Article: The Mikael Granlund Contract Should Have Ended the Marco Rossi Debate

[ArizonaWildFan]

19 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

I don't know that Rossi would have been higher.

Rossi played all 82 games last season and had 24 goals and 36 assists for a total of 60 points and .73 points per game.

Rossi played 21 games between 2/25 and 4/6 when both Kaprizov and Ek were out with injuries (there were other games during the season where one or both were out of the lineup with injuries) scored 4 goals, had 5 assists, 9 total points and .43 points per game.

The other 61 games that Rossi played he had 20 goals, 31 assists, 51 total points and .84 points per game.

Please don't try to get yourself or anyone else to believe that Rossi would not have had higher point totals last season if Kaprizov and Ek would not have missed those 21 games. Stats and facts don't lie. Rossi was a .84 PPG player with one or both Kaprizov and Ek in the lineup and a .43 PPG player without both of them.

Some dumbass or dumbasses are going to make a dumbass reply to this post. Waiting to see who gets crowned the King of Dumbasses.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

19 hours ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Guerin is quick to say that Ek needs depth help. Guerin was tight-lipped when Rossi stepped in to Ek's role while he was injured, without having Kaprizov's help as well.

After JEE was out for an extended time period(following February 6th), Rossi tallied 14 points(6G, 8A) in 27 games while often playing with Boldy.  He was playing 1C, but he wasn't producing like a 1C or 2C.

Also, we are comparing 2 different players in 2 different roles and 2 different eras.  In the year Granlund hit 69 points as a winger, only 1 player in the entire NHL hit 100 points and that was McDavid at exactly 100. Nobody else reached 90 points that season, and Granlund led his entire team in scoring, so paying him like a top line wing made more sense. Granlund tied for 20th in total points with Ovechkin for that season.

2024-2025, there were 6 players that hit 100+ points, and another 6 who reached 90+ points. Rossi ended the season tied for 81st in points, and his scoring saw a major drop off when the Wild were missing their #1 scorer.

Suggesting that Rossi deserves the same contract because he reached 60 points in this season where league average was 247 goals simply doesn't take into consideration that Granlund had 9 more points in a season where average goals per team were 223.  Scoring today is 10% higher than it was when Granlund outscored Rossi by more than 10% and led the team in scoring. Rossi finished 2nd on the Wild in scoring ONLY because other players were injured.

Remember that 27 game stretch to end the season(February 8th to the end), guess who else tallied 14 points(8G, 6A) in that stretch while NOT regularly playing with Boldy, Frederick Gaudreau!

Also, Boldy had 28 points in that 27 game stretch while Zuccarello and Johansson both tallied 18 points. I like Rossi just fine, but Guerin is doing this correctly. He's not disrespecting Rossi. He's evaluating Rossi as a guy who doesn't currently drive scoring like a top line forward, which is different than what Granlund did back in 2016-2017.

[Will D. Ness]

Just now, ArizonaWildFan said:

Some dumbass or dumbasses are going to make a dumbass reply to this post. Waiting to see who gets crowned the King of Dumbasses.

I so want this crown.  

Rossi's value shouldn't be determined by the value of other players.  I think you have it backwards.  Rossi's drop off when others got hurt actually lowered his value.  It shows he is a beneficiary and not a driver of play.

I think the injuries to KK and Ek actually exposed Rossi as not quite ready for prime time and as it turns out... the league agrees so far.

Potential is still there IMO, but nobody wants to commit to 7x7.

[Quebec1648]

On 7/8/2025 at 10:54 AM, OldDutchChip said:

we shouldn't rush to sign him to 7 or higher LT deal until he proves that he belongs in the top 6. we have leverage on him, and we are using it.

it is also in Rossi's best interest (financially speaking) to bet on himself (if he believes in himself). sign a short term deal - come in and deliver - and it will pay off. 

i think billy is handling this surprisingly well (i was wrong about him), not just Rossi but the team construct part.

i do believe he understands that top 6 needs more physically imposing and skilled players. those are hard to get but he is banking on one being available this TDL. perhaps Tage or Tuch or Brady or Larkin or Pasta or Panarin (not tough but super skill). you have to have flexibility to get them and you'd loose that if you pay up for Rossi now. 

there is also Rossi's replacement - Yurov. i get it that he is an unknown, but it does seem like top 6 is a spot for him sooner or later. So having two undersized players (centers too) added to an already "soft" list of players in the top 6 is just not a good strategy.

so it's simple - Rossi is a good player - but he doesn't fit our Top 6. 

What criteria do you have for deciding if a player is undersized? Yurov is 6'1, which makes him bigger than Rossi by several inches and close to Boldy at 6"2. 

Guerin has been smart to avoid giving Rossi a long term deal at a high price tag, but he has also tanked Rossi`s trade value. Guerin shopped Rossi and got no offers that were any good. 

Given that Yurov is coming soon, where should Rossi play? Will he be playing 3rd or 4th line minutes? I don't see both players being in the top 6 at the same time. If Rossi gets demoted to bottom 6, that doesn't exactly help his trade value.

Rossi can bet on himself by taking a bridge deal, but that assumes he would be playing on the 1st or 2nd line to increase his value. With Guetin constantly bashing him in the media, I don't see Rossi wanting to stay here long term, unless it's a big money extension. 

[OldDutchChip]

10 minutes ago, Quebec1648 said:

What criteria do you have for deciding if a player is undersized? Yurov is 6'1, which makes him bigger than Rossi by several inches and close to Boldy at 6"2. 

Guerin has been smart to avoid giving Rossi a long term deal at a high price tag, but he has also tanked Rossi`s trade value. Guerin shopped Rossi and got no offers that were any good. 

Given that Yurov is coming soon, where should Rossi play? Will he be playing 3rd or 4th line minutes? I don't see both players being in the top 6 at the same time. If Rossi gets demoted to bottom 6, that doesn't exactly help his trade value.

Rossi can bet on himself by taking a bridge deal, but that assumes he would be playing on the 1st or 2nd line to increase his value. With Guetin constantly bashing him in the media, I don't see Rossi wanting to stay here long term, unless it's a big money extension. 

to me, size is weight and strength. height is not as important. boldy at 6'2 is not as physically imposing as matthew tkachuk at same height. so it's the body make up and how you use it. 

Guerin has been smart to avoid giving Rossi a long term deal at a high price tag, but he has also tanked Rossi`s trade value. Guerin shopped Rossi and got no offers that were any good. i guess to me it was more of a "what's best for the team" approach. the team was going into PO and had to have buy in from all.  i mentioned plenty of times that Rossi struggled and rightfully was demoted. if it tanked his value - then that's that - but i think that was the right move for the team. 

another point against the tanking is that a smart GM still sees thru the noise and can identify talent, so if Rossi was unfairly demoted, and value is at an all-time low, that's when you pounce and try to "steal" him for low offer. but that hasn't materialized yet. 

so depends on how you look at it. 

Given that Yurov is coming soon, where should Rossi play? Will he be playing 3rd or 4th line minutes? I don't see both players being in the top 6 at the same time. If Rossi gets demoted to bottom 6, that doesn't exactly help his trade value. i think if Rossi stays, we should use him in 2/3 line, perhaps Boldy, Rossi and Vlady will be a good trio. I'd start Ek, Kap and Zuccy. and See what you have with Yurov. He really is a wild card - who really knows? what do you think?

Rossi can bet on himself by taking a bridge deal, but that assumes he would be playing on the 1st or 2nd line to increase his value. With Guetin constantly bashing him in the media, I don't see Rossi wanting to stay here long term, unless it's a big money extension. i think he will be assuming he comes ready to go and shakes off the last part of the season. i also don't see Rossi in our LT plans. Not because i do not like him as a player, but it's because of how our team is currently constructed. we need to balance skill and finesse with strength and power, otherwise we will again be an easy out in the PO. Having Rossi, Yurov, Boldy, Zuccy, Vlad, Kap, Ek all be skill and finesse is not a good recipe. Yes, even Ek is really just a punching bag..... 🙂 

[Scalptrash]

On 7/8/2025 at 10:45 AM, MNCountryLife said:

Every dollar of every contract matters.  We can say: "Pay the Man, he is worth it"... and he probably is.... but it won't change the fact that if we can get Rossi at $5M instead of $7M that leaves $2M more that can go to another player and make this team deeper.  So we play the money game. 

Like the $2M the Wild are still paying on Parise/Suter for three more years. That sure would come in handy right about now. For Kaprizov too.

[Scalptrash]

It's funny how everyone focuses on Rossi's size or slump at the end of the season. It doesn't matter when or where he got 60 points....he got 60 points. How many other Wild players put up 60? How many games were won because Rossi put up 60? How many points would Rossi have had if he didn't have a slump? 65-70? Would there even be a discussion if he didn't have a slump? I really like the one about him not performing because Kaprizov and Ek were out. They were out half the season and he still put up 60! How about Boldy's slumps? There is no talk about those here and they are very frequent. Free pass, big contract for the golden child....because he's taller?!?

As usual around here, ridiculous comments. Nothing has changed with Billy's perception of Rossi or he would have been signed long ago. Other teams, like the Wild, want immediate help, not picks or assets. This is why there haven't been any good offers. Every team is buying, not selling. If Billy was a halfway decent GM he could make something happen to make this team better. Blowing your Christmas fund on another over the hill vet is a safe move and he has any easy out when it fails. "It's only one year."

Billy will NOT bring a Stanley Cup to this city. He is out of his depth and is only prolonging any chance of building a real, championship hockey club. If I were Kaprizov, I'd run. Assuming getting his name on the cup is important to him. If he only cares about money, he'll stay and the Wild will overpay him to do so.

Confused again Citizen Strife?! ODC, are you offended that I criticized the second coming?

[Quebec1648]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

to me, size is weight and strength. height is not as important. boldy at 6'2 is not as physically imposing as matthew tkachuk at same height. so it's the body make up and how you use it. 

Guerin has been smart to avoid giving Rossi a long term deal at a high price tag, but he has also tanked Rossi`s trade value. Guerin shopped Rossi and got no offers that were any good. i guess to me it was more of a "what's best for the team" approach. the team was going into PO and had to have buy in from all.  i mentioned plenty of times that Rossi struggled and rightfully was demoted. if it tanked his value - then that's that - but i think that was the right move for the team. 

another point against the tanking is that a smart GM still sees thru the noise and can identify talent, so if Rossi was unfairly demoted, and value is at an all-time low, that's when you pounce and try to "steal" him for low offer. but that hasn't materialized yet. 

so depends on how you look at it. 

Given that Yurov is coming soon, where should Rossi play? Will he be playing 3rd or 4th line minutes? I don't see both players being in the top 6 at the same time. If Rossi gets demoted to bottom 6, that doesn't exactly help his trade value. i think if Rossi stays, we should use him in 2/3 line, perhaps Boldy, Rossi and Vlady will be a good trio. I'd start Ek, Kap and Zuccy. and See what you have with Yurov. He really is a wild card - who really knows? what do you think?

Rossi can bet on himself by taking a bridge deal, but that assumes he would be playing on the 1st or 2nd line to increase his value. With Guetin constantly bashing him in the media, I don't see Rossi wanting to stay here long term, unless it's a big money extension. i think he will be assuming he comes ready to go and shakes off the last part of the season. i also don't see Rossi in our LT plans. Not because i do not like him as a player, but it's because of how our team is currently constructed. we need to balance skill and finesse with strength and power, otherwise we will again be an easy out in the PO. Having Rossi, Yurov, Boldy, Zuccy, Vlad, Kap, Ek all be skill and finesse is not a good recipe. Yes, even Ek is really just a punching bag..... 🙂 

I can agree with the idea of a smart GM being able to properly evaluate Rossi and determine if he is good or not, but that does not necessarily help the Wild. If Bill Guerin is constantly trashing Rossi in the media and relegating him to bottom 6 minutes, no GM is going to feel obligated to make a quality offer. Why should they offer market value for a player the Wild seem disappointed with? If they keep making low offers, eventually Guerin will be left with no good trade options.

I don`t think Guerin values Rossi as anything more than a 4th line guy, so he should be focused on maximizing Rossi`s trade value. My preffered option would be to package Rossi as part of a deal for Brady Tkachuk, but that is unlikely. It would be in the best in the best interest of both parties to part ways.

In terms of size, Guerin seems content to let Brackett draft smaller players, so unless he orders Brackett to change that habit, he should simply change game plans. You can't draft undersized players and then bash them for not having the big physical game Guerin wants. If Guerin wants big body players, then draft guys who can be that type of player.

My ideal scenario, would be to pair a smaller skill / finess player like Kaprizov with a big body guy like Tkachuk. Same on defense, a skill / finess guy with a big dman to balance it out.

[Willy the poor boy]

16 minutes ago, Quebec1648 said:

If Bill Guerin is constantly trashing Rossi in the media and relegating him to bottom 6 minutes, no GM is going to feel obligated to make a quality offer. Why should they offer market value for a player the Wild seem disappointed with? If they keep making low offers, eventually Guerin will be left with no good trade options.

That's exactly what I think is happening.

[ArizonaWildFan]

5 hours ago, Will D. Ness said:

I so want this crown.

Will, I'm sorry, but you don't deserve the crown. You consistently post well thought-out material and not recycled fantasy crap. Do our opinions always match, no. Am I always right and you're always wrong and vice versa, absolutely not.

I like the point that you made about the Kaprizov and Ek injuries exposing Rossi. Rather than immediately firing back something ludicrous at you, I'm going to ponder what you've written. You may have a very valid point.

Ideally, that's how this stuff works. Will you settle for Will D. Ness, Lord of the Hockey Wilderness?

[OldDutchChip]

7 minutes ago, Quebec1648 said:

I can agree with the idea of a smart GM being able to properly evaluate Rossi and determine if he is good or not, but that does not necessarily help the Wild. If Bill Guerin is constantly trashing Rossi in the media and relegating him to bottom 6 minutes, no GM is going to feel obligated to make a quality offer. Why should they offer market value for a player the Wild seem disappointed with? If they keep making low offers, eventually Guerin will be left with no good trade options.

I don`t think Guerin values Rossi as anything more than a 4th line guy, so he should be focused on maximizing Rossi`s trade value. My preffered option would be to package Rossi as part of a deal for Brady Tkachuk, but that is unlikely. It would be in the best in the best interest of both parties to part ways.

In terms of size, Guerin seems content to let Brackett draft smaller players, so unless he orders Brackett to change that habit, he should simply change game plans. You can't draft undersized players and then bash them for not having the big physical game Guerin wants. If Guerin wants big body players, then draft guys who can be that type of player.

My ideal scenario, would be to pair a smaller skill / finess player like Kaprizov with a big body guy like Tkachuk. Same on defense, a skill / finess guy with a big dman to balance it out.

i think a smart GM would look at it as what type of value they are bringing to their team vs what the type of value Rossi is viewed by our team. If they feel strongly about him - i think they'd buy low on him. but of course - it is in best interest of Bill (and Wild) to get Rossi back out there and being in the peak form. whether it's to remain with the team LT or as a trade piece - have him here and be in the top 6-9. the demotion was unfortunate not only for Rossi but for the team. i was really happy about his play during mid - season and was pointing out that if i had to pick - i'd pick Rossi over Boldy. That changed as the season wined down. I am hoping for the Rossi from early in the year, one who will make it hard for Billy to part with. 

My ideal scenario, would be to pair a smaller skill / finess player like Kaprizov with a big body guy like Tkachuk. 100% and to do that you need to entice OTT with an offer. Rossi alone won't be enough, and adding Ohgren won't be either. It'll have to be our top rookies. That's a diff topic though. 

as for the value - Rossi played in the top 6 most of the year. so we know that Billy thinks he can be a top guy. he then stumbled (which we have to acknowledge, it did happen). he wasn't ready for the leading role (nothing wrong with that - but it's also a reality). then PO came and his lack of physicality was another knock on him. all that lead to demotion and rightful promotion of Harty. 

all these things combine can explain why there is a hold-up in the contract and willingness to commit to him. finally the piece i am coming back to, and you also noted, the make up of our top 6. we cannot have such a soft group. billy has to hope that Rossi comes in, delivers the same type of 1st half as last year and then brings us someone who provides a better balance within our core top 6. that's why i do think he will be put in the right position to drive results for him and the team. but i do think it's for a short term only - he will likely be moved. 

[OldDutchChip]

Just now, ArizonaWildFan said:

Will, I'm sorry, but you don't deserve the crown. You consistently post well thought-out material and not recycled fantasy crap. Do our opinions always match, no. Am I always right and you're always wrong and vice versa, absolutely not.

I like the point that you made about the Kaprizov and Ek injuries exposing Rossi. Rather than immediately firing back something ludicrous at you, I'm going to ponder what you've written. You may have a very valid point.

Ideally, that's how this stuff works. Will you settle for Will D. Ness, Lord of the Hockey Wilderness?

zona - please tell me this was meant for me? very good to have such a welcoming community! 😍

Some dumbass or dumbasses are going to make a dumbass reply to this post. Waiting to see who gets crowned the King of Dumbasses.

[Enforceror]

10 hours ago, Jakub K. said:

khl.ru lists him as 185cm 80kg, that's 6'0.8" 176.4 lbs. If that's correct, he absolutely needs to add weight.

I found on a Russian site where he said he was around 185 now. I believe this was in April or May. 

[OldDutchChip]

31 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

It's funny how everyone focuses on Rossi's size or slump at the end of the season. It doesn't matter when or where he got 60 points....he got 60 points. How many other Wild players put up 60? How many games were won because Rossi put up 60? How many points would Rossi have had if he didn't have a slump? 65-70? Would there even be a discussion if he didn't have a slump? I really like the one about him not performing because Kaprizov and Ek were out. They were out half the season and he still put up 60! How about Boldy's slumps? There is no talk about those here and they are very frequent. Free pass, big contract for the golden child....because he's taller?!?

As usual around here, ridiculous comments. Nothing has changed with Billy's perception of Rossi or he would have been signed long ago. Other teams, like the Wild, want immediate help, not picks or assets. This is why there haven't been any good offers. Every team is buying, not selling. If Billy was a halfway decent GM he could make something happen to make this team better. Blowing your Christmas fund on another over the hill vet is a safe move and he has any easy out when it fails. "It's only one year."

Billy will NOT bring a Stanley Cup to this city. He is out of his depth and is only prolonging any chance of building a real, championship hockey club. If I were Kaprizov, I'd run. Assuming getting his name on the cup is important to him. If he only cares about money, he'll stay and the Wild will overpay him to do so.

Confused again Citizen Strife?! ODC, are you offended that I criticized the second coming?

plans change and/or take time to develop. i didn't like the vision previously, but Billy seems to have a good plan. so i'm ok with that. there is no bad contracts (no signees of Minnesotans on last leg) and he is set up to be one of the major players this year. kap seems to be happy. so i guess, i am happy too. 

Edited July 9 by OldDutchChip

[OldDutchChip]

7 minutes ago, Enforceror said:

I found on a Russian site where he said he was around 185 now. I believe this was in April or May. 

i read an interview of his that he tries to model his game after MacK and McD....very nice company....guess we'll see 🙂

 

[Enforceror]

36 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

i read an interview of his that he tries to model his game after MacK and McD....very nice company....guess we'll see 🙂

 

Isn't he supposed to say Kaprizov? 🤔

Not that I'd mind a Mac or Mc clone...

[Will D. Ness]

17 minutes ago, ArizonaWildFan said:

Will, I'm sorry, but you don't deserve the crown. You consistently post well thought-out material and not recycled fantasy crap. Do our opinions always match, no. Am I always right and you're always wrong and vice versa, absolutely not.

I like the point that you made about the Kaprizov and Ek injuries exposing Rossi. Rather than immediately firing back something ludicrous at you, I'm going to ponder what you've written. You may have a very valid point.

Ideally, that's how this stuff works. Will you settle for Will D. Ness, Lord of the Hockey Wilderness?

Dude, I want the dumbass crown.  I'm as full of shit as anyone else.

Lord of Hockey Wilderness should go to a guy who brings stats and knowledge and puts in an effort to do research etc.  

[Quebec1648]

1 hour ago, OldDutchChip said:

i think a smart GM would look at it as what type of value they are bringing to their team vs what the type of value Rossi is viewed by our team. If they feel strongly about him - i think they'd buy low on him. but of course - it is in best interest of Bill (and Wild) to get Rossi back out there and being in the peak form. whether it's to remain with the team LT or as a trade piece - have him here and be in the top 6-9. the demotion was unfortunate not only for Rossi but for the team. i was really happy about his play during mid - season and was pointing out that if i had to pick - i'd pick Rossi over Boldy. That changed as the season wined down. I am hoping for the Rossi from early in the year, one who will make it hard for Billy to part with. 

My ideal scenario, would be to pair a smaller skill / finess player like Kaprizov with a big body guy like Tkachuk. 100% and to do that you need to entice OTT with an offer. Rossi alone won't be enough, and adding Ohgren won't be either. It'll have to be our top rookies. That's a diff topic though. 

as for the value - Rossi played in the top 6 most of the year. so we know that Billy thinks he can be a top guy. he then stumbled (which we have to acknowledge, it did happen). he wasn't ready for the leading role (nothing wrong with that - but it's also a reality). then PO came and his lack of physicality was another knock on him. all that lead to demotion and rightful promotion of Harty. 

all these things combine can explain why there is a hold-up in the contract and willingness to commit to him. finally the piece i am coming back to, and you also noted, the make up of our top 6. we cannot have such a soft group. billy has to hope that Rossi comes in, delivers the same type of 1st half as last year and then brings us someone who provides a better balance within our core top 6. that's why i do think he will be put in the right position to drive results for him and the team. but i do think it's for a short term only - he will likely be moved. 

Was Rossi in the top 6 for part of the season because of necessity, or because Guerin wanted him in a top 6 role? I get the impression Guerin sees Rossi as bottom 6 material, regardless of how he performs. Guerin has done everything he can to give the impression Rossi is an unwanted house guest. He may give the occasional pr statement about loving Rossi, but 90% of the time he acts otherwise.

What is Guerins grand plan with Rossi? This offseason has already shown other GM's are unwilling to offer much in trade, and I doubt they will extend an offer sheet if it might cost them a 1st round pick. Guerin is stuck between two bad choices right now, either he trades Rossi for minimal return or he hands out a contract to a player he clearly doesn't see as a long term member of this team.

In terms of a Rossi deal, Guerin has offered deals, but they would seem like overpay if Guerin views Rossi as 4th line material. I think one proposal was like $25 million over 5 years, but that seems a bit much for a 4th line guy. I say 4th line guy, because Guerin acts and talks like he views Rossi as a 4th line puzzle piece and nothing more. Any deal longer than 3 years for a 4th line guy is bad, especially if it's $5 million or above.

Rossi wants $7 million a year, but doesn't understand Guerin sees him as a 4th line guy. You have to be top 6 material to get that kind of money.

[OldDutchChip]

2 minutes ago, Quebec1648 said:

Was Rossi in the top 6 for part of the season because of necessity, or because Guerin wanted him in a top 6 role? I get the impression Guerin sees Rossi as bottom 6 material, regardless of how he performs. Guerin has done everything he can to give the impression Rossi is an unwanted house guest. He may give the occasional pr statement about loving Rossi, but 90% of the time he acts otherwise.

What is Guerins grand plan with Rossi? This offseason has already shown other GM's are unwilling to offer much in trade, and I doubt they will extend an offer sheet if it might cost them a 1st round pick. Guerin is stuck between two bad choices right now, either he trades Rossi for minimal return or he hands out a contract to a player he clearly doesn't see as a long term member of this team.

In terms of a Rossi deal, Guerin has offered deals, but they would seem like overpay if Guerin views Rossi as 4th line material. I think one proposal was like $25 million over 5 years, but that seems a bit much for a 4th line guy. I say 4th line guy, because Guerin acts and talks like he views Rossi as a 4th line puzzle piece and nothing more. Any deal longer than 3 years for a 4th line guy is bad, especially if it's $5 million or above.

Rossi wants $7 million a year, but doesn't understand Guerin sees him as a 4th line guy. You have to be top 6 material to get that kind of money.

Rossi's team placement during the season and PO correlated directly with his play. When he was playing well and engaged - he was in the top 6. When his game slipped, Wild had to react - this was not beginning of the season where you can let a player ride out the funk - this was in the PO series where every shift mattered.

Yes, the demotion raised alarms, and yes he was upset - but he should also be upset at the level of play. That's what forced Wild's hand to demote him.

He'll learn. But the decision to demote him was the right one (in my opinion)

He'll be fine top 6/9 player but i don't think with the Wild. Get him into top 6, rack up points with Kap and work out a trade. That's what i think we'll happen.

[Paup]

On 7/8/2025 at 1:01 PM, ArizonaWildFan said:

This isn't meant to be an argument but rather looking at last season from a different perspective. Would Rossi have been higher than a 60 point player last season if Kaprizov and Ek wouldn't have been out at the same time for an extended period? IMO absolutely.

Guerin is quick to say that Ek needs depth help. Guerin was tight-lipped when Rossi stepped in to Ek's role while he was injured, without having Kaprizov's help as well.

Rossi has been and continues to be held to a higher standard than others on the team and around the league. I wish the Wild management and coaches, along with the Rossi hating fans, would just come out and say they don't like him rather than trying to make lame excuses for not wanting him around. Grow some balls, people, because statistically moving on from Rossi just doesn't make sense.

Stepping up to help Erickson EK in the regular season is one thing, but doing so in the playoffs is a different animal....and in my opinion Rossi has shown he's not built for 1C or 2C (atleast playing Western conference teams in the playoffs).  I personally see Rossi as a 3C at least in the playoffs and would be a great fit there....but I'm sure he sees himself as a 2C.....but he's definitely not a 2C with the wild.

I have said for the past two years though, that he should move to wing, where he doesn't have to be as physical.  If he did,  we wouldn't even be having this discussion.....he'd already be signed. 

But I really do think Rossi is a GREAT player and I hope he stays with us...just not as a 1C or 2C🤷‍♂️.  Just my opinion though🤘🤘

[Quebec1648]

4 hours ago, OldDutchChip said:

Rossi's team placement during the season and PO correlated directly with his play. When he was playing well and engaged - he was in the top 6. When his game slipped, Wild had to react - this was not beginning of the season where you can let a player ride out the funk - this was in the PO series where every shift mattered.

Yes, the demotion raised alarms, and yes he was upset - but he should also be upset at the level of play. That's what forced Wild's hand to demote him.

He'll learn. But the decision to demote him was the right one (in my opinion)

He'll be fine top 6/9 player but i don't think with the Wild. Get him into top 6, rack up points with Kap and work out a trade. That's what i think we'll happen.

I agree with Rossi playing top 6 minutes only when he earns it, but that was not the point I was trying to make.

My point, was that Guerin doesn't view Rossi as anything other than a 4th line center. When Rossi had those those top 6 opportunities, it was largely because other guys were out of the lineup. When everyone is healthy, Rossi is largely relegated to the 4th line, even if he plays well. Rossi was mediocre (or worse at times) in the playoffs, but I think some of that stems from the way Guerin treats him. Rossi has the talent to be a 2nd or 3rd line player, but Guerin always acts like Rossi is doomed to be a career 4th line guy.

Praise in public and criticize in private is the proper approach, but Guerin doesn't seem to agree. Rossi has done a lot (but not everything) of what the front office asks of him, yet Guerin constantly trash talks him in the media. 

[Jakub K.]

8 hours ago, Enforceror said:

I found on a Russian site where he said he was around 185 now. I believe this was in April or May. 

Rossi's weight at about 3" taller, interesting

[Need4speed99]

On 7/8/2025 at 8:25 PM, mnhockeyfan03 said:

Looks at his stats against playoff teams in the west.  That tells the whole story.  He disappears

He played on the 4th line against Dallas and still had better total points then several guys on higher lines. In the actual playoffs. Not to mention the whole team dropped off against those teams.

Look at boldy, Faber, kap in the playoffs... your argument is not valid.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

7 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

Not to mention the whole team dropped off against those teams.

Look at boldy, Faber, kap in the playoffs... your argument is not valid.

Kaprizov and Boldy scored nearly a goal per game in the playoffs(both had 5 goals in 6 games), and both were over 1 point per game, Kaprizov actually up at 1.5 points per game. If they played at that pace for 80 games, that would be above a 60 goal pace and the points for Kaprizov would be at 120.

I'm not sure that comment supports your position. Rossi played solidly, as did most of the team, which is why the Wild outscored Vegas in the series. If not for high sticking penalties, one of which was from Rossi, the Wild might have taken the series and played in the 2nd round. Vegas scored on nearly every PP when it was due to a high sticking penalty.

Rossi played on the 4th line mainly due to the line combinations Hynes wanted for his top line, which was fairly dominant for much of the series, and his checking line, which also dominated in most of their shifts.

After looking at the players left, he decided that Rossi could do more for the Wild by giving the 4th line scoring chances, and he came through there. Meanwhile, Gaudreau and Nyquist didn't create a scoring line, but they were defensively sound with only 1 goal against while they were on the ice even strength. The Wild lost primarily due to PP and SH goals against.

I think most folks believe Rossi should have played more shifts, but he did help the Wild by centering the 4th line and keeping them level in the even strength scoring column.

[MNCountryLife]

1 hour ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

The Wild lost primarily due to PP and SH goals against.

I have to wonder if this is why BG signed Nico Sturm and Vladimir.  Improve both the PK and PP.