Wild center Marco Rossi is still heavily linked with the Flyers, despite some new pushback. (Photo: Nick Wosika, Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9850a358-7b42-4e85-be49-3c9dfdc25482.jpeg] Wild center Marco Rossi is still heavily linked with the Flyers, despite some new pushback. (Photo: Nick Wosika, Imagn Images) Recent reports have connected the Philadelphia Flyers to trade discussions with the Minnesota Wild regarding free agent center Marco Rossi, but there is no serious progress made by the Flyers, or any other NHL team, on that front... yet. Wild GM Bill Guerin sat down with The Athletic [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6396355/2025/06/01/wild-marco-rossi-contract-trade/] to clear up said reports and add a bit more context and clarity to the situation. Is a Rossi trade a possibility? Absolutely. Is a Rossi trade guaranteed to take place? Far from it. “Teams see this stuff written and they call," Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic. "Marco’s a good player and I’m not interested in making our team worse or postponing our team being better. So I’m not dying to get rid of Marco. That’s the bottom line.” Rossi, 23, is an offer sheet-eligible restricted free agent in need of a new contract, and he's coming off a career year that saw him post 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in his second full season at the NHL level. Plus, it's worth noting that the Austrian has played in all 82 regular season games for Minnesota in back-to-back seasons. The Flyers were said to be unwilling to part ways with winger Tyson Foerster [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-offseason-grading-the-tyson-foerster-contract-extension] or one of their two late first-round picks in a Rossi trade, though Guerin neither confirmed nor denied that this is or was his price for the young center. “I’ve talked to lots of teams about lots of players," Guerin said. "And names come up all the time, but there’s never been any serious discussion with anybody yet.” In his update on the situation, Russo also reported that Rossi and his camp rebuffed a five-year, $25 million offer in the winter, and a recent attempt at a bridge deal. Rossi's agent, Ian Pulver, told The Athletic he feels "there clearly is a difference of opinion with respect to Marco's value," and will continue to negotiate with the Wild, but time is ticking. The 23-year-old former No. 9 overall pick can sign offer sheets from other NHL clubs starting on July 1 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-reportedly-eyeing-marco-rossi-as-minnesota-exit-appears-likely-1], and given the apparent lack of recent progress, it's an opportunity for the Flyers to swoop in and take advantage of a bad situation. If the Flyers were to offer sheet Rossi with an AAV between $7.02 million and $9.36 million [https://puckpedia.com/offer-sheet-tracker], they would owe the Wild a first, second, and third-round pick in 2026. If the Wild take Rossi to the NHL trade market before then, they can try to dictate their own trade return. Russo mentioned towards the end of his piece that Guerin is after upgrades at the center position and wants another winger that can score. We can safely assume that Foerster is off the table after his recent contract extension, even with his lack of trade protection. Names like Owen Tippett, whose trade protection kicks in after this season, and Bobby Brink, heading into a contract year, might make some sense as the Flyers could look to integrate wingers like Alex Bump [https://thehockeynews.com/bbs/philadelphia-flyers/posts/flyers-alex-bump-proving-to-be-worthy-of-the-growing-hype/] and Nikita Grebenkin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/maple-leafs-coach-heaps-big-praise-upon-rising-flyers-prospect] into the NHL lineup in the near future. And, with two late first-round picks and three second-round picks, the Flyers have the draft capital the Wild would be after to use in a trade for another center after hypothetically trading Rossi. "What the future holds for Marco and the Wild, only time will tell," Pulver said.
