Article: Could Rossi Become A Fixture On the First Power Play Unit?

[Justin Wiggins]

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[Patrick]

Bad take. The powerplay needs Ek to create chaos. He won't show up on the score sheet but the PP performs better with him. What are the units stats with and without him? Sit Boldy or Zuccarello. They are both turnover machines.

[OldDutchChip]

Great idea, but i think we need to keep Ek on pp1. His pts production is down undoubtedly due to an injury or two, so if he is healthy - he has to be there. No one else would take the punishment and keep standing in front of the goalie. Rossi can get in and be a bit scrappy but he would be tossed out (or injured) if he is there for longer than 2 seconds. That's why we have Ek there.

I think it may have to be Boldy. Zuccy goes where Kap goes. And we are not doing 5 forwards. 

Healthy PP1 Ek Kap Zuccy Rossi Chissy

Healthy PP2 Boldy Faber MJ Harty Kap (yeap he''ll be our Ovi)

Also to me - Ek is a much better O player than Koivu. He already bested his goals effort and this is just a tiny road bump due to likely injury. 

Edited Saturday at 10:15 PM by OldDutchChip

[FredJohnson]

Could Rossi Become A Fixture On the First Power Play Unit?

[mnfaninnc]

I disagree with Justin's premise that Rossi needs to be moved up. When Rossi was playing on the 2nd PP, he was playing in Zuccarello's slot. When he came to the top PP and played in Zuccarello's slot, he was ineffective, but now that he's down low he's producing. 

My issue is like ODC's issue, Rossi will get killed if he stands in front of the goalie for too long, he's got to be moving in and out. At 5'9", he doesn't create much of a screen, and he also is weaker on the retrievals. 

I think he would be better served developing PP2. Perhaps left point isn't the best spot for him, maybe he needs to be playing lower in the zone? Maybe instead of the point, you put 2 defenders there, and at some point, one of those guys will be Jiricek. 

When the Wild PP was cooking with gas, it started Boldy, Faber, Zuccarello, Ek, and Kaprizov. They haven't had that full combination for awhile. They also just walked through the desert on the PP dropping its percentage to 17. No, these 5 should stay together. 

I do think that Rossi could play half wall on PP2 and maybe bump someone else up to point (I mean somebody that's here now). It shouldn't be hard to find someone. Foligno probably plays screen/front of the net. Perhaps it's Johansson who goes back to the point? Either way, at this moment in time, that is Rossi's unit, and I believe it should stay that way.

 

[Burnt Toast]

What ever lineups develop for PP1&2 I want to see enough unpredictability to keep other teams honest especially as we enter the playoffs. 

[OldDutchChip]

If we beat canes without Kap, without Midds and without Captain…

im sorry but this ODC fella is right -

this is our year! Let’s see how far we can go!

lastly - Trenin is doing good, can’t believe I’d say that but here we are! 
 

[OldDutchChip]

Just now, OldDutchChip said:

If we beat canes without Kap, without Midds and without Captain…

im sorry but this ODC fella is right -

this is our year! Let’s see how far we can go!

lastly - Trenin is doing good, can’t believe I’d say that but here we are! 
 

You are the best ODC!

[Citizen Strife]

Rossi with 10 points in 6 games, including 4 tonight.

So uh...who wants to start banging on Guerin's door to get that money squared away?

[Sam]

37 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

Rossi with 10 points in 6 games, including 4 tonight.

So uh...who wants to start banging on Guerin's door to get that money squared away?

Not bad for a shorty…

[mnhockeyfan03]

Rossi impressing for sure.  How about Rossi for Necas or Boldy for Necas?  At this point Rossi is growing on me but not as a center but a solid scoring wing to replace Zucc. If they sign Rossi it should be a bridge for 2-3x5mm.  Anything more move on.  Boldy however could be flipped for someone very nice like Necas, Foresberg, Thompson etc.  also if Chicago would do Faber for Berdard or Faber and prospect for Tkchuck I am doing that 

[Sam]

1 hour ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

Faber for Berdard

🤡

[mnhockeyfan03]

19 minutes ago, Sam said:

🤡

Easy crazier things have happened.  If it’s Faber and a pick or prospect you do it. And then Boldy for forsberg we have a very deep center core.  We are severely lacking in forwards to make this team better not D

[RedLake]

Tuch would be a roughnecking mafa in front of the net on PP1.

[BeanPole Harvester]

Ek was injured for 11 games in December, December 6-27. The Wild's PP was 3/25 for (12%).

Since his return on Dec 29 the Wild's PP is 4/14 (28.57%) through four games.

 

[Citizen Strife]

2024-2025 Numbers Game (40 Games Played)

Record: 25-11-4; (54 pts, 2nd in Central, 3rd in Western Conference, 4th in NHL, 5-5 in L10)

 

Goals For: 2.98 Per Game (18th in NHL)

Goals Against: 2.63 Per Game (5th in NHL)

PP: 19.1% (21st in NHL)

PK: 71.4% (29th in NHL)

 

Gustavsson: 18-6-3, 2.20 GAA (10th in Goalies), .926 SV% (T-7th in Goalies)*

Fleury: 7-3-1, 2.81 GAA (42nd in Goalies), .898 SV% (T-48th in Goalies)*

Wallstedt: 0-2-0, 4.09 GAA (82nd in Goalies), .843 SV% (85th in Goalies)*

*Goalie Rankings could be skewed due to differences in games played. For instance, when weighed against goalies with 13 or more starts, Gus is ranked 4th in GAA and T-2nd in SV%

 

Kaprizov: 23G, 27A, 50P (9th in NHL), +21 (T-6th in NHL)*

Rossi: 15G, 22A, 37P (T-36th in NHL), +15

Boldy: 14G, 20A, 34P (T-49th in NHL), +5

Zuccarello: 10G, 15A, 25P (T-119th in NHL), +8

Faber: 5G, 15A, 20P (T-177th in NHL), +13

*Injured

+/-

Highest: Middleton (+22/T-3rd in NHL), Kaprizov (+21/T-6th in NHL), Rossi (+15)

Lowest: Gaunce (-3), Hartman/Lauko (-6)

[mnfaninnc]

14 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

Rossi with 10 points in 6 games, including 4 tonight.

So uh...who wants to start banging on Guerin's door to get that money squared away?

Here is the most interesting part of this, and someone else pointed this out earlier, holding out Kaprizov to heal when he probably could be gutting out an injury, will reveal some of the character of the players. 

The expectation was to watch Boldy go on a heater and lead this team in goals and to victory. Well, he's hit 2 shootout winners in that time. However, it has been Rossi who has shined, not Boldy during this time. What has been revealed is that Rossi is an excellent talent and doesn't need Kaprizov to produce offense. He's better with Kaprizov on the ice, but he can also work with other talented players. 

Would this make Rossi a better candidate to lead a 2nd top 6 line? Maybe not with the players we have now, but it could be with players still coming. There's also a benefit to a Boldy-Ek-Kaprizov line, that's the top PP unit right there. The lines don't get jumbled with PP time. But, can Rossi mix with Yurov when he comes over and maybe Zuccarello for a year? What does an Ohgren-Rossi-Yurov line look like down the road? 

I won't get to watch the Canes game until tomorrow, but to go in an knock off 2 beasts of the Atlantic Division and Rossi plays a starring role in that, I think that is what will speak to Shooter. For those interested, Rossi is quickly approaching last season's point production with about 1/2 a season left. It's also important to acknowledge that he's had success with and without Kaprizov on his line. 

[Lern2spell]

15 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

How about Rossi for Necas or Boldy for Necas?  

How about Wallstedt for Voronkov?

Columbus needs a goalie, Wild wouldn't have to give up a top-six, and Vorokov's ELC fits right in...

[Dango]

It would be beneficial for the team if Rossi would agree to a 2 year bridge deal maybe 3 mill x 2  so that all of the cap penalty money doesnt go to Faber and Rossi and they can grab an upgrade  over #4 or #90  free agents  ,   #4 can probably be upgraded within system less money also #47 and #22 cheap bridge deals  .     wait for more dollars  # 36 off the books  or cap increase  to sign # 23 to a better contract   and see if this years not a fluke   ,     but then where does #97 increase come from  , Wally probably takes #29 spot  I have a feeling we will lose a player we were hoping not to  or maybe # 90 is also replaced from within  and no dollars needed .   Its gonna be tight probably why its a slow process on # 23  

[fikifuka]

The constant, years long development, improvement and determination of Rossi shows that he IS the real deal, the topline/topsix two-way center the Wild expected to draft in 2020. Just look at the numbers and his overall-game. He is a silent but effective leader. Assuming that Rossi keeps this pace this season - why the hell should he/his agent accept a teamfriendly deal or even a bridge deal? He is 24 in Sep. He will demand - and get - nothing less than 6,5 AAV or even more with min 5 years. Be it at the Wild or somewhere else. Take it or leave it.

[Dango]

They expect the salary cap to increase 6-7 million so maybe that needs to be official before they proceed with Rossi contract 

[Mateo3xm]

Everyone see he just had a 4 assist night?

[Mateo3xm]

23 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

Rossi impressing for sure.  How about Rossi for Necas or Boldy for Necas?  At this point Rossi is growing on me but not as a center but a solid scoring wing to replace Zucc. If they sign Rossi it should be a bridge for 2-3x5mm.  Anything more move on.  Boldy however could be flipped for someone very nice like Necas, Foresberg, Thompson etc.  also if Chicago would do Faber for Berdard or Faber and prospect for Tkchuck I am doing that 

Those are all ridiculous and unrealistic trade proposals 

[MNCountryLife]

This is the 2nd time this season where I have to give credit to Mojo.  The last two games he has played well.  He engaged on 50/50 pucks and when he does that he can be an effective player.  I also see Trenin get quite a bit of slack on the boards and the last two games he has stepped it up noticeably.  He is impacting games.  I hope that trend continues.

[Citizen Strife]

I think Mojo is doing a more defensive game in spite of a lack of scoring.  You'd like the other three lines to do damage, but mitigating opponent offensive zone time and flow is also important.