By Robert Brent -
The result of the Marco Rossi saga will be one of the defining storylines of this Minnesota Wild offseason. Teams are beginning to circle on the talented young center, making him one of this offseason's most coveted trade pieces. The Vancouver Canucks look like a suitor for Rossi is the Vancouver Canucks.
"I definitely hear from really good sources that Vancouver really likes Marco,” Michael Russo reported on Thursday, “and is very interested in Marco."
Vancouver's interest in Rossi makes a lot of sense, given that they've been looking for top-six help at center since last year's trade deadline. So, what would a Rossi trade look like?
The Athletic's Canucks writers, Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance, recently put together a list of assets Vancouver might be willing to part with this offseason.
Let's examine that list and what the Wild are looking for this offseason to connect some dots to establish the infrastructure of a potential trade.
Vancouver probably isn’t parting with Pettersson
Elias Pettersson is the first name that many will think of on the Canucks. Even with his worst professional season in the rearview mirror, there's a lot to like about Pettersson and his fit on the Wild. While the four-time all-star is Vancouver’s most enticing trade piece, it seems unlikely he'd be available in a Rossi deal.
According to Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance's article, "holding onto Pettersson feels like the most likely course of action."
After trading J.T. Miller, the team is weak at the center position. Vancouver’s lack of depth in the middle of the ice is why the team is interested in Rossi in the first place. A trade involving the two main pieces, Pettersson and Rossi, would be a lateral move for the Canucks at best.
The Wild would likely have to include significant assets in a trade for the Canucks to accept it. Without much draft capital or depth at the center position, it's challenging to imagine Minnesota overcoming that gap.
Should the Wild trade for draft capital?
A Pettersson deal is challenging to broker, but the Canucks have other assets that would interest the Wild. First, let's define the type of assets Minnesota is seeking.
Bill Guerin has made it clear what his focus will be this offseason. He spoke to the Wild on 7th Podcast about where they'll spend their resources.
"We're going to focus mainly on forwards," Guerin said. "I believe our D is set. We've got a good mix of veterans and youth. So, mainly for me, I'm focused on forwards. Yeah, faceoffs – we need somebody to help with that."
Minnesota could also use some draft capital, given that they have only one pick in the first three rounds this year and no second-round pick in the next two years.
When examining those parameters, the Canucks have a few interesting available players.
If Pettersson isn't an option, Vancouver's 2025 first-round draft pick would most likely be coming back to Minnesota as the centerpiece of the deal. The Canucks will pick 15th overall at this year's draft and appear willing to move that pick, with Dayal and Drance stating that "It'd be pretty surprising if the Canucks held on to this year's No. 15 pick."
Does the 15th pick help the Wild?
At first glance, attaining a draft pick is not a massive priority for the Wild. They need to improve their roster now. Still, the 15th overall pick has some utility for Minnesota. The team is relatively good at drafting. In The Athletic's 2024 front office confidence survey, the Wild ranked 6th among the public's confidence in a team's drafting and developing ability. Having another prospect to develop or trade would be an asset to the team.
Even if the team acquires Vancouver’s first-round pick, that doesn't mean they must use it. The Wild could flip that pick for a player they want to contribute to their team. This capital might be especially valuable because the free agent market for centers is thin.
What else would Vancouver throw in to complete the trade?
Rossi is worth more than a first-round pick. The Canucks possess some roster players who could appeal to Minnesota as potential add-ons. According to Dayal and Drance, the players the Canucks would be willing to part with are Nils Höglander and Teddy Blueger.
Höglander has a much higher ceiling and excellent possession metrics, with a positive Corsi-for percentage in every professional season he has played. Even though he's probably a better player, Höglander is undersized at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds. It's unlikely the Wild would acquire another small forward when that seems to be the main issue with Rossi.
Höglander's size means Teddy Bleuger is a better fit. Bleuger is a center who would immediately become one of the Wild's best faceoff men. He's had a better than 50% success rate in the faceoff dot for five consecutive seasons.
Bleuger can contribute offensively with 28 points last season, but is valuable primarily for his defensive attributes and experience. Blueger has playoff pedigree, having won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bill Guerin should also be familiar with him because they were together in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with the Penguins organization.
Connecting the dots of what Minnesota wants and what Vancouver has to offer leads to a trade proposal that could fill both teams’ needs.
Final trade proposal
Vancouver receives: Marco Rossi.
Minnesota receives: 2025 first-round pick (15th overall), Teddy Blueger, 2026 second-round pick.
If you think that doesn't sound like enough for Rossi, you're right.
A young 60-point center that's only getting better should fetch much more. But the Wild don't have much leverage. The team devalued Rossi as an asset when they played him on the fourth line in the playoffs. They also remain at an impasse in their contract negotiations. As things stand, the Wild will not receive fair market value for Rossi.
While this trade with the Canucks doesn't provide equal value, it replenishes the Wild's draft cupboard, allowing them to either make another move or acquire additional assets. Blueger also provides the experience that Guerin mentioned he was looking for, and would provide a solid option in the faceoff dot.
Minnesota would likely be better off reaching a deal with Rossi and keeping him on the team. However, if they move him, a trade like this could benefit Minnesota and Vancouver.
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