Article: The Wild and Hockey World Are Overthinking It With Marco Rossi

[B1GKappa97]

1 hour ago, fikifuka said:

My guess as explanation that Rossi isn't traded yet is that the majority of GMs are not in the mood for rebuild now and almost every team has a lot and growing cap space for the forseeble future and sees the opportunity to improve the roster. The idea or strategy for teams interested in Rossi might be: We better offer-sheet (sign) him for just 7 AAV or e en 6,5 and ship out the 3 picks (1,2,3) instead of giving away (trade) players we want to keep. 

I'm sure he'll get at least 6,5/ 3 years or 7/longterm next week. Its just not realistic to assume that 31 GMs don't see the opportunity to get a 23 year old 60 point center with upgrade. They all know how to play this poker game - and BGs cards are getting worse every hour. The whole league knows: MIN desperately needs a good Center.

Maybe they do, maybe they don't. I really think his post-season play left a black mark on his reputation around the league. There were times (game 2 in particular) where he looked like the worst player on the ice. 

Its not the end of his career but similar to how we couldn't get any takers for Gustavsson after his struggles in '23-'24, there may not be much interest in Rossi after how he ended the year. 

[B1GKappa97]

3 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

If he's not physical enough (or hurt) then how does it make sense to put him on a checking line? Honestly.

I don't think he was hurt. We would've heard something about it. 

And they put him with guys who would be physical for him. That's why he ended up on the 4th line.

Brazeau and Trenin were behind only Foligno in total hits.

I think the strategy was fairly clear; Brazeau and Trenin win the board battles that Rossi wasn't and just try to get him the puck in front of the goal. It worked in a couple games, but not so great overall. Rossi had a terrible game 2 and played a big role in the game 5 OT loss.. then followed it up with a double-minor in a pivotal game 6 that put the team behind almost from the jump. 

Hopefully he continues to improve this offseason but I'm not too shocked that he doesn't have more interest based on how he played in the post-season.

Edited Friday at 08:22 PM by B1GKappa97

[SkolWild73]

8 minutes ago, B1GKappa97 said:

That's an easy one. Hits. He had 7 total hits in 6 playoff games. 

For referrence, Trenin had 34. Brazeau had 22. Those were his linemates for most of the series.

On top of that, he blocked only 3 shots. Even the guys who finished with less hits than him had more blocks at least.

Nyquist had 4 blocks, Kirill had 10, Hartman had 11. 

Also, if you actually watched him in the playoffs, you should have noted how he often let up on guys when he could've checked them.

He just did not play very physically. Plain and simple. 

Rossi was tenth on the team in hits in way less ice time than others and had more hits than Kap, Hartman, Brodin, Spurg, and Faber.  Ek had 8 hits in almost double the minutes.  You can't really compare Rossi's hit totals to Trenin and Braz that was their job.

[B1GKappa97]

1 minute ago, SkolWild73 said:

Rossi was tenth on the team in hits in way less ice time than others and had more hits than Kap, Hartman, Brodin, Spurg, and Faber.  Ek had 8 hits in almost double the minutes.  You can't really compare Rossi's hit totals to Trenin and Braz that was their job.

That's why I also mentioned the blocks. Kap, Hartman, Brodin, Spurg and Faber were all much more willing to sacrifice their bodies too.

That's part of playing physically as well. 

[SkolWild73]

9 minutes ago, B1GKappa97 said:

That's why I also mentioned the blocks. Kap, Hartman, Brodin, Spurg and Faber were all much more willing to sacrifice their bodies too.

That's part of playing physically as well. 

It is, but per minute played he still would have been top ten on the team in blocked shots too.

[OldDutchChip]

32 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

If he's not physical enough (or hurt) then how does it make sense to put him on a checking line? Honestly.

he should have been centering Kap and Zuccy line. of course!

[FredJohnson]

10 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

he should have been centering Kap and Zuccy line. of course!

At least give him more minutes than Freddy.

[OldDutchChip]

2 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

At least give him more minutes than Freddy.

you realize that Freddy actually played PK? if you just look at minutes 5 v 5 - it was very evenly distributed among bottom 6 players. 

[ArizonaWildFan]

3 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Just watch that game 5 OT goal against us and note how Marco Rossi mostly just stands around and plays spectator for a series-flipping OT loss.

Have you watched the whole sequence leading up to the OT goal in Game 5 or just the two seconds before the goal? It has been written and analyzed here and many other places what lead to the goal. Brazeau late to his man, Merrill out of position following his man too far out, Bogosian left his man and misplayed the puck along the boards, Rossi had his man tied up along the boards and left him to cover Bogosian's guy in the position that Merrill should have been in, and game over. And, oh yeah, where was the Wild's playoff MVP, Trenin? Definitely not recognizing and reacting to a defensive breakdown.

You can criticize Rossi for a lot of things, but not the Game 5 OT goal.

One more thing on Trenin. When you perform so poorly and set the bar so low during the regular season that even lacing your own skates in the playoffs is an improvement that's sad. And definitely not worth $3.5M.

Go ahead Rossi haters and Trenin lovers... start spewing your putrid, vomit-filled, nonsensical replies.

[Citizen Strife]

Bennett just re-signed, so any chance the Wild had to sign any free agent center worth anything is done.  Unless Guerin is working on some sort of Larkin or Thompson thing, he may want to just accept what we figured: Rossi is all that's left, so deal with it 

[OldDutchChip]

56 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Have you watched the whole sequence leading up to the OT goal in Game 5 or just the two seconds before the goal? It has been written and analyzed here and many other places what lead to the goal. Brazeau late to his man, Merrill out of position following his man too far out, Bogosian left his man and misplayed the puck along the boards, Rossi had his man tied up along the boards and left him to cover Bogosian's guy in the position that Merrill should have been in, and game over. And, oh yeah, where was the Wild's playoff MVP, Trenin? Definitely not recognizing and reacting to a defensive breakdown.

You can criticize Rossi for a lot of things, but not the Game 5 OT goal.

One more thing on Trenin. When you perform so poorly and set the bar so low during the regular season that even lacing your own skates in the playoffs is an improvement that's sad. And definitely not worth $3.5M.

Go ahead Rossi haters and Trenin lovers... start spewing your putrid, vomit-filled, nonsensical replies.

Trenin came to play in the Playoffs. But he is a bottom 6 player so the ceiling is much lower than a potential "elite" 1C that people are claiming Rossi to be. If all we are doing is trying to prove that Rossi outperformed a bottom 6 player and using only one metric (pts) - then i guess you won. But you are smarter than that. You know there are more in play and different measures to evaluate a players performance. I think it is quiet clear that Trenin performed better than expected at his role and Rossi did not. I can live with 3.5MM bottom 6 player struggling offensively during the season if he comes to play hard in the Playoffs. 

[WildNotMild]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I don't think he was hurt. We would've heard something about it. 

And they put him with guys who would be physical for him. That's why he ended up on the 4th line.

Brazeau and Trenin were behind only Foligno in total hits.

I think the strategy was fairly clear; Brazeau and Trenin win the board battles that Rossi wasn't and just try to get him the puck in front of the goal. It worked in a couple games, but not so great overall. Rossi had a terrible game 2 and played a big role in the game 5 OT loss.. then followed it up with a double-minor in a pivotal game 6 that put the team behind almost from the jump. 

Hopefully he continues to improve this offseason but I'm not too shocked that he doesn't have more interest based on how he played in the post-season.

So you are simultaneously saying he is allergic to contact but also saying the plan in putting him on the 4th line was so that his wingers could feed him the puck in front of the net?!?  In the playoffs?!?  Where guys get cross-checked like crazy for just looking at the net?!?

[WildNotMild]

9 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

Trenin came to play in the Playoffs. But he is a bottom 6 player so the ceiling is much lower than a potential "elite" 1C that people are claiming Rossi to be. If all we are doing is trying to prove that Rossi outperformed a bottom 6 player and using only one metric (pts) - then i guess you won. But you are smarter than that. You know there are more in play and different measures to evaluate a players performance. I think it is quiet clear that Trenin performed better than expected at his role and Rossi did not. I can live with 3.5MM bottom 6 player struggling offensively during the season if he comes to play hard in the Playoffs. 

Hard to follow per usual.  Are you arguing that Trenin is worth more than Rossi?  Rossi is on an ELC which is way lower than Trenin’s 3.5M.

Even ODC can’t possibly argue Rossi’s value is less than 3.5M.  Well, I guess ODC argues everything, so maybe?

I haven’t seen anyone claiming Rossi is a 1C.  A 2C, sure.  Isn’t that what the Wild are valuing him in its trade price AND you are valuing him in your fantasy trade proposals?  Otherwise, why would Ottawa even consider the BT deal if the Wild are offering a 4C.

[Patrick]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

That's an easy one. Hits. He had 7 total hits in 6 playoff games. Even Gaudreau, who's no physical force himself, finished with more hits than Rossi. 

For referrence, Trenin had 34. Brazeau had 22. Those were his linemates for most of the series.

On top of that, he blocked only 3 shots. Even the guys who finished with less hits than him had more blocks at least.

Nyquist had 4 blocks, Kirill had 10, Hartman had 11. 

Also, if you actually watched him in the playoffs, you should have noted how he often let up on guys when he could've checked them.

He just did not play very physically. Plain and simple. 

KK had 6 hits with 2.5X  the ice time.  Faber had 4 hits with nearly triple the ice time. Bogo had 6 hits.  Jon Merrill had ONE hit!!!  

By your reasoning KK plays with 1/3 of the physicality that Rossi does,  Faber is at nearly 1/6th and Marrill is at 1/12th of a guy who is "allergic to contact" 

Once again....GARBAGE OPINION

[OldDutchChip]

1 hour ago, WildNotMild said:

Hard to follow per usual.  Are you arguing that Trenin is worth more than Rossi?  Rossi is on an ELC which is way lower than Trenin’s 3.5M.

Even ODC can’t possibly argue Rossi’s value is less than 3.5M.  Well, I guess ODC argues everything, so maybe?

I haven’t seen anyone claiming Rossi is a 1C.  A 2C, sure.  Isn’t that what the Wild are valuing him in its trade price AND you are valuing him in your fantasy trade proposals?  Otherwise, why would Ottawa even consider the BT deal if the Wild are offering a 4C.

Hard to follow per usual.  sorry

Are you arguing that Trenin is worth more than Rossi?  Rossi is on an ELC which is way lower than Trenin’s 3.5M. i'm saying Rossi failed in his role (top 6 contributor) while Trenin succeeded in his role (bottom 6 contributor)

Even ODC can’t possibly argue Rossi’s value is less than 3.5M.  Well, I guess ODC argues everything, so maybe? i don't know what this means. please elaborate oh all knowledgable one. i never said that Rossi's value is 3.5 or less. 

I haven’t seen anyone claiming Rossi is a 1C.  elite centers are usually 1C. and that was the call out in Tony's article. but you did not read that, i know - no biggie! but whatever have him as your personal 2C - (but even that - he is still not).

Isn’t that what the Wild are valuing him in its trade price AND you are valuing him in your fantasy trade proposals?  what is the point of your response? 

Otherwise, why would Ottawa even consider the BT deal if the Wild are offering a 4C. my trade offer for BT was never centered around Rossi. And the placement of Rossi during a PO game is not a big factor if the team is actually interest - in fact it helps them try to get the player with a lesser offer. But so far we've seen nothing. You get it? nothing. So i guess teams feel he is not top 6. go cry about that reality. 

 

[ArizonaWildFan]

6 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

I do not think

Truer words have never been written.

[OldDutchChip]

3 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Truer words have never been written.

means a lot coming from you

go take a nap and relax

[1Brotherbill]

9 hours ago, TCMooch said:

In an environment in which there expects to be a higher and higher cap year over year--signing him long term to a cost controlled $7 million over 5-6 years is not insane for a young center that is scoring 60 points.

Also, unlike most of our team lately--he at least stays healthy for now.

I've always said that a 7 million per year deal might seem high right now but by 2029 it will be cheap.  

[bisopher]

49 minutes ago, 1Brotherbill said:

I've always said that a 7 million per year deal might seem high right now but by 2029 it will be cheap.  

Just like Ek's, and Boldy's, and Kaprizov's current contracts are cheap now.  The cap is increasing significantly every year.

[bisopher]

55 minutes ago, 1Brotherbill said:

I've always said that a 7 million per year deal might seem high right now but by 2029 it will be cheap.  

Just like Ek's, and Boldy's, and Kaprizov's current contracts are cheap now.  The cap is increasing significantly every year.

[OldDutchChip]

for all the comments that are calling to sign Rossi for 7 and move on, do you not understand that there is no need to? if Rossi finds someone that wants to pay him that much - then we can decide if we want to match. but if not - we have leverage in discussions. we believe his worth is 5-6 mil. it's a negotiation and a process.

if you detach yourself from the actual player for a second and look at the financials - you understand that what Bill is doing is right. Why try to outbid yourself? 

You also don't want to spend too soon and take yourself out of a bigger discussion. First - take care of Kap. He is the priority. Not Rossi. You wait on Rossi and focus on Kap.

Second you build a team to maximize Kap's output and performance, and on his timeline - again the 5 year Kap's peak window is now (waiting 3-4 years for prospect development means you loose those years with Kap).

Third - see what's available. See who is willing to deal. There is only few untouchables on this team.

Then circle back to Rossi, if he is not dealt or found a deal - you maybe meet him half way just like with Kap! instead of 5, you offer $6m. 

That's it.

[Mateo3xm]

20 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Its not because he played on the 4th line. Its HOW he played on the 4th line. 

Dude was allergic to contact the entire post-season. That's why he got stuck with bigger forecheckers to begin with. 

Just watch that game 5 OT goal against us and note how Marco Rossi mostly just stands around and plays spectator for a series-flipping OT loss. Rossi left a lot to be desired in his first-ever post-season even if he had some goals. 

That’s extremely common for a player playing his first post season series. Rossi had as many points as EK in the post season and EK had almost twice the amount of minutes. Go look at Boldy, EK, Kaprizovs first post season series. You will notice none of them performed well their first post season series. We are talking about a player in his SECOND SEASON…

He vastly exceeded expectations in pretty much every area. To my understanding Rossi was battling some nagging injuries and I’m sure it was a blow to his confidence that he was playing on the 4th line, which definitely didn’t seem warranted when the Wild needed offense. It’s absolutely insane that ppl can’t put these things into perspective.

[ArizonaWildFan]

June 28, 2025 and how is the Wild offseason going? Three days until July 1st. The first round of the draft is in the books. How has GMBG done so far?

Re-signed UFA Johansson quickly so no other team could steal a critical player from the roster.

Traded Gaunce for something called Cameron Butler in an AHL'er for AHL'er move.

Traded Gaudreau for a 4th round pick in this year's draft. Gaudreau was a functional Swiss Army knife at $2.1M and a depth center and we'll see what today's 4th round pick brings in return.

Wow!

He has addressed his main priority of center depth by trading a bottom six center. People write that Guerin has all the leverage in the Rossi situation and I guess it depends on how you look at it. Rossi is going to get paid $7+ M by some team very soon. The Wild could have signed him for less than that this past season and will probably be forced to pay him more now to match an offer sheet. OK, BG has all the leverage and it only cost the team a few million dollars.

The optics that Bill Guerin has created during this past playoffs and offseason so far are what will prevent the Wild from improving and becoming a true contender. Fellow GM's and player's agents play him like a fiddle. Players with a choice are not choosing Minnesota, and it's not only for income tax purposes. The only ones signing here are aging veterans who are given above market money, term and security with movement clauses. They aren't coming here to win, they are coming here to pad their retirement accounts.

Time for Bill Guerin to be replaced. And send Trenin with him.

[Mateo3xm]

18 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I really think his post-season play left a black mark on his reputation around the league.

This is ridiculous and definitely not a well thought out comment. You’re unable to put things into perspective at all and it’s obvious you can’t see the big picture.

[Mateo3xm]

18 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I think the strategy was fairly clear; Brazeau and Trenin win the board battles that Rossi wasn't and just try to get him the puck in front of the goal. It worked in a couple games, but not so great overall.

How is it suppose to work if he averages 11  min a game playing on the 4th line? He had just as many points as EK with half the amount of minutes. I’d say it worked extremely well. If you have an offensive player that isn’t built for a checking role, why on earth would you put him on a checking line? 
 

Your points are getting absolutely picked apart on here, by people that actually pay attention. You’re resorting to how many blocks he did or didn’t have to prove your point and it’s just silly.