As reported by Michael Russo (via X), Marco Rossi has signed a three-year contract with the Wild worth $15 million ($5 million AAV). In my last article on Marco Rossi, I predicted he would sign a two-year deal with a slightly higher AAV ($5.5-6 million). After tense speculation and a stalled negotiation process, it appears both team and player have reached a compromise, far earlier than many predicted them to. 

Image source: @NHL on X

Great Value

While $5 million may seem like a hefty chunk of change to give out to a player that management doesn't fully trust, the deal is phenomenal value when compared to similar signings around the league. 

Rossi's deal is an RFA (Restricted Free Agent) extension, where the team holds the vast majority of the negotiating power. Two comparable RFA deals signed this offseason would be Gabe Vilardi and Frank Nazar, signed by division rivals Chicago and Winnipeg respectively. 

Nazar signed a seven year extension with the Blackhawks worth $46.13 million (AAV of roughly $6.6 million, per NHL.com). The 2022 first round pick played split time between the NHL and AHL this season, putting up twelve goals and twenty-six points in fifty-three games for the Blackhawks in 2024-2025. This contract is the most lucrative deal given to a player to appear in less than sixty NHL games, surpassing Minnesota's own Kirill Kaprizov (Note: Kaprizov had a significantly higher AAV of $9 million, the length of Nazar's deal is just longer). While Nazar has shown signs of being a reliable two-way player that can put up solid production, he is expected to be the second line center of the future for Chicago, a role that Rossi will also be asked to fill.

The $30 million gap in valuation between Nazar and Rossi is quite confusing, considering that Nazar is far more unproven than Rossi, who has put up back-to-back twenty goal seasons while playing every game for a Wild team with consistent injury issues over that time frame. While Nazar is two years younger than Rossi, and therefore deserves at least an extra season to prove his worth, it still feels like the Blackhawks are over-investing in Nazar, and the Wild are doing the opposite for Rossi. 

Another comparable RFA deal is the one signed by Gabe Vilardi of the Winnipeg Jets this past July. Vilardi signed a six-year contract worth $45 million, carrying a cap hit of $7.5 million per season. Like Rossi, Gabe Vilardi is a former first round pick (2017) who played on an extremely productive line. Last season, Vilardi put up twenty-seven goals and sixty-one points on one of the best lines in hockey, playing alongside Mark Scheifele and elite sniper Kyle Connor. Some major differences between Vilardi and Rossi would be that Vilardi mostly played on the wing and he's much larger, towering six inches over Rossi at 6' 3". 

When compared to other major RFA deals signed this summer, it is very apparent the Wild got a large discount considering Rossi's production. For Those who don't know, Rossi produced just a single point less than Vilardi last season, and Vilardi was compensated with a contract worth triple Rossi's deal this offseason as a result. Both Vilardi and Frank Nazar were trusted with over $30 million more than Rossi on their respective extensions, despite Nazar only playingin 56 NHL games across two seasons. While the deal is sensational for the Wild's cap situation, it is very evident that Rossi has been undervalued when looking at the broader market.

What Does it Mean?

While the AAV looks to be a certified bargain, the term leaves plenty of room for concern. It's clear that the Wild front office doesn't  believe in Rossi enough to extend him long-term, and the cheap cap hit might make him a more appealing trade target. While the Wild's Center situation is shaky at best this season, decent internal development could render Rossi less useful.

For example, if rookie Danila Yurov shows promise on both ends of the ice and a skillset to thrive at the Center position, that could spell the end for Rossi sooner rather than later. At 6' 1", Yurov's best attribute is his hockey IQ, which he uses to optimize his the effectiveness of his 200-foot-game and amazing shot release. While Rossi will be trusted to play higher in the lineup than rookie Yurov in 2025-2026, Yurov could still perform well enough to earn chances to develop chemistry with fellow Russian Kirill Kaprizov. If Yurov is able to produce as a Center on this Wild team, Rossi could be traded for other talent as soon as next summer.

While Wild fans should be ecstatic that the team retained Rossi at great value, just because he got a contract doesn't mean the team fully believes in him. The Wild are a lot stronger with him up the middle in the immediate future, but he could prove to be surplus to requirements if other players in the prospect pipeline continue to develop. 

For now, Wild fans should rest easy knowing they have their homegrown talent on a cheap deal for the immediate future. Rossi will continue to grow as a player, but like all things Minnesota Wild, fans should be cautiously optimistic for Rossi's future as a member of the team.