A handful of Canadian teams have spoken with the Wild regarding pending RFA center Marco Rossi, but the Canucks are the club with the highest level of interest in the youngster, writes Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. LeBrun adds the Flames have also expressed a mild degree of interest but are looking for a pivot with more size to complement their top six, while the Canadiens have kicked tires but haven’t been remotely progressive in their pursuit.
Rossi is one of the biggest names to watch on the trade market over the next few weeks, especially among centers, unless Vancouver decides to shop their own Elias Pettersson again before his no-trade clause takes effect on July 1. Minnesota has been more aggressively soliciting calls on Rossi since the season ended, after previously denying they were looking to move the 23-year-old pivot. There’s been widespread interest so far, but no team has emerged as a true frontrunner.
That’s due mostly to Rossi’s disinterest in a bridge deal and a desire for a long-term contract worth $49MM over seven years for a $7MM cap hit, according to reports. He’s coming off a strong platform year, finally elevated into consistent top-six deployment and responding with a 24-36–60 scoring line in 82 games despite not having superstar Kirill Kaprizov available on his wing for half of the season. He was second on the Wild in points and only three goals behind Matt Boldy for the team lead. He also hasn’t missed a game since emerging as a full-time NHL option in 2023-24, a notable development for someone who experienced significant post-COVID complications shortly after being drafted No. 9 overall by the Wild in 2020.
Rossi’s leap in production, especially since he was able to shoulder the responsibility of being Minnesota’s top center for a decent portion of the campaign with Joel Eriksson Ek missing time as well, still points to the Austrian having a point-per-game ceiling (or close to it). There’s one limiting factor he has to overcome: his size. Checking in at 5’9″ and 182 lbs, teams generally prefer to have that type of skillset on the wing. Whether justifiable or not, his evaluation by the Wild has been negatively impacted. His minutes were slashed in the postseason as he was reduced to a fourth-line role, still managing three points in six games against the Golden Knights despite seeing a decrease of over seven minutes per game from his regular-season deployment.
The lack of cost certainty and the fact that Rossi only has two full years of NHL experience also hurt, not help, his trade value. As such, it’s hard to identify a solid comparable deal to speculate a return. The Wild have no intention of taking a step back in their competitiveness level next season, though, so as Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff speculated earlier this month, they won’t just be looking for futures in return. If they’re losing center depth, they’ll look to bolster their skill on the wings to compensate.
Few destinations make more sense for Rossi than Vancouver. The Canucks are in desperate need of more offensive depth at every forward position but particularly at center, where they took a temporary hit by swapping J.T. Miller for Filip Chytil in an in-season blockbuster with the Rangers. Slotting in Rossi as their No. 2 center behind Pettersson, as they await the latter’s return to form, would allow Chytil to drop down to a much more comfortable third-line role to begin 2025-26 and give Vancouver three legitimate scoring threats down the middle.
It’s unclear who Minnesota might want in return on the wing, though. They’d presumably prefer a similarly-aged piece to Rossi but the Canucks wouldn’t likely value him high enough to deem him worth parting ways with top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. A return based around the 23-year-old Nils Höglander, plus other assets to equal Rossi’s higher trade value, would be more realistic.
That’s a decent step back in offensive ceiling for Minnesota, but Höglander is cost-controlled at a $3MM cap hit through 2027-28. That would still allow the Wild to be aggressive in pursuing a name like Matt Duchene or Mikael Granlund in free agency to replace Rossi down the middle, while the Canucks would still open up more flexbility compared to a futures-based return and might still have the space to pursue a replacement for Höglander on the wing on the open market.
Better to trade for Zegras, who put up better numbers last 3 seasons without a Kaprisov or Boldy at his side. Better still, use the 15th pick to grab someone who’ll mature in 3-5 years, when the Canucks might be good again (unless they keep trading firsts for bandaids)
Just what the canucks need an undersized, entitled kid. Rossi has had 1 decent season and expects more than 7 mil per? I’m pretty sure my fat behind could hit 40 points on Kaprizov’s line so that extra 20 is worth more than 7 mil? They have their weak, whiny C (albeit talented) in Petterson I wouldn’t be going after another.
Just have to step in here and defend Rossi against your “entitled kid” comment. He is absolutely not that. He’s absolutely one of the best locker room guys the Wild have. He’s worked his ass off to improve his play and recover from a near death experience from COVID. He’s sacrificed everything, including attending his sister’s wedding, because the Wild wanted him to stay in the states and train under their watch. He’s a model player and citizen whose only apparent flaw is that he is undersized. Despite this alleged flaw, the vast majority of his goals came from in front of the net. He played all 82 games and he didn’t benefit from playing along side Kaprizov as Kirill was hurt and out of the lineup much of the year. He’s sticking to his guns because he wants out of Minnesota, or he wants to be paid what he’s worth. And he had 60 points this year, not the 40 you say your fat behind could score. Vancouver would be lucky to have this kid in that dysfunctional locker room and Minnesota just might regret the day they let Marco get away.
I said the extra 20 on top of what my fat behind could score. Reading is hard.
And say what you want but if you turn down 49 million dollars for one 60 point season you’re either stupid or entitled. He’s had health issues and he’s 5’9” which doesn’t point to a long nor productive NHL career. Doesn’t mean he can’t but the odds are stacked. If he believes he’s worth more sign a prove it bridge deal or a 1 year deal. Show them your worth it. Anyone who offers this guy 8×7 or more is playing roulette at this point.
Who hasn’t
Tell Patrik Allvin that his team has enough small, Soft, European centers.