According to a report by TheRGMedia, Marco Rossi's uncertain future has had many NHL teams interested in the young center. It has become evident during the 2024-25 season that the Wild and Rossi were on different sides.
Maybe even his whole career.
Rossi, 23, was the Wild's ninth overall pick from the 2020 NHL Draft. The way he has been handled since the draft has suggested Rossi's future in the NHL is likely not in Minnesota.
"He’s got some real bright years coming and he’s going to be a huge part of this team or whatever team he’s going to be in the future. He’s going to have a really good career," Wild's Mats Zuccarello said about Rossi's future. "So, I don’t think that bothers him too much. Obviously, you want to play more. I think everyone wants that, but that line was good I think. So, he shouldn’t feel anything other than that.”
Despite recording 60 points in 82 games, ranking second on the team behind Matt Boldy, and finishing second on the team in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), the Wild demoted Rossi to the fourth line in the playoffs.
When asked at exit meetings about what role Rossi sees himself in next year for the Wild, he responded by saying "I don't know, we'll see."
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Wild head coach John Hynes was asked in exit meetings about Rossi, his future, and why he was on the fourth line for a playoff series when clearly that isn't his role. Hynes went on and on about Rossi and the skillset he brings. How valuable he is and tried to explain the decision as it was not a demotion for Rossi.
Wild General Manager Bill Guerin's answer was a bit different.
“Well, I think Hartzy played really well. A lot of people look at it as like a demotion. Ryan Hartman played really well," Guerin said. "Hartman had a great series. He was elevated. OK, then what do you do? You try to find the best line combos that we possibly can. You know what? You take a 60-point guy and you put him with two big guys who are playing really well, and we had a good line. Trenny had a couple points. Braz had a couple. Marco had two goals. He scored two goals on that line. So we’re just trying to find the best combos for that night. We don’t feel like Marco played poorly. Hartzy played really well and moved up the lineup, and that was the best possible combo that we thought Marco would be in, and he played well. He produced.”
Sure Hartman deserved a promotion. But Freddy Gaudreau was on the second line the entire series. He had zero points and was the worst analytical player for the Wild in the entire series. At one point he ranked last in the entire playoffs in Corsi For per 60 (CF/60). He ranked 279 out of 279 players who have played 26 playoff minutes and ranked 278 out of 279 players in Corsi Against per 60 (CA/60) at 94.01. Basically did not provide much offense or defense analytically. His zero points in six games also proves it.
It is safe to say Rossi's demotion wasn't just about Hartman's play. There is something else there. And to be honest, the track record of weird decisions on Rossi's side is there. In 2022-23 for his first season in the NHL, the Wild played him 12 minutes a night on the fourth line. He had one assist in 19 games. This was the same guy who was coming off a 120 point season in 53 OHL games in 2019-20.
He was later sent down to the American Hockey League where he recorded 16 goals, 35 assists, and 51 points in 53 games. The Wild entered the 2022-23 playoffs without Joel Eriksson Ek, and a hurt Hartman. Instead of calling up their future stud in Rossi, the team elected to play Sam Steel on the first line.
Rossi worked his butt off the following offseason and became a stronger and faster skater. He recorded 21 goals and 40 points in all 82 games during the 2023-24 season that saw the Wild miss the playoffs.
He then worked on his game even more and followed up his first full season with 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in all 82 games. He scored huge 6-on-5 goals during the season and elevated his game when the Wild were without Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov for a large part of the season.
Despite all of this, the idea around Rossi's future is still the same. There is no doubt he is a top-six center in the NHL. For a team that has drafted and developed just two quality centers in its 25-year history (Mikko Koivu and Eriksson Ek), you would think they would want to keep Rossi?
But his 5-foot-9 frame and inability to play that 'hard-playoff style' that management clearly wants him to play, has now put him in tons of trade rumors. And what team wouldn't want a 23-year-old center who just had 60 points in his second season? What team wouldn't want a guy who, if the Wild did not have this season they would not have even come close to the playoffs, on their team?
Buffalo Sabres
Anywhere you look you will see the Buffalo Sabres out there in trade rumors surrounding Rossi. As The Athletic has pointed out many times, the Sabres have players like Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, and JJ Peterka who could interest the Wild.
Let's be real. The Sabres have not made the playoffs in 14 seasons. It is hard to believe they would trade a two-time 40-goal scorer who is 27 and under contract until 2030 for someone who is 2-3 years away from being that productive and is a pending RFA with tons of question marks surrounding him in terms of what amount of money and term he will get (Rossi).
Tuch is 29 and is under contract for just one more season. It would make much more sense for the Sabres to trade him than Thompson. Same can be said for Peterka who is also 23, a pending RFA, and was drafted the same year as Rossi.
If you really are moving on from Rossi, which seems almost certain, Peterka should really be the guy. He is coming off a season in which he recorded 27 goals, 41 assists, and 68 points in 77 games. He recorded 28 goals and 50 points the season before in 82 games.
Peterka is a pending RFA and will need a contract. I am sure his camp would look at Matt Coronato, who recently signed a six-year extension with Calgary at a $6.5 million average annual value, and say we want somewhere around that, or more.
Philadelphia Flyers
The second team RG reported was the Philadelphia Flyers. It would make total sense that a young team who is trying to make the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, would want a 23-year-old, 60-point center.
Flyers General Manager Daniel Briere said during exit meetings that they are looking for a top-six center. “We’re looking. But there’s not a lot of high-end centers in this league, and when teams have them they want to keep them, or the price is insane. We’re not willing to give up our future.”
Rossi believes he is a top-six center and has the stats to back it up along with the track record.
"I mean, I've showed all year long how good I am. And in from last year, from 40 points to 60 points this year," Rossi said. "And anyone who knows me, it's always going up and I always improve, and especially with my work ethic. So I've got no doubt, I'm for sure a top-six guy."
Some intriguing names would be Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster. As my colleague, Jonathan Bailey wrote, Tippett could be an option for the Wild. He just had his least productive season (43 points, 20 goals) of his full-time NHL career while playing in the first year of the eight-year, $49.6 million contract.
"Tippett, 26, has a 10-team no-trade list that starts in the 2026-27 season, so the Flyers will be hard-pressed to trade him then if things don't start to trend upwards," Bailey said. "It is something they will have to consider."
He is 6-foot-1 and 210-pounds. He has had three-straight 20 goals seasons with a high of 28 during the 2023-24 season. At 6.2 million a season for the next seven seasons, Tippett has only produced a career high of 53 points.
Other Teams
According to the report, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Seattle Kraken have all expressed interest in acquiring Rossi.
There are likely a bunch of other teams that would love Rossi on their team. The Wild better be careful trading Rossi though. Many team's would want the chance to acquire him but also know that young top-six centers are not cheap. Especially young ones.
If 33-year old center Brock Nelson, soon to be 34 by the time the 2024-25 season starts, costed a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and top prospect Calum Ritchie, the Wild should be able to get a haul for a guy ten years younger and equal point production.
Nelson has notched 60 points twice in 12 NHL seasons and Rossi is just coming off his first 60-point season in his second NHL season.
I understand contracts negotiations can be tough and a player not playing a certain style that you want him to may cause a team to be frustrated and want to move on.
I am not saying this is what is happening, but the Wild still need to be careful trading Rossi. Especially considering this team, in 25 seasons, has had just four centers record 60 points or more in a single season. Koivu, Eriksson Ek, Rossi, and Eric Staal make up that list.
Photo Credit: Oct 22, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) looks on after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images/Nov 4, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka (77) pursues the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images.