Article: Marco Rossi Is Looking Like A Top-Line Center

[Tony Abbott]

View full article

[Citizen Strife]

I wasn't sold on Rossi after game one, but he really hit the offense button after that.

[Enforceror]

I don't think they've even hit their stride yet. Some plays look a little disjointed, lots of missed opportunities. Will be fun to watch as chemistry grows.

[OldDutchChip]

rossi is doing good but adding him to names like Kucherov and Rantanen is VERY premature. he has Kaprizov on his line and you know that helps a little. zuccy is also playing well - are we going to say he is just like draisaitl and nylander? i won't 🙂  rossi's sh % is also on the high side and should drop a bit.  they also played columbus twice. let's see how Wild look after Florida games. and after Gus eventually comes back down and stops playing w 960 sav %. for now everything has lined up well for wild and wild took advantage off that. but easy schedule is done with. next 10 days will tell a better story 

 

 

[mnfaninnc]

I agree with Rossi meshing with Kaprizov and Zuccarello. I think he can continue with this. 

One interesting thing I've noticed is that Rossi has taken the body on the boards a couple of times and seems to be playing stronger. But this has been a team effort too, as Johansson is even doing it. This part I like. Finishing checks is playing the right way. Sure, it might wear the body down a bit, but, you can't just turn this on and off. When the playoffs come, players need to be used to it. 

I've also noticed that Rossi has a tendency to be sneaky like on the play that Tony used above. The play doesn't work if he just forces Parayko to dump it to Leddy, the play only works if he circles and then sneaks backdoor on Parayko. I'm not saying he just glides into these either, sometimes he steps on the gas to get there. 

Personally, I believe that Kaprizov will like playing with him, and this should make ODC happy. But, the future is still bright for Rossi, and at this point, it's not about what you have done, it's more about what are you going to do. This is the #1 thing Kaprizov should be looking at.

[OldDutchChip]

13 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I agree with Rossi meshing with Kaprizov and Zuccarello. I think he can continue with this. 

One interesting thing I've noticed is that Rossi has taken the body on the boards a couple of times and seems to be playing stronger. But this has been a team effort too, as Johansson is even doing it. This part I like. Finishing checks is playing the right way. Sure, it might wear the body down a bit, but, you can't just turn this on and off. When the playoffs come, players need to be used to it. 

I've also noticed that Rossi has a tendency to be sneaky like on the play that Tony used above. The play doesn't work if he just forces Parayko to dump it to Leddy, the play only works if he circles and then sneaks backdoor on Parayko. I'm not saying he just glides into these either, sometimes he steps on the gas to get there. 

Personally, I believe that Kaprizov will like playing with him, and this should make ODC happy. But, the future is still bright for Rossi, and at this point, it's not about what you have done, it's more about what are you going to do. This is the #1 thing Kaprizov should be looking at.

I believe that Kaprizov will like playing with him, and this should make ODC happy. if Wild makes the playoffs, which one will protect Kap? Zuccy or Rossi? 

[M_Nels]

3 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

I wasn't sold on Rossi after game one, but he really hit the offense button after that.

To me it looks like he's been more assertive in his play, starting to drive it rather than sit back and play reactionary. Could've been a confidence thing or just the fear of screwing up playing with a superstar in KK. His skating has looked better the last couple games as well, speed has been noticeable. 

[Tony Abbott]

1 minute ago, OldDutchChip said:

I believe that Kaprizov will like playing with him, and this should make ODC happy. if Wild makes the playoffs, which one will protect Kap? Zuccy or Rossi? 

Don't act like we don't already know this.

 

[Protec]

Many who said we needed to wait longer for Rossi have been proven right. He looks good and has played into an important role. I didn't like the size, grit, and afterwards with the health stuff, I believed it was related to the shots that were being rolled-out. Thankfully Rossi is healthy. He's worked hard and deserves a lot of credit/respect. He might even be on pace for best Austrian NHLer ever. 

I liked him with Foligno and Trenin. I think that's a good fit and he can setup those guys AND be a benefactor of them being the first and second into the O-zone. I think Ogie should play with Ek & Boldy. That way with the top three lines, you've got dangerous talents. If we could get Knudi shooting more, perhaps the 4th can chip in. It was their line on the rush the other day when Middleton scored. 

 

[OldDutchChip]

4 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

Don't act like we don't already know this.

 

would it be a bad thing for rossi to kick butt with Ek and Boldy on a line (not sure if i've seen  that line a ton)? and then pick up a center for Kap and Zuccy? that be my top priority if i'm billy

[MacGyver]

The biggest obstacle for Rossi is he is not one of Billy's boys. Rossi would already be gone in favor of Laine had it gone through. The details of the trade were never released but you have to think Rossi was included. 

I suppose Billy will have to reluctantly let him stick around if he keeps playing like this but he will have a short leash. If anything Rossi is upping his value either via trade or what it will cost to keep him. I'll root for this kid either way. 

[Protec]

10 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

Don't act like we don't already know this.

 

The answer is cause he got the grit-injections in IA. 😁

[Imyourhuckleberry]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

would it be a bad thing for rossi to kick butt with Ek and Boldy on a line (not sure if i've seen  that line a ton)?

I'm not sure you've seen that line ever. I had asked about it before the season started.  I'm certainly not opposed to a BEER run to see if there's a reason to go back to the BEER line every now and again, or even make BEER a staple during Wild games moving forward.

[Tony Abbott]

13 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

I'm not sure you've seen that line ever. I had asked about it before the season started.  I'm certainly not opposed to a BEER run to see if there's a reason to go back to the BEER line every now and again, or even make BEER a staple during Wild games moving forward.

In heaven there is no BEER

That's why we play it here

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

 if Wild makes the playoffs, which one will protect Kap? Zuccy or Rossi? 

I believe Hartzy runs the other team's top scorer and Foligno/Trenin/Lauko pound another. IMO, if someone goes after Kaprizov like Suter did, you target Heiskenan and Robertson. 2 for 1. It's a different mentality, but the other team has got to know if one of their teammates goes after a Wild scorer, 2 of their scoring pieces are taken out. 

Normally things have not happened that way. Normally, you're enforcer goes after the perpetrator. Not this time, the name on the back makes little difference, it's the scorer for the name on the front. But, just to make sure they know what happened, you do it twice so that they know for sure. 

One more point, if our scorer is sent to the dressing room, it is imperative that two of their scorers are sent to their dressing room. If you want to put it more plainly, it's an eye for 2 eyes.

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, Protec said:

Many who said we needed to wait longer for Rossi have been proven right. He looks good and has played into an important role.

I'll take that as a win for me. I'm sure there were several others with the same opinion too.

[OldDutchChip]

2 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I believe Hartzy runs the other team's top scorer and Foligno/Trenin/Lauko pound another. IMO, if someone goes after Kaprizov like Suter did, you target Heiskenan and Robertson. 2 for 1. It's a different mentality, but the other team has got to know if one of their teammates goes after a Wild scorer, 2 of their scoring pieces are taken out. 

Normally things have not happened that way. Normally, you're enforcer goes after the perpetrator. Not this time, the name on the back makes little difference, it's the scorer for the name on the front. But, just to make sure they know what happened, you do it twice so that they know for sure. 

One more point, if our scorer is sent to the dressing room, it is imperative that two of their scorers are sent to their dressing room. If you want to put it more plainly, it's an eye for 2 eyes.

that's nice in theory but not what's been happening. we have seen that nothing is done to suter. remember mccarthy destroying lemiux? i know i know times are different. but that's the intensity that we need on line one. why didn't hartzy or foligno pummeled Robertson last time? nah this will not deter anyone. it's baiting the others to destroy kap. who cares about slow goons like foligno or trenin?  

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, MacGyver said:

Rossi would already be gone in favor of Laine had it gone through. The details of the trade were never released but you have to think Rossi was included. 

Did you happen to see the compensation for that trade? CBJ had to bribe Montreal to take him (and his contract). I don't believe that Rossi was in that conversation unless Shooter was poaching another young player like Jiricek. 

Rossi will soon be on a contract extension, but, this year, he's making about $1m (he's got bonuses). Shooter was trying to make us better, adding Laine would have required more cap going their way. Instead of getting the 2nd, we probably give up the 2nd and a 2nd tier prospect like Peart. Maybe 2 of them like Bankier too. They would have gotten 2 NHL players to make the cap work, Freddy and Johansson. And, CBJ would have eaten about $4.3m on the contract. While rebuilding, having to give up an early 2nd is a lot for CBJ to have to swallow. 

[mnfaninnc]

3 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

who cares about slow goons like foligno or trenin? 

Funny thing is, both of those guys could catch Suter, but Suter should not have been the target. One thing I could buy is that Suter was X-checking Kaprizov because Dumba took out Pavelski. And that might have been how the players saw it.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

I'm calling another Billy unforced error on not extending Rossi. Hunt, Khus, Rossi and Chisholm should all get extensions before the end of the year. Chisholm has been playing very well. Khus is only getting better as he adjusts to the speed and space of the NHL and Hunt is our only prospect that is looking ready. 

All of these four have a very good chance to raise their value substantially this year and getting ahead of it and keeping those contracts low is the key to getting that big free agent. If any of these guys will take 2 mil and under sign them now before they rack up the solid play.

[OldDutchChip]

12 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Funny thing is, both of those guys could catch Suter, but Suter should not have been the target. One thing I could buy is that Suter was X-checking Kaprizov because Dumba took out Pavelski. And that might have been how the players saw it.

suter is not the first & only player that have targeted Kap before and many more will continue to do so this year. 

[Up North Guy]

49 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I believe Hartzy runs the other team's top scorer and Foligno/Trenin/Lauko pound another. IMO, if someone goes after Kaprizov like Suter did, you target Heiskenan and Robertson. 2 for 1. It's a different mentality, but the other team has got to know if one of their teammates goes after a Wild scorer, 2 of their scoring pieces are taken out. 

Normally things have not happened that way. Normally, you're enforcer goes after the perpetrator. Not this time, the name on the back makes little difference, it's the scorer for the name on the front. But, just to make sure they know what happened, you do it twice so that they know for sure. 

One more point, if our scorer is sent to the dressing room, it is imperative that two of their scorers are sent to their dressing room. If you want to put it more plainly, it's an eye for 2 eyes.

Definitely old school but that is the way it used to work. Refs would hate it but who cares? I have never liked the idea that if one of our scoring guys gets blasted one of our goons should go at their goon. A complete waste of energy and emotion.

[FredJohnson]

Hasn't Rossi been playing some 3rd line?

[Lovehockey]

The Kaprizov-Rossi-Zuccarello line will not be successful against the physical players. Because they are skilled they will score some goals but it will not be even close to the Ek-Kaprisov-Boldy line. It will not be pack position, nor consistent pressure. And this is the problem Rossi presents for this team. Not saying he is bad by no means. And the last with Columbus showed that, most of time this line was not producing anything.

with saying this i understand why the line was creating (speed the wealth) but don’t expect Kaprisov be happy with this. Wait for few more games with better teams, and bigger teams 

 

[Tony Abbott]

1 hour ago, FredJohnson said:

Hasn't Rossi been playing some 3rd line?

No, almost 90% of his 5-on-5 minutes have come with Kaprizov; 85% have come with Zuccarello. Any other time with other forwards is probably from on-the-fly changes and the first shift after a power play expires.