Article: Get Ready For the Rossi Revenge Tour

[Justin Hein]

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[Jon]

I share the sentiment that Rossi needs meaningful minutes. Anything less, I will consider abject failure on the organization’s diligence to foster developing players in the NHL. I wasn’t a fan of how he was treated last year. You asking him to be a QB in the USFL and then suddenly fit into the NFL when called up is ludicrous and that’s what it looked like to me. I really hope they bring him along differently compared to last year. JEEK #1, Rossi #2/3

[Brad]

Have to wonder what damage the Wild have already done to Rossi with their development.

[Up North Guy]

If Rossi doesn't get a fair shot this year it is abject failure on the organization. By fair shot, I mean a long look on either the 1st or 2nd line. playing 4th line grinder is just plain stupid. It would be like buying a Ferrari to drive back and forth to the grocery store.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Seems like the Wild did the right thing, and Rossi sounds like he's working on bringing that "F You" to the NHL this season. Excited to see a stronger, more skilled, and more confident version of Rossi.

[NC Beach Bum]

bring him up, pair him with Kaprisov and whoever and then it's sink or swim time

[mnfaninnc]

7 hours ago, Brad said:

Have to wonder what damage the Wild have already done to Rossi with their development.

Was the damage done by the Wild...or by myocarditis? Does this article fit the eye test? I don't know if Justin has watched a lot of film on Rossi last season in Iowa, I was only able to see the highlights package, but here's what I found:

When Rossi arrived in Iowa, there was a lot of gliding, standing still, and following a step behind the puck carrier. On multiple occasions, that puck carrier went straight to the net and scored with Rossi doing nothing to stop him. To me, the issues looked like confidence, confidence in what he was doing and confidence in his own body. While he picked up points, they were not spectacular points. 

When Rossi was up with the big club, I could see the same thing...and a lot of deferring, an attribute in many young players. He looked small and weak. He got run over. He was afraid to engage physically and his tendency to glide or stand still made him an easy target. 

Rossi was up for 3 games at the end of the season. I thought he improved in all 3 games, but it was the final one where I could see the player I thought we were drafting. I also saw it in the highlight package of the final Iowa playoff game. 

Coming down the stretch in Iowa, it seemed like Rossi started to engage more physically. He's never going to knock someone flying, but he can get under them and knock them off balance, possibly even drawing penalties. His speed was there, his quickness and edges. He's got to play with a lot of pace and not get caught taking his foot off the gas. I've also got to see a player who looks like he took no gym days off this summer, a stockier player who will not get knocked off the puck. 

I do not fault the Wild for the way they have used Rossi. He's got to earn that top 6 center position, not have it given to him. To do that, tie goes to the current placeholder, so he's got to be better than Hartsy in camp and preseason. That means he's got to show he can win faceoffs, and do the other little things centers do. It would help if he had synergy with Kaprizov, but a line with Rossi and Zuccarello on it would be really tiny. He's also got to have enough confidence where he can drive play and not just defer. 

As for the FU, the way Rossi does this is to not take any shifts off, constantly be moving at good speed, and not be afraid to take the puck and go. His edge work should be tying larger defenders knees up in knots. If he can do this, he will make it, if he goes back to the deferring like last year and not hustling, we're going to need to trade him.

[vonlonster67]

Speculation, promises, mistreatment,  excuses, life's not always fair!

I've read this article before.

Show me, ........because I'm ready to move on.

[Quebec1648]

4 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Seems like the Wild did the right thing, and Rossi sounds like he's working on bringing that "F You" to the NHL this season. Excited to see a stronger, more skilled, and more confident version of Rossi.

The Wild moved Ek to the 2nd line with Boldy, so that raises the issue of where Rossi fits in next season. Ek tried playing 1C and it didn't go so well, so that likely means he stays the 2C, especially given the chemistry with Boldy and Johansson. 

I don't think Rossi will work full time on line 1, because you need someone on that line with size. A line of Zuccarello, Kaprizov and Rossi, would not have any size. Unless Ek gets moved to line 1 or 3, I think Rossi goes to line 3. 

If we replaced Zuccarello with someone who had size, then maybe Rossi could go back to being the 1C candidate.

[mnfaninnc]

2 hours ago, Quebec1648 said:

The Wild moved Ek to the 2nd line with Boldy, so that raises the issue of where Rossi fits in next season. Ek tried playing 1C and it didn't go so well, so that likely means he stays the 2C, especially given the chemistry with Boldy and Johansson. 

I don't think Rossi will work full time on line 1, because you need someone on that line with size. A line of Zuccarello, Kaprizov and Rossi, would not have any size. Unless Ek gets moved to line 1 or 3, I think Rossi goes to line 3. 

If we replaced Zuccarello with someone who had size, then maybe Rossi could go back to being the 1C candidate.

I believe it is time to move on from Zuccarello. I'm hoping that we can exchange him for a winger with size. I liked the way Boldy-Ek-Johansson worked together late last year, so moving Boldy up might not be the best alternative this coming season. But, eventually that's probably the switch, unless we put Yurov there. 

It looks like we're simply going to play out the Zuccarello contract, though, and let him go at the end. I thought he really started to slow down, down the stretch last season, but maybe he has one more year left? 

If they put Rossi at 3C, we're going to have the same problem we had last season with him. Could he center Boldy and Johansson? Ek got a few games with Kaprizov and Zuccarello a couple of seasons ago. I didn't think he looked that bad, and they are more used to each other now that Ek plays on PP1. I think you could give that a look.

On a different note, I noticed that Sunny was still available. Would Oskar Sundqvist be a decent fill in for Reaves? He won't really fight, but he will hit and hit hard, and, he didn't have too many problems chasing down D. I wonder if he could have caught Suter in the corner? I do believe he was hurt in the playoffs.

[Will D. Ness]

3 hours ago, Quebec1648 said:

I don't think Rossi will work full time on line 1, because you need someone on that line with size. A line of Zuccarello, Kaprizov and Rossi, would not have any size.

Isn't this the dilemma and basically what BG wants?  We have played Hartman on this line and he isn't all that big, but what Hartman does have is F.U.  If Rossi can get some of what Hartman has plus and bring his allegedly superior talent to the line it might work.

This first line was pretty tight in 21-22.  Not so much in 22-23 but then again it never really got rolling due to injuries.

[mnfaninnc]

15 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

Isn't this the dilemma and basically what BG wants?  We have played Hartman on this line and he isn't all that big, but what Hartman does have is F.U.  If Rossi can get some of what Hartman has plus and bring his allegedly superior talent to the line it might work.

This first line was pretty tight in 21-22.  Not so much in 22-23 but then again it never really got rolling due to injuries.

I could definitely see a Boldy-Rossi-Kaprizov 1st line. But as long as Zuccarello is there, I can't see Rossi being on that line, they'll get physically dominated. 

This is one reason why I've advocated cutting bait on Zuccarello this season and trying to get something of substance for him. 

There's an RFA out there that would be an interesting pick up with NJ in Kevin Bahl. He would certainly help the 3rd pairing on the left side. Could Zuccarello fit in over there? They might have spent all their money already.

[MNCountryLife]

The NHL is fast and skilled.  IMHO: Rossi wasn't ready for it last year.  He wasn't as aggressive as he needed to be and he wasn't sticking his nose into tough situations.  If you want to jump from the AHL to the NHL you have to prove it that the desire exists along with skill.  Rossi has the skill.. not sure anyone can doubt that.  But the gliding, play watching and lack of aggression  is what sent him back to the AHL.  On the plus side, an extremely good summer can increase that first step and allow him to jump on plays faster.  I really hope he makes the most of it.  Would be fun to see someone with his skill playing at a high speed pace.

[mnfaninnc]

3 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

But the gliding, play watching and lack of aggression  is what sent him back to the AHL.

I'm glad someone else is also seeing this. He should be the quickest player on the ice and have the best turns of anyone. His acceleration should be elite. And he should be a very slippery target where nobody can hit him square. But with the gliding, standing still, play watching, and lack of aggression, we never saw that last season.

I have no problem with him making his mark at 22 or 23, though. I'm certain he'll be stronger this year.  Addison is the guy I'm a little worried about.

[Will D. Ness]

I guess all I'm saying here is that Hartman isn't a big physical presence by any means.  180 lbs?  It's about the attitude and if Rossi could get a little of it and play more physical ala Hartman then it isn't out of the realm of reason to see Rossi center that first line.

[Protec]

I think fans need to be more realistic about Rossi in the top six. He has to show he belongs and earn the trust. That's not just defending. Having zero impact can't be attributed to everyone but Rossi. That's not fair to those players who had better numbers and success than Rossi. 

I agree with people he's a best fit for an offensive role with skill guys but you can't go directly there in the NHL and jump past other players on hopes and crossed-fingers alone. I think we saw the pre-season last year and it looked like we could see that signpost on the path to Rossi making an impact. Getting to a top six role looked realistic, I was with the hype before I saw the first 10-15 games.

My point is only that NHL hockey players take the job and have to prove themselves. I mean we can say whatever about the Norwegian Hobbit but he scored 67 points so a little guy can do it. Rossi isn't gonna have it handed to him, that's all. When he gets another chance he's gonna need to find some "killer instinct" or "eye of the tiger" or "man on the silver mountain" type energy.

[Pewterschmidt]

On 7/2/2023 at 2:25 PM, vonlonster67 said:

Speculation, promises, mistreatment,  excuses, life's not always fair!

I've read this article before.

Show me, ........because I'm ready to move on.

I’m with velociraptor.  It’s put up or shut up time/fish or cut bait/shit or get off the pot/tomato tomaato/rubber meets road/crap hitting the fan/do or die/pretender becomes a contender time for our little Austrian Prince

i have to believe if the Wild doesn’t see signs that Rossi can someday become an nhl’r over the course of this season, they’ll part ways/throw in the towel/kick him to curb next offseason 

then all the apologists can blame the Wild for not giving Rossi ‘a chance’

[Protec]

I hope I'm wrong but I think selecting little European skill guys from the poorest hockey country is unwise. 

Great OHL seasons led to Yakupov, Nolan Patrick, and Juolevi being picked in the top five picks.

For me, the time has come to see the proof. I hope Rossi is given more time or a better leveraged role where he can succeed. Based on fans who think he should be automatically given a top six role, I would like to see that too in order to make a conclusion. He's either gonna prove the other 6-7 NHL organizations and I wrong that he's top six NHL material or not. I think we all agree he's not a bottom six grinder but keeping him in the AHL longer wouldn't hurt. He was a high-pick so where would you salvage that value? Perhaps by keeping him in the AHL until he becomes more gnarly and seasoned in North American hockey. Teach him revenge, how to be a rat, cultivate the rage, develop the disdain for opponents and referees. Shoot some pucks into their bench. Maybe Rossi will get there, but until he becomes known as the Austrian Assassin for carving out the larynx or eyeball of some meathead from Rockford or Milwaukee, I'm not too sure he'll be NHL ready. Until he perfects the flying-elbow accuracy to initiate concussion-protocols on the enemy and practices ear-bites and thumb-gouges within the scrums, he's just not there...

[Will D. Ness]

I would say it's sink or swim for Rossi.  It's not about earning it, that is already a fail.  It is about taking the highest draft pick in what 20 years and giving him one last shot before cutting him loose.

Excuses can only work for a limited amount of time and I think they are all used up after last season.

 

[Willy the poor boy]

4 hours ago, Protec said:

I hope I'm wrong but I think selecting little European skill guys from the poorest hockey country is unwise. 

Great OHL seasons led to Yakupov, Nolan Patrick, and Juolevi being picked in the top five picks.

For me, the time has come to see the proof. I hope Rossi is given more time or a better leveraged role where he can succeed. Based on fans who think he should be automatically given a top six role, I would like to see that too in order to make a conclusion. He's either gonna prove the other 6-7 NHL organizations and I wrong that he's top six NHL material or not. I think we all agree he's not a bottom six grinder but keeping him in the AHL longer wouldn't hurt. He was a high-pick so where would you salvage that value? Perhaps by keeping him in the AHL until he becomes more gnarly and seasoned in North American hockey. Teach him revenge, how to be a rat, cultivate the rage, develop the disdain for opponents and referees. Shoot some pucks into their bench. Maybe Rossi will get there, but until he becomes known as the Austrian Assassin for carving out the larynx or eyeball of some meathead from Rockford or Milwaukee, I'm not too sure he'll be NHL ready. Until he perfects the flying-elbow accuracy to initiate concussion-protocols on the enemy and practices ear-bites and thumb-gouges within the scrums, he's just not there...

Anyone know if the Hanson brothers are available?

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

On 7/3/2023 at 1:12 PM, mnfaninnc said:

I'm glad someone else is also seeing this. He should be the quickest player on the ice and have the best turns of anyone. His acceleration should be elite. And he should be a very slippery target where nobody can hit him square. But with the gliding, standing still, play watching, and lack of aggression, we never saw that last season.

I have no problem with him making his mark at 22 or 23, though. I'm certain he'll be stronger this year.  Addison is the guy I'm a little worried about.

My bigger issue with the way he was treated is he was told to develop the F* you attitude and then never given a chance to display it after it was asked of him. I didn't mind sending him down to the A but I did mind not bringing him back up at all. He's not going to get used to the NHL pace in the A. He has shown he can be at the top of that league and I don't think there is anything left for him to learn there.

I feel like a broken record but we need to stop with the bargin bin pickups and let our young guys get a taste for the NHL. We have multiple guys as ready as they can be for the big show. Beckman, Rossi and Walker all showed they were ready last year. Beckman and Walker looked good on the ice every time they were called up and Rossi looked much improved in the last games of the season. 

No more FA pickups, no more enforcers, no more "they just aren't ready". They are as ready as they will ever be, we need to give them their shot. I don't know how Deano or GMBG expects them to earn their place on the roster when there is no room and we never see them in Reg season NHL games. Practices and drills are one thing, but they are not the true measure of a player. 

We aren't a cup team this year. Let's develop while we can make mistakes instead of burying our head in the sand with delusions of grandeur and dreams of the Stanley. That needs to start with GMBG.

[Protec]

One of the other questions is about the coaching? Dean has been good for regular seasons. Three playoffs and 0-2 against DeBoer, 0-1 against Berube. Can Dean elevate his coaching game? Is that significant do we think??? Two opposite goaltending decisions in back to back years that were wrong it seems. I mean maybe they weren't wrong but each didn't get good results and therefore source of criticism. Just sayin, is the coach right for a Wild playoff run? I don't think Dean is a bad coach but he's not an NHL elite Cup finals guy like we've seen from certain NHL coaches who keep making it back to the Conference or Cup finals.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Protec

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

 

No more FA pickups, no more enforcers, no more "they just aren't ready". They are as ready as they will ever be, we need to give them their shot. I don't know how Deano or GMBG expects them to earn their place on the roster when there is no room and we never see them in Reg season NHL games. Practices and drills are one thing, but they are not the true measure of a player. 

 

Maybe they do that with guys that have that FU attitude, but a guy that doesn't have it could lose confidence in themselves. Maybe they're just protecting them from having their confidence destroyed(?).

[Willy the poor boy]

1 hour ago, Protec said:

One of the other questions is about the coaching? Dean has been good for regular seasons. Three playoffs and 0-2 against DeBoer, 0-1 against Berube. Can Dean elevate his coaching game? Is that significant do we think??? Two opposite goaltending decisions in back to back years that were wrong it seems. I mean maybe they weren't wrong but each didn't get good results and therefore source of criticism. Just sayin, is the coach right for a Wild playoff run? I don't think Dean is a bad coach but he's not an NHL elite Cup finals guy like we've seen from certain NHL coaches who keep making it back to the Conference or Cup finals.

Maybe you're right, I lean the other way though. I'd like to see what DE could do on a level playing field. we're short roughly 14 million in talent.

[Protec]

11 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Maybe you're right, I lean the other way though. I'd like to see what DE could do on a level playing field. we're short roughly 14 million in talent.

This is a good point. I'm not certain Dean can't do it. It's just more of an observation that Deboer, Cassidy, Sullivan, Maurice, BrindAmour, Berube, and some other guy have had good recent stretches of being in the playoffs getting past tough teams. MN simply hasn't done that except under Lemaire long ago.

I think it could be a mistake to cross your fingers with a coach during a team's window to contend. I think most agree now isn't prime-time for the Wild but it should be soon enough. Dean has a tough road cause his roster is handicapped but life's not always fair. Dean needs to really do something special over these next two years to prove he CAN be the guy come window-time. Depending on what's happening in the musical coaches chair game the Wild might have Dean as the best option anyway but I think they're decent questions where stats and the eye test shows Dean's adjustments haven't been working. It's not even really up and down, just generally poor so that's a difficult truth.(playoff record)