ST. PAUL, Minn. — After a protracted offseason of disputed opinions over Marco Rossi’s worth, the Minnesota Wild and their last restricted free agent got here to a compromise Friday, with the 23-year-old heart signing a three-year, $15 million contract that extends by way of the 2027-2028 season.
Rossi will probably be paid $4 million subsequent season, $5 million in 2026-27 and $6 million in 2027-28. That implies that if Rossi’s contract isn’t prolonged in the summertime of 2027 or after the 2027-28 season, his qualifying provide heading into the season previous unrestricted free company is $6 million.
Rossi doesn’t have no-trade safety within the contract, as he’s not but eligible.
Rossi, who had no arbitration rights this offseason, had just one different possibility apart from holding out, and that was signing a proposal sheet with one other crew. President of hockey operations and common supervisor Bill Guerin vowed on July 1 that he would match any provide sheet. None got here to fruition.
However Guerin additionally added, “We’ve a construction in our pay that we have now him slotted in at a sure degree, and that’s simply the way in which we’re doing our enterprise. That is nothing private. We would like him again, and we’ll hopefully get to a decision ahead of later.”
Rossi had little interest in a contract dispute that might maintain him from arriving to coaching camp on time. In case you’ve paid consideration to his social media, he has bulked up considerably this offseason with numerous hours within the gymnasium and climbing the mountains of Austria. He additionally has been engaged on his faceoffs, at one level coaching with not too long ago elected Corridor of Famer Joe Thornton.
Rossi was a top-six heart for Minnesota final season and scored a career-high 24 objectives and 60 factors after making the all-rookie crew the 12 months earlier than with 21 objectives and 40 factors. Final winter, he rejected a five-year, $25 million extension provide from the Wild, in line with league sources. The comparables had been facilities like Dylan Strome, who signed for 5 years and $25 million in 2023, and Anton Lundell. who signed for six years and $30 million in 2024.
here is 5 and a half minutes of our favourite Marco Rossi objectives pic.twitter.com/mXvNJ9A3Wz
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) August 22, 2025
Rossi countered with a short-term bridge at the next AAV than the $5 million per 12 months the edges lastly settled upon. The Wild didn’t counter till they provided a bridge deal at an AAV decrease than $5 million in June. That was rejected, with Rossi’s camp feeling their place, particularly on a long-term deal, was strengthened by current contracts to Logan Stankoven (eight years, $6 million AAV, signed in July), Matthew Coronato (seven years, $6.5 million AAV, signed in Could), JJ Peterka (5 years, $7.7 million AAV, signed in June) and Matthew Knies (six years, $7.75 million AAV, signed in June).
Rossi, picked at No. 9 within the 2020 draft, is likely one of the few drafted-and-developed heart success tales in franchise historical past. He was the crew’s second-leading scorer final season — his second full 12 months within the NHL and the second in a row through which he performed all 82 video games.
Within the playoffs, Rossi was demoted to the fourth line late in Sport 1 towards the Vegas Golden Knights, and he remained there for the remainder of the sequence — a six-game loss for the crew’s eighth first-round exit in 10 years. He scored twice within the playoffs — greater than 15 teammates — regardless of the third-fewest minutes on the crew. Guerin thought-about buying and selling Rossi all through June, however the one provides he received had been for futures, together with mid-to-late first-rounders and roster gamers he had little interest in. Guerin refused all these provides as he didn’t need to make his crew worse. He wished a middle or winger again who might carry related manufacturing.
Rossi known as his fourth-line utilization within the playoffs “very disappointing” and stated he had an “trustworthy” discuss with coach John Hynes at their exit conferences. Guerin stated later that he preferred Rossi and wasn’t “dying” to commerce him.
Guerin stated coming into the summer season that he hoped to improve the middle place and get “assist” for Joel Eriksson Ek. Shedding Rossi would have been the other of that. The Wild did additionally signal Nico Sturm, a stable penalty killer and faceoff specialist, to a two-year, $2 million-per-year contract. In addition they have touted prospect Danila Yurov signed and able to be part of the membership and Ryan Hartman as a middle-six heart.
Rossi has accomplished just about every thing the Wild have requested since he was drafted. He overcame a misplaced 12 months on account of COVID-19 and the guts situation myocarditis. He stayed in Minnesota two summers in the past, even skipping his sister’s marriage ceremony in Austria to decide to coaching with the crew’s employees and gamers. Final summer season, he returned early and skipped Austria’s failed try to qualify for the Olympics. He additionally had a very good perspective and work ethic after getting despatched to AHL Iowa in his first season.
However Rossi can be a proud participant, and the cash didn’t seem to be the one factor up for debate this offseason. It was about what his function is perhaps going ahead on the crew, and fourth-line minutes in the course of the playoffs weren’t a very good signal on that entrance.
Nevertheless, if you have a look at the Wild’s roster and his new contract, it’s exhausting to see how he’s not within the prime six to begin subsequent season — maybe with Matt Boldy and offseason acquisition Vladimir Tarasenko on his wings.
(Picture: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Pictures)
