Article: Marco Rossi Played A Big Man's Game This Season

[Tony Abbott]

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[TheGoosesAreLooses]

Thanks for this Tony! I just commented about this yesterday in your other article. You are spot on. For the umpteenth time the past couple seasons, I just don't understand where Guerin's head is at.

[viper3119]

If they trade Rossi this summer and are terrible again next year Kaprizov is gone, guaranteed. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

I don't think there's reason to trade Rossi now. I guess there's a chance at a multi-player package that gets a bigger guy that's similar in skill/skating where the Wild are also trading out prospects/picks to the other team.

Not sure it's a good idea, but Russo suggesting the chances are higher than you think may indicate they are considering that route. They have quite a few prospects in the pipeline now. If they do trade Rossi, the guy they bring in better score 20+ goals and grab 25+ assists because Rossi is likely to do that for the next decade.

[JMC1976]

Great article with awesome detail - well done Tony!

Let the data do the talking versus that insider speculation.

[TCMooch]

So Guerin fucks himself by making terrible deals to aging vets and handcuffs his ability to alter the roster…and his solution is to trade away a promising center we’ve be waiting decades to try to get in this team?

 Again,  he is a fucking idiot.

[bisopher]

"If the Wild could trade Rossi for the same level of high-end prospect, but one who's bigger and faster, there's a real chance they'd pull the trigger," Smith and Russo outlined.

 

So, GMBG is naive enough to think that, in a league where size is (supposedly) everything, he will find a GM willing to trade an "equal level" high-end prospect for the "small" Rossi?  Thank goodness that's almost guaranteed to NOT happen, as Tony has laid out pretty clearly why Rossi is likely to turn into a shorter (not smaller) JEE. 

 

I mean, good grief, a 75th-percentile defensive forward at 22? With offensive upside?  Don't trade him, clone him. 

[Fezig]

Trading Rossi before the season would be foolish. There were enough new pieces at the end of last season to put together that gives hope for a strong, youthful second line. If we can get some of those over-extended vets to produce like they did a couple of seasons ago this team has a great chance of success. 

[Patrick]

If this is true, Guerin wants to trade Rossi for a player who does exactly what Rossi is doing but is taller while doing it? Make it make sense.  

Of course Rossi being so small has had a hard time staying healthy. He only played 82 games this year so that could be the reasoning.

[Protec]

It's worth considering that he might be traded for a defenseman?

That's one way to improve the team significantly and potentially the Wild spend their available 5-6M on a UFA forward to fill a forward vacancy. Again the prospects coming in offer hope but unproven.

I do think it's weird that Lundell looks awesome still for FL and is playing with NHL studs. MN has signed the Norwegian Hobitt, Spurge, and takes Rossi and Marat in the draft only to decide size is big in the Central. Now the issue requires some culling and Rossi is targeted. Yeah the whole thing is curious but times change and Rossi was drafted four years ago. Being the give in a trade is not so strange because he is good. That's what I would expect which is to give up something to get something. We know pretty well the Wild don't have too many things they can give up from their current roster but if Spurgeon, Rossi, and next year's 1st for Brady Tkachuk would be a game changer. Then the Wild could sign a defenseman for <4M and be automatically in a new category of toughness and fight for the Central.

Hypothetical but perfect example of a big deal that would change the Wild for the better.

 

[mnfaninnc]

I have to question the validity of Russo and Smith's comments. We all know that when Bill Guerin is negotiating trades, he does it in the cone of silence. He detests anything getting leaked out. He is not open when discussing guys he would trade. He was furious when it was reported he was actually after Fleury by the Chicago press. When he pulled the trigger on Addison and Bogosian, did we have a heads up on that happening? How about when he added Maroon?

I simply think this is being "leaked" out for a reason and is a red herring. And which GM trades a larger player with the same skills for the smaller one? That makes no sense. Protec could be right in that he's looking for a defender. 

This whole thing just doesn't add up to me. It feels like fake news. Now, maybe it's out there to flush out anyone who might be enamored with Rossi's game and overpay? Otherwise, this simply makes no sense.

Also, I did like the way Tony dove into the underlying parts of his game. My eye test says that down the stretch, Rossi was not as strong as he had been, and he needs another offseason like last year. Could this be motivation for that? I do stand by the conclusion, though, that Rossi is short not small. So, 3 areas he needs to work on: Faceoffs, edges and bulking up.

Edited April 27 by mnfaninnc

[Pewterschmidt]

20 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

 

I have to question the validity of Russo and Smith's comments.

 

I don’t think that we can rule out that Russo is just trying to create news in an otherwise nothing-burger offseason

[mnfaninnc]

36 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I don’t think that we can rule out that Russo is just trying to create news in an otherwise nothing-burger offseason

Russo was on the 3 signings before camp last season, but I think pretty late. Going back, it seemed like Kalisha got the jump on him with that. But, he was also spot on with the Goose signing. 

Trades are a different thing, though. Guerin does not usually discuss those things. Some may think he did with Fiala, but I'm pretty convinced that in principle, that deal was already made. 

[MacGyver]

The fact that we are hearing and reading about a Rossi trade speculation you can bet so is he. I wonder what he feels about it, where this fits into his psyche. A kid who has done everything asked of him from the team and Billy specifically. The kid has shown his desire to play here and a loyalty to a team that he credits the medical staff here of saving his life. He occupies a position that this team has had a desperate need for for years and he is doing it well. And now he hears they would move him. 

If Russo is throwing this out there because it's a slow news day it's irresponsible and I don't see him doing that. He's most likely basing it off something. Doesn't really matter at this point it's now in Rossi's head. 

 

 

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, MacGyver said:

If Russo is throwing this out there because it's a slow news day it's irresponsible and I don't see him doing that.

I wouldn't think that Russo would do this because it's a slow news day...unless he told Rossi he was going to do it and not to worry about it. 

But, Russo doesn't appear to be a beat writer who does this sort of thing. I'm not questioning Russo's integrity here, I think it's very odd that he would write about a player on the trading block when Guerin, typically, keeps these things very quiet. It makes me wonder what is going on here? Why would Guerin want this public? Is there a motivational message here for Rossi?

[mnfaninnc]

On a different note, I don't remember Rossi playing PK minutes. Is there a reason for this? He seemed to be the first center out with Kaprizov and Boldy. I'd think he'd be a pretty good killer.

[Dean]

I respect Russo because he doesn’t throw around made up stories. He respects peoples families. I’ve never felt like he was making up stories for clicks    
     I hope they are trying to trade Rossi. I look at Elias Peterson, that huge deal he signed an the fact he’s just getting manhandled in the playoffs. I think of Mitch Marner disappearing in the playoffs . Great players , just not in the playoffs. . Maybe in 5 years. So if they’ve identified he’s not a playoff player, which is what they need to keep kappy then trade him. Get something you need now.  Rossi is a good player his #’s don’t lie but numbers tell you anything  about how they will preform in playoffs . I think that’s more about character and the drive to win. Some guys have it and most don’t.  Billy is having a hard time identifying alphas . He’s on that podcast saying Fred an Jo Jo can be tougher. That’s funny. They are what they are. We need better. Alpha males who don’t accept weakness an excuses . IMO  Rossi never showed me this year he could handle the good big teams. He disappeared along with the rest of the team.  
     I could care less about keeping Rossi to be average. I care about winning a cup with kappy. So if Rossi gets traded to get an alpha I’m all for it. The prospects should be used as assets to get what we need to keep kappy . Period.

[Dean]

At least in 26 or 27 we will have a few more 1st round picks after trading kappy. Then we can go get another Rossi 

[MacGyver]

13 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Why would Guerin want this public?

To get the phone to ring? Also plausible deniability. He can say I never said I wanted to trade Rossi but when team X called and made the offer I felt it could improve the team. Billy has not confirmed or denied this rumor. Tells me its a possibility it could happen. If he had no intentions of trading him a GM should come out and say so as to not make the player sit and stew in it. But this is Billy so who knows.  

[MacGyver]

13 hours ago, Dean said:

At least in 26 or 27 we will have a few more 1st round picks after trading kappy. Then we can go get another Rossi 

Continue on with being the perpetual Team Prospects! Hmm.. the Minnesota Prospects, has a certain ring to it! 🤔

[mnfaninnc]

3 hours ago, MacGyver said:

To get the phone to ring? Also plausible deniability.

This is a possibility, however, this is not typically how Guerin operates. His tendencies are to keep this in the building. 

[FredJohnson]

Marco Rossi Played A Big Man's Game This Season

Let's trade him for a big-body over-the-hill veteran that'll be signed to an above market deal with a no-move-clause.

(sarcasm)

[FredJohnson]

5 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Billy has not confirmed or denied this rumor. Tells me its a possibility it could happen.

Russo has said multiple times on his Best Seat In The House podcast that the front office is considering trading Rossi. He has insider information, apparently.

It could just be an effort to see if a team will overpay for a young, promising Center.

Edited April 28 by FredJohnson

[TM6975]

I just want to see him with two legit wingers for a full season. JoJo was bad, and Zuc will just pass it back or to someone else if Rossi passes it to him. Still say they are giving up on him too fast if they do trade him. He might spend the summer gaining more lower body strength or hone in on his skating. Ek needed some time so does Rossi.

[B1GKappa97]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:45 AM, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

Thanks for this Tony! I just commented about this yesterday in your other article. You are spot on. For the umpteenth time the past couple seasons, I just don't understand where Guerin's head is at.

Yeah I've been willing to give Geurin some benefit of the doubt since he's had to clean up the tail-end of the Parise/Suter contracts.. but if he's gonna trade a 20-goal scoring center immediately, I'm not sure that's a move I can defend. 

Unless he's getting an absolute haul. And even then, why do it now? Wait until Yurov comes over at least. Rossi will still be attractive if he follows up this year with another 20 goal, or more, season again. 

Or, you know, kick him out to wing if you really want Yurov to play center? We're gonna need a Zuccy replacement in a few seasons anyway and I think Rossi could slot right into that spot while providing a little more goal-scoring instinct than just pure playmaking.