko Koivu, Joel Eriksson Ek, Rossi).
So Guerin must determine a strategy to parlay Rossi into a major return, as a result of because the GM instructed The Athletic final week, he doesn’t need to make the workforce worse.
Say what you need about Rossi, however he’s proven the previous two years on an injury-riddled workforce that he’s capable of play full 82-game seasons and produce. That manufacturing is just not simply replaceable. There’s a purpose Guerin has mentioned he’s not “dying” to commerce him.
“I can’t think about Marco Rossi wouldn’t have worth and actually good worth across the NHL,” former NHL GM Craig Button instructed The Athletic not too long ago. “There are groups screaming, screaming for that sort of participant.”
Which groups may very well be “screaming” for him? What might the return be? Right here’s what we’re listening to, with perception from The Athletic’s native beat writers.
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks beat author Thomas Drance: The Canucks’ most pressing want this summer season, explicitly, is a “top-two-lines heart.” That’s an outline that applies in simple style to Rossi, each when it comes to deployment and manufacturing.
Truthfully, the chance so as to add a 23-year-old pivot who led all Wild facilities in five-on-five ice time throughout the common season and produced 60 factors appears nearly too good to be true from a Canucks perspective. It’s precisely the kind of participant this membership requires to bolster its heart expertise within the wake of final season’s J.T. Miller commerce.
In a super world, maybe, the Canucks would like to land a bigger right-handed heart than Rossi (5 toes 9, 182 kilos). Vancouver’s want for ability and upside in the course of its ahead group is simply too vital, although, to overthink this due to marginal match or traits-based issues. Rossi is a gifted younger heart, and the Canucks are determined so as to add a gifted younger heart, so the match right here is clear.
If the Canucks resolve to get into the Rossi enterprise this summer season, they’ll have some fascinating property to dangle in alternate.
The membership’s 2025 fifteenth decide could be very accessible on the commerce market and would presumably be the centerpiece of any Rossi bundle. The membership might sweeten the pot additional with a younger blue-line prospect like Victor Mancini or Sawyer Mynio, a younger NHL participant like Nils Höglander, and even goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, who has been a star for AHL Abbotsford within the Calder Cup playoffs after a troublesome NHL marketing campaign.
If the Wild desire a heart again to protect some flexibility heading into the offseason, the Canucks are anticipated to contemplate parting methods with unrestricted free agent Teddy Blueger and his $1.8 million expiring cap hit. He’s a participant Guerin has a good bit of familiarity with from his time as an AHL basic supervisor within the Pittsburgh Penguins group.
Regardless of his dimension, Marco Rossi is understood for going to the powerful areas of the ice. (Bob Frid / USA In the present day)
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers beat author Kevin Kurz: Discovering an NHL-ready heart, ideally somebody who can play within the high six, is excessive on basic supervisor Daniel Briere’s offseason to-do checklist, notably after the Flyers dealt two of them this season in Morgan Frost and Scott Laughton. The Flyers have some property to dangle, too, with seven picks within the high 50 within the upcoming draft, together with three within the first spherical. I might see them doubtlessly parting with a kind of later first-rounders. Or if the Wild are searching for a participant who might assist instantly, maybe they’d be prepared to go for Minnesota native and proper winger Bobby Brink, who took a noticeable step ahead this season.
My hunch is that Rossi’s diminutive dimension could be a turnoff for the Flyers, who’re already on the small aspect. Nonetheless, if no different choices can be found, Rossi would assist fill a large gap of their lineup.
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres beat author Matt Fairburn: Proper now, the highest two facilities on the Sabres’ depth chart are Josh Norris, who has struggled to remain wholesome lately, and Jiri Kulich, who’s 21 and simply completed his rookie season. So the Sabres could be smart to discover any improve to the highest six.
The query could be whether or not the value for Rossi is sensible for Buffalo. JJ Peterka appears like an excessive amount of for the Sabres to surrender. Bowen Byram may be an applicable worth. Jack Quinn may very well be accessible, however the Sabres would wish to surrender greater than that. Kevyn Adams would most likely desire to dip into the Sabres’ deep prospect pool or dangle the No. 9 decide in a commerce like this.
Carolina Hurricanes
Hurricanes beat author Cory Lavalette: The Hurricanes definitely want extra scoring down the center behind Sebastian Aho, and Rossi has the potential to fill that void.
There are additionally some elements enjoying in opposition to Rossi. Whereas he performs larger than his body, he would nonetheless be one other small ahead in a lineup that already consists of Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven. Additionally, Rod Brind’Amour has desperately coveted a right-handed heart — Rossi would add to the workforce’s glut of lefties on the dot.
All that mentioned, if GM Eric Tulsky sees Rossi as a match, Carolina has a wealth of property.
Rossi ought to be a barely depreciated asset after enjoying simply over 11 minutes an evening for the Wild within the playoffs. A proposal sheet isn’t an possibility except the Hurricanes get again their 2026 third-round decide, but it surely does give a baseline for the marketplace for Rossi — one thing round a primary and a 3rd.
Given the additional first-round picks the Hurricanes have, Tulsky might supply a probable late first (certainly one of Dallas’ future picks or Carolina’s personal this 12 months) and go from there.
Even when the commerce is sensible, I nonetheless marvel about Rossi’s match.
Calgary Flames
Former Flames beat author Julian McKenzie: The Flames completed twenty ninth in objectives for and thirtieth in objectives at five-on-five. So, yeah, they may use some scoring wherever they will get it. That is already on high of their want for expertise, notably from younger gamers between the ages of 18 and 23. Rossi checks off these containers. Calgary would additionally love his versatility at heart and wing.
The Flames have prospects and draft picks they will supply in return. If the Wild covet a roster participant extra, a decide or prospect can work as a sweetener. I’d be fascinated to know who on the Flames the Wild would covet. Yegor Sharangovich looks as if an apparent commerce candidate to me, however he’s coming off a down 12 months and won’t match the invoice. Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson could be fascinating commerce items to ponder. However Kadri has a no-move, whereas the Flames nonetheless must resolve on Andersson’s future.
Utah Mammoth
Smith: The Mammoth have already got an thrilling younger core, and GM Invoice Armstrong is primed to make a splash this summer season. There are rumblings Utah is dangling the No. 4 decide on this month’s draft for top-six assist, and whereas there’s no indication which means Rossi, we all know how a lot Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny loves the Wild heart.
Tourigny, who coached Rossi in junior with the Ottawa 67’s, is a “large believer” and the “largest fan” of Rossi, evaluating his “first high quality” IQ to the likes of Ryan O’Reilly.
“Belief me. He’s an unbelievable professional,” Tourigny mentioned. “Takes care of his physique. Takes care of each element. He’s tremendous pushed, tremendous aggressive. He’s actually shifty. He has an unbelievable IQ — nice hockey sense. It’s a matter for him to maintain getting extra mature in all of it. However Marco Rossi’s a hell of a participant. On and off the ice, he’s as low-maintenance as you’ll find. He’s probably the most ready man you’ll find. He was a blast to teach.”
Marco Rossi scored 120 factors in 56 video games enjoying for now-Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny on the OHL’s 67’s in 2019-20. (Graig Abel / Getty Pictures)
Winnipeg Jets
Jets beat author Murat Ates: The Jets most likely aren’t available in the market for a smaller heart, regardless of Rossi’s nice expertise, however there’s a powerful argument that they need to be. Winnipeg has traded first-round picks for second-line facilities who then walked as unrestricted free brokers in 2018, 2019 and 2023 — and would have achieved so once more in 2025 had their Brock Nelson commerce labored out with the New York Islanders. This can be a gap the Jets will throw property at till it’s patched. There’s additionally win-now stress constructing in Winnipeg, given the variety of star gamers aged 30 or above.
Rossi wants a brand new contract now however isn’t UFA eligible till 2029, making him somebody properly value paying a first-round decide for — and a prospect like Brad Lambert or Colby Barlow, as mandatory — to spare the Jets their annual 2C angst on the commerce deadline.
Honorable mentions
Different groups doubtlessly desirous about a younger, scoring heart: Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins (tons of draft capital, might have to prep for all times after Evgeni Malkin if that is his closing season within the NHL), Detroit Purple Wings (they’re already a little bit small up entrance, although), New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche.
(High photograph: Nick Wosika / Imagn Pictures)
