Guerin: Wild “Not Looking To Trade” Marco Rossi
The Wild have received legitimate top-six production this year from 2020 ninth-overall pick Marco Rossi, which Wild general manager Bill Guerin says has taken his name off the trade block after years of speculation, as relayed by Michael Russo of The Athletic.
“I’m very happy with Marco – oh my god, yeah,” Guerin said. “Just his pace of play, his engagement every night, he has been one of our best players. I think the biggest thing, too — and I know this is the hardest thing for young players — is his consistency… He’s doing all the right stuff.”
Rossi has parlayed that consistency into a top-line role between superstar Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello for the vast majority of the season, something that’s surely helped his production at face value. But one could make the argument that spending so much time with Rossi has helped Kaprizov along in his career-best pace, too. The Russian winger is clicking at a career-high 1.47 points per game and leads the league with 20 even-strength goals, all the while spending 22 of his 34 appearances on Rossi’s left flank. Rossi’s emergence has also proved necessary in the absence of No. 2 center Joel Eriksson Ek over the past month with a lower-body injury. Since Eriksson Ek’s last appearance on Dec. 3, Rossi has five goals and three assists in 10 contests while logging well over 20 minutes per game.
That’s made Rossi indispensable for a Wild club with aspirations of a deep playoff run. Now fueled by the next generation, including Rossi and stalwart Brock Faber on the back end, all signs point to them leveraging other assets to improve at the trade deadline instead of flipping Rossi as part of an upgrade for a big fish. With how well he’s performing, on pace for 28 goals and 66 points, it’s doubtful there would even be a veteran upgrade available down the middle on deadline day. Minnesota native Brock Nelson, who’s struggled offensively this season and is only on pace for 47 points, projects as the top center available on the block, Chris Johnston wrote for The Athletic earlier this month.
The question now for Guerin is how many financial resources he’s willing to commit to Rossi, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The Wild have more than $13MM in cap space opening up this summer with a significant reduction in the impact of the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts, notwithstanding a salary cap increase of at least $4MM. That means they won’t have any issues acclimating a heavy raise on a potential long-term deal over the summer, but keeping an eye out for a multi-million dollar bump on Kaprizov’s current $9MM AAV contract that expires in 2026 remains paramount.
Morning Notes: Blues Offer Sheets, Rossi, Gartner
The Blues tendered the first successful offer sheet(s) in three years last month when they landed both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Oilers. Some thought the rich contracts may have been a ploy to snag one while Edmonton matched the other. That wasn’t the case, as Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic that the team “structured it that way in an attempt to get both players.”
“We scouted them,” Armstrong continued. “We’ve watched their development. We thought there was a chance that we could get both when you looked at the Oilers’ contracts coming up, and it ended up working out that way.”
It all indicates Armstrong’s hope to end his tenure as GM by returning the 2019 Stanley Cup winners to championship contention without a total teardown. “We now have double-digit players drafted in the first round over a five-, six-year span,” he said. “Now, they’re not all going to make it, but consistently, you have 70 to 80 percent of those guys make it; they can actually play together for the better part of five, six, seven years. Building something that’s sustainable is what we’re trying to do here. Those two players fit perfectly into that.”
More from around the NHL as training camp nears:
- Center Marco Rossi‘s commitment to a solid sophomore season in the State of Hockey was evidenced last month when he declined to participate for his native Austria in this summer’s qualifying tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics, instead focusing on starting his pre-season training in Minnesota. The 22-year-old spoke recently to Joe Smith of The Athletic, saying he thinks a 30-goal season is “of course possible” after lighting the lamp 21 times in his rookie year. He’s got his confidence back after demonstrating his floor as a perfectly acceptable top-nine pivot last season – which wasn’t a guarantee for the 2020 ninth-overall pick after complications from COVID-19 cost him virtually all of his post-draft season. That adversity “always makes you stronger mentally,” he said.
- After a 10-year run as chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee, Lanny McDonald‘s tenure in the role will end in June 2025, thanks to term limits. He’ll be succeeded by nine-time 40-goal scorer and 2001 inductee Mike Gartner, as Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun relays. Gartner will enter a chairman-elect role next month to “support transitional matters and be on the search committee for a new president and CEO.” He’ll also preside over the induction of the 2025 class, which will be announced weeks after he takes over as chairman full-time.
West Notes: Desharnais, Rossi, Rehkopf
The Canucks may slot in UFA signing Vincent Desharnais on their top defense pairing alongside Quinn Hughes in spot duty next season, opines Thomas Drance of The Athletic.
Doing so would allow Filip Hronek, who spent all of last season stapled to Hughes and is fresh off signing an eight-year, $58MM deal, to drive his own pairing against easier competition. That’s something head coach Rick Tocchet said he’d consider doing, telling Drance that Hronek can “tend to defer too much” at times when playing with Hughes and that he’d “like to see him be more forceful with his decisions.”
It would be a big jump for Desharnais, though. The 28-year-old only established himself as a full-time NHLer last year with the Oilers. He was a bottom-pairing presence for Edmonton, averaging 15:44 per game through 78 contests. He did post 11 points and a +3 rating with average possession metrics, but playing alongside Hughes with any consistency would be a tough task for a player who’s seen most of his professional career unfold in the AHL to date. Desharnais inked a two-year, $4MM contract with Vancouver when free agency opened on July 1.
There’s more out of the Western Conference:
- Austria will be without perhaps its best player in this summer’s qualifying tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Wild forward Marco Rossi is skipping the event to begin training in Minnesota later this month, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic. Rossi, 22, is coming off a career-high 21 goals and 40 points last season while playing in all 82 games and could open the season as the Wild’s first-line center alongside Kirill Kaprizov. The 2020 ninth-overall pick had one assist in three games during the 2022 qualifiers with Austria failing to earn one of the three available spots. This year, they’ll be competing for one of the open spots in a round-robin tournament with Hungary, Kazakhstan and Slovakia.
- Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf has been traded in the Ontario Hockey League, heading from the Kitchener Rangers to the Brampton Steelheads, sources tell Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News. Rehkopf, 19, has spent the last three seasons in Kitchener, where the 6’2″ forward led the team in scoring last season with 95 points (52 goals, 43 assists) in 60 games. The 2023 second-round pick will be returned to Brampton out of training camp this fall, but a strong post-draft season puts him in line to compete for a roster spot in Seattle in next year’s training camp.
Central Notes: Cogliano, Carrier, Rossi
Avalanche winger Andrew Cogliano has played on one-year deals in each of the last three seasons and with his 17th NHL campaign ending at the conclusion of Colorado’s playoffs, there are questions about whether he’ll continue playing. Speaking with Kyle Frederickson of The Denver Gazette, the 36-year-old indicated that he’s hopeful to stick around but also wants to see how things go in the postseason and go from there. Cogliano logged a career-low 10:37 per game during the regular season but was fairly productive despite the low ice time, notching 19 points in 75 contests while adding four assists in six playoff appearances despite barely logging nine minutes a night.
More from the Central:
- Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier is set to hit unrestricted free agency in July but Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game notes that there was a bit of dialogue between the two sides about an extension earlier in the season and that his desire is to remain in Nashville. The 27-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22 and has been an important part of their back end since then. Carrier had 20 points and 137 blocks in 73 games with the Preds this season and is well-positioned to receive a multi-year deal this summer with a raise from the $2.5MM he made on his set-to-expire deal.
- Despite a strong first full NHL season, Minnesota is believed to be open to offers on center Marco Rossi, reports Anthony DiMarco of The Fourth Period. The 22-year-old potted 21 goals and 19 assists in 82 games while logging a little under 17 minutes, a solid rookie campaign for the ninth overall pick in 2020. This doesn’t appear to be a case where the Wild are shopping Rossi but rather one where they’re open to the idea of a ‘hockey trade’ where they’re getting a quality piece back. Notably, Rossi has another year left on his entry-level deal and with one more year of expensive cap charges on the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts (before the charges drop considerably for 2025-26 and beyond), they would likely be looking for a similarly-priced contract if they were to part with him.
Nominees Announced For 2024 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Nominees are selected by members of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association, with finalists being named near the end of the regular season. Previous winners include Kris Letang (2023), Carey Price (2022), and Oskar Lindblom (2021). Today, a new list of 32 nominees has been named.
Below are the nominees from each team:
Anaheim Ducks – Urho Vaakanainen
Arizona Coyotes – Connor Ingram
Boston Bruins – Danton Heinen
Buffalo Sabres – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Calgary Flames – Oliver Kylington
Carolina Hurricanes – Frederik Andersen
Chicago Blackhawks – Colin Blackwell
Colorado Avalanche – Jonathan Drouin
Columbus Blue Jackets – Zach Werenski
Dallas Stars – Matt Duchene
Detroit Red Wings – Alex Lyon
Edmonton Oilers – Vincent Desharnais
Florida Panthers – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Los Angeles Kings – Viktor Arvidsson
Minnesota Wild – Marco Rossi
Montreal Canadiens – Joel Armia
Nashville Predators – Michael McCarron
New Jersey Devils – Curtis Lazar
New York Islanders – Cal Clutterbuck
New York Rangers – Jonathan Quick
Ottawa Senators – Claude Giroux
Philadelphia Flyers – Sean Couturier
Pittsburgh Penguins – Sidney Crosby
San Jose Sharks – Justin Bailey
Seattle Kraken – Joey Daccord
St. Louis Blues – Nathan Walker
Tampa Bay Lightning – Michael Eyssimont
Toronto Maple Leafs – Ilya Samsonov
Vancouver Canucks – Noah Juulsen
Vegas Golden Knights – Alex Pietrangelo
Washington Capitals – T.J. Oshie
Winnipeg Jets – Laurent Brossoit
Wild Notes: Rossi, Goligoski, Gustavsson, Reaves
The Minnesota Wild’s number-one priority as an organization seems to be finally finding the a true number-one center to build around. When he was drafted with the ninth-overall pick at the 2020 draft, it was believed that Austrian center Marco Rossi had a shot at being that long-awaited franchise-altering pivot. Significant health issues altered the trajectory of Rossi’s development early in his time as a Wild prospect, and while he has been an exceptionally productive player in the AHL (104 points in 116 career games) the soon-to-be 22-year-old hasn’t managed to seize the moment in the NHL with Minnesota.
While he’s still undoubtedly someone the Wild are hoping pans out, the Athletic’s Joe Smith reported today that he believes the Wild would “be open to moving Rossi if the right deal came up,” such as one with a 2023 first-round pick as compensation. (subscription link) The Kirby Dach trade that was made at last year’s draft could serve as a template for this kind of deal, with the Canadiens surrendering a draft pick in order to acquire a high-upside center whose development had been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Given how significant Dach’s developmental turnaround was under Martin St. Louis in Montreal, it seems possible that an organization confident in its player development abilities might be willing to part with a first-round pick in order to acquire Rossi. Acquiring Rossi could afford a team a quicker turnaround to NHL relevance than developing a brand-new draft pick, so perhaps a team looking to speed up its rebuild or quickly inject some cost-controlled young talent into its roster could be a fit as well.
Some other notes regarding the Wild:
- Smith’s article touched on quite a few players of interest to this Minnesota offseason, including 1042-game veteran blueliner Alex Goligoski. Smith reports that Goligoski’s preference is to remain in Minnesota for the final year of his contract, but that his $2MM cap hit combined with the Wild’s significant salary cap constraints could complicate things. Goligoski has a full no-movement clause on his contract so he can control his playing future, but after spending much of last season as a healthy scratch one wonders if he’d sanction a move away from Minnesota simply to re-gain a regular spot in an NHL lineup.
- Perhaps the most significant player the Wild will need to negotiate with this summer is netminder Filip Gustavsson, who had a stellar season. Gustavsson is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent and Smith writes that his next contract “will end up falling into one of three categories: a one-year deal, a three-year deal or a one-year arbitration award.” With top prospect Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings, it makes sense that the Wild might not want to invest long-term in Gustavsson, but should the 25-year-old manage to even come close his numbers from this past season in 2023-24 only locking him down for one season could end up a costly mistake.
- The Wild’s mid-season trade acquisition of enforcer Ryan Reaves injected some much-needed energy and life onto their roster, and he scored 15 points in 61 games helping the team reach the playoffs once again. Smith writes that Reaves, now 36, would like to return to the Wild but is prioritizing maximizing the financial value of his next contract, a deal that could very well end up his last major free-agent cash-in. Reaves reportedly is seeking term on his next deal longer than just one year, so since the Wild are set to be paying nearly $15MM in dead money due to the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts, it very well could be that re-signing Reaves is a luxury they cannot afford.
Snapshots: Gavrikov, Rossi, Teravainen
Earlier this afternoon, Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times took some quotes from Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, telling the reporter that his family loved living in Los Angeles for the last couple of months, but also said “We’ll see what happens” on whether or not he will extend his tenure with the Kings. Gavrikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Gavrikov had previously spent three seasons playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but with the Blue Jackets not meeting expectations this season, Gavrikov was subsequently dealt to the Kings with teammate Joonas Korpisalo. In 52 games in Columbus this season, Gavrikov scored three goals and seven assists, and would almost match that same output in only 20 games in Los Angeles. Gavrikov is one of the better defensive defensemen in the game, as he has blocked over 100 shots in each of his previous last two seasons.
In their opening-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, Gavrikov continued his strong play on the Kings’ back end, playing in all six games, accruing 16 hits, and earning a rating of +5. In the upcoming free agency period in July, Gavrikov joins a list of notable defensemen that play best on the defensive side of the puck, such as Ryan Graves, Scott Mayfield, Connor Clifton, and Dmitry Orlov.
Other snapshots:
- Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Minnesota Wild prospect, Marco Rossi, will suit up for Team Austria in the 2023 IIHF World Championships. Although playing in limited NHL action over the last two seasons, Rossi has been one of the better performers in the AHL, playing for the Iowa Wild. In his rookie season, Rossi scored 18 goals and 35 assists in 63 games played, and followed that up with almost a point-per-game performance this year, scoring 51 points in 53 games. In the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, although his team was eliminated in two games by the Rockford IceHogs, Rossi managed a goal and an assist.
- In some positive news regarding an injury for the Carolina Hurricanes, Tom Gulitti of the NHL reports that forward Teuvo Teravainen participated in an off-ice workout today. Teravainen is currently healing from a broken hand, and although this is a major step in the right direction for his return, it is still unknown whether or not he will be back for the playoffs. In somewhat of a down year compared to his previous standards, Teravainen only managed 37 points in 65 games this year, but would undoubtedly be a welcome return to a surging Carolina team.
Minnesota Wild Recall Nine Players
The Iowa Wild were eliminated from Calder Cup contention a few days ago, but it isn’t summer vacation for all their players yet. Nine members of Iowa’s roster are on their way to join the Minnesota Wild as a set of “Black Aces,” players who will practice with the club and serve as injury insurance in the playoffs.
Adam Beckman, Steven Fogarty, Nic Petan, Marco Rossi, Nick Swaney, Samuel Walker, Daemon Hunt, Dakota Mermis, and Zane McIntyre have all been recalled.
Of course, after dropping game five on Tuesday the Wild are on the brink of elimination themselves. They’ll take on the Dallas Stars in a do-or-die matchup tomorrow night, trying to force a game seven in the first-round series.
All but Hunt have appeared in the NHL previously. The 20-year-old defenseman is in his first professional season after being selected 65th overall in 2020, and posted 11 points in 59 regular season games for Iowa.
The others are a mix of minor league veterans and top prospects. Rossi falls into the latter category, though his time in the NHL this year didn’t go well. The 2020 ninth-overall pick registered just a single assist (and no goals) in 19 games with Minnesota. While his development has been interrupted by health issues, Rossi’s inability to grab a roster spot was one of the season’s low points for the Wild.
There is at least a possibility that someone from this group does enter the lineup. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman are both not practicing today, though their status for tomorrow’s game is unclear.
Minnesota Wild Recall Marco Rossi
The Minnesota Wild have recalled forwards Marco Rossi and Nic Petan from their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, according to a team announcement.
These recalls come as the Wild are dealing with a major injury suffered by their most accomplished center, Joel Eriksson Ek. With Eriksson Ek out of the picture leading into the team’s playoff series next week, the Wild are exploring options to fill spots down the middle in their lineup, and Rossi is the Wild’s best center prospect.
Petan, on the other hand, is no longer a prospect, but instead a 28-year-old top-scoring AHLer. Petan leads the Wild’s AHL affiliate in scoring with 60 points in 51 games this year, and perhaps this recall is a reward for the strong play he has delivered in Iowa.
As for Rossi, the 21-year-old 2020 first-round pick saw his developmental trajectory significantly disrupted when he was diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition that forced him off the ice for a time. More details on Rossi’s health battle can be found in a story by The Athletic’s Michael Russo. (subscription link) Despite the fact that Rossi has not yet found success at the NHL level, what he has achieved at the AHL level and his return to hockey overall represents a major athletic accomplishment.
This season, Rossi has been a difference-maker for the AHL’s Wild, scoring 50 points in 51 games. In total, he has 103 points in 114 career contests. While he has just one point in 18 career NHL contests, the Wild are planning on Rossi becoming a top-six forward and someone they can rely on into the future.
With this recall, Rossi now has the opportunity to enter the Wild lineup and finally prove himself as an NHLer at a crucial point in Minnesota’s season. Ryan Hartman and Frederick Gaudreau are currently Minnesota’s top two NHL centers, and while they have each scored 36 points this season and are quality pivots, they’re hardly the type of dynamic, star-level centers that typically headline Stanley Cup-winning teams.
The Wild have had a strong season and have dreams that captain Jared Spurgeon will be lifting the Stanley Cup later this year. While Rossi hasn’t yet shown it on NHL ice, his AHL form lends to the idea that he could finally become the type of center the Wild have been missing for years. And if he can become that player just in time for Minnesota’s playoff run, perhaps that Stanley Cup dream could get a little bit closer to reality.
Marco Rossi To Be Re-Assigned To AHL
The Minnesota Wild are expected to send Marco Rossi to the AHL after sitting out last night’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that the young forward was informed of the decision yesterday.
Rossi, 21, has played in 16 games this season but looks outmatched at times, not quite ready to become a difference-making forward at the NHL level. With zero goals and just one assist, it hasn’t been the rookie campaign he or many expected.
Some time in the AHL should only help Rossi’s development, especially because of the time he has missed in the past. Due to medical concerns, he was held out for nearly the entire 2020-21 season, playing just a single game in Switzerland. Last season, his return was rather triumphant, with 53 points in 63 games for the Iowa Wild, and an NHL debut.
Now, after sitting a number of games in the press box as a healthy scratch, he’ll get a chance to build on that first AHL campaign.