By Justin Wiggins -
As the Minnesota Wild's surprise season hits a minor speed bump lately, a few preseason narratives have begun to emerge. Their penalty kill continues to be an issue through large stretches. The aging roster has found themselves marching to the infirmary again, even if they are the result of a few fluke plays.
But the same can’t be said for Marco Rossi. The young Austrian has been a shining light of success for the Wild this season. The most consistent forward on the ice not named Kirill Kaprizov, Rossi has finally developed into the two-way force at center the organizations’ scouts could only dream about.
And speaking of Kaprizov, when the superstar Russian returns from injury, there is absolutely no reason for Rossi to leave the top power play. He’s earned his name scribbled in permanent marker in that spot on the dressing room whiteboard.
The number of skill players available to play on the top unit has reached a point where somebody will be left out. Minnesota's top unit of Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello, and Brock Faber/Jared Spurgeon was the obvious grouping to start the season. However, Rossi has arrived on the scene and seems as reluctant to leave it as a nosy amateur detective in a network television police show.
His production speaks for itself. His four power-play tallies tie him for first on the team, even if his PP time on ice is a distant fifth amongst all forwards. He’s been the beneficiary of increased minutes lately with the slew of injuries affecting Minnesota. But Rossi's spot should remain even if the Wild can claw their way back to a fully healthy roster.
Of course, that means replacing one of the four mainstays at forward who started the season there.
So, who should he replace? The obvious first thought is the struggling Boldy. His nine points in the past 19 games have been concerning. So has his penchant for turning the puck over in crucial spots on the man advantage.
But his talent is undeniable. Allowing him to play through his struggles would only behoove the Wild as they try to discover where the ceiling might be for their power play.
Karpizov and Zuccarello will stay on the top unit, leaving Eriksson Ek as the forward who the Wild could bump out to the second group. As you dig further, he appears to be the most obvious answer.
Eriksson Ek’s drop-off in production with Minnesota's struggling power play hasn’t been talked about nearly enough this year. In his past three seasons, the veteran Swede scored 12 power-play goals each year. He has thrived in the middle of the ice, cleaning up on loose pucks created from grade-A scoring chances off Kaprizov and Boldy's sticks.
But he has only one goal this year.
While Eriksson Ek’s offense around the front of the net has dried up, it’s an area where Rossi is thriving. The below heat map at even strength (courtesy of Money Puck) shows where his shots are coming from this season.
And even while on the power play, Rossi finds his way to the front of the net at a ridiculous rate.
The answer is obvious. Rossi has earned a place on the top power-play unit. And if he will replace anyone, it should be Eriksson Ek’s spot in the middle of the ice.
Eriksson Ek is an immensely valuable player for this team. He’s the second-best all-around center the franchise has had behind Mikko Koivu, but his offensive talent is limited. Eriksson Ek is a bulldog around the net, and that mentality has allowed him to succeed as a power-play staple.
But it’s clear now that Rossi can take that role and elevate the Wild’s power play even further. His similar workhorse effort and tenacity wouldn’t provide a dip in their ability to pot rebounds close to the net. And he provides a higher upside from that bumper position with his high IQ and elite hands.
The clip below is from last year when the Wild occasionally started with Rossi on the top powerplay. It perfectly encapsulates how Rossi can add another layer to the unit’s potential.
You can see his chemistry with Kaprizov in finding an open area in the middle of the ice and presenting his stick for a deflection off Kaprizov's stick. But watch as Kaprizov zips a shot low for Rossi to tip.
Just before the Russian releases the shot-pass from his stick, Rossi quickly scans the ice in front of him for options. Instead of deflecting the pass to the net for a tipped shot on goal, Rossi sees a teammate at the side of the net. In one fluid motion, he shovels the puck to this area for a high-danger scoring chance at the side of the net.
It’s more than his ability to match Eriksson Ek’s knack for hounding loose pucks on rebounds or deflections. Rossi adds a skill level from the bumper position the Wild haven’t seen in a while.
There's no denying it: Rossi has earned himself a spot on the top unit this year. Even as the Wild slowly return to full health amongst the forwards in their top six, Rossi should remain there, even at the expense of a long-time contributor.
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