By Phillip Garrett -
The Minnesota Wild are rolling.
They have been keeping games close and often coming out with a win. Much of the Wild’s success has been due to their key pieces staying healthy. However, all good things must end.
Entering the 10th week of the season, the Wild are missing Mats Zuccarello, Jonas Brodin, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jakub Lauko due to injury. Lauko is the only one slated to return soon. The Wild expect him to return before their first visit to Salt Lake City. With the recent influx of injuries, Hynes has had to juggle some lines. A few players have had to step up in their absence.
We all know what happened to Zuccarello. However, the only positive development is that Matt Boldy has shone in his absence.
The Wild will miss Brodin, but the Wild have performed well defensively. Minnesota’s other blueliners, including Jon Merrill, have stepped up.
However, the hole Eriksson Ek left in his absence is concerning. The Wild have kept games close. With a defensive mindset first and a below-average powerplay, Minnesota scored at a mediocre rate. Entering the season’s second quarter, the Wild are 13th in the league in GF with 86 and GF/GP at 3.19.
Enter Marco Rossi. After the Wild put Eriksson Ek on IR, Rossi has gotten a chance to prove again that he’s not a bust. On December 6, during their first game in a California doubleheader, Rossi got to try out playing between Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.
He made the most of his opportunity. Rossi came home with two goals and three points, two of which came at even strength. Put anyone between players like Kaprizov and Boldy, and they will thrive. Still, Ek had just suffered a lower-body injury, and Rossi was still putting up points.
Rossi has scored six points in his last five games, and only two were on the powerplay. Furthermore, his numbers have been good all season. Rossi has scored nine goals and 23 points in 25 games. He is on pace to finish the season with 78 points. I doubt he will get to those numbers, but his best chance would be between Kaprizov and Boldy or Zuccarello.
But what about when Eriksson Ek returns? Should he rejoin the first line and bump Rossi down the lineup? In my opinion, no. Despite the issues that Ek has been experiencing with injuries, the center has been underperforming in areas where he previously thrived.
For example, Eriksson Ek is typically productive on the powerplay. In the last three seasons, Ek has found the back of the net 12 times with the man advantage, averaging 20 powerplay points alongside his goals. Conversely, Eriksson Ek has one powerplay goal and only two powerplay points this season. Considering the Wild are ranked 19th in PP% at 19.4%, we could use the old Ek.
Ek hasn’t looked much better at five-on-five, having only scored five goals and 13 points this season. Even with Rossi and Ek in the lineup, Rossi has been the most impressive player. Rossi seems like the more skilled forward, so he fits well between Boldy and Kaprizov. While Ek has succeeded on the first line, his best seasons have come with the team's more checking-focused lines.
Eriksson Ek plays physical hockey and looks for his scoring down and around the net. Given his size, you’d think he’d find scoring opportunities from the talented forwards throwing the puck on the net. Still, with Kaprizov’s elevated gameplay, the first line has been playing east-west, not north-south. For Eriksson Ek to continue his career success, he must be on a line that focuses on getting the puck to the net and staying there. He hasn’t found that this year.
On the other hand, Rossi has kept up with Kaprizov and Boldy and scored alongside them. Rossi’s contract is a fifth of the size of Ek’s. However, I expect that to change at the end of the year if the Wild stick with Rossi. Still, some people think that the Wild will trade Rossi, and how Minnesota has treated the young center supports this theory.
Although he has built on his 40-point season from last year, Rossi must continue to prove himself over the already established center core. Eriksson Ek is a talented player who likely isn’t playing to his standard this season. Therefore, Rossi likely has limited time to make his case as the best center in Minnesota.
The Wild have been looking for a No. 1 center to fit on their highly talented first line, and fans have been begging for real center depth for years. Minnesota has found that depth. Let's hope Hynes makes the right decision and keeps betting on No. 23 because he has solidified the Wild up the middle this season and can for years to come.
If they begin to trust the young center, they can lock him in for a long time after this season. With Rossi’s slowly developing career, his contract could likely be team-friendly.
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