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  • Offer Sheeting Marco Rossi Would Be A Win-Win For Minnesota's Central Division Rivals


    Image courtesy of Rob Gray - Imagn Images
    Tony Abbott

    The opening of free agency on Tuesday will represent a Moment of Truth for the Minnesota Wild and Marco Rossi.

    The two entities are in a staring contest over the 60-point center's second contract. The Wild have previously given Rossi an offer of five years at a $5 million AAV, or a bridge deal for fewer dollars, comparable to deals Anton Lundell and Quinton Byfield signed last season. Rossi is no doubt seeking money comparable to RFA signings this offseason, like Matthew Coronato (six years, $6.5M AAV) or Matthew Knies (seven years, $7.75M AAV). 

    Where does his true market lie? We might find out soon. Perhaps as soon as today.

    July 1 isn't just the start of unrestricted free agency; it's the start of restricted free agency, as well. Starting today, teams will be able to try to woo young players from other teams and entice them to sign new, shiny deals. With a diluted UFA market -- the top centers, for example, are Mikael Granlund and Pius Suter -- and so many teams looking to improve, this might be the only route for many teams to try getting actual upgrades.

    Many times, teams don't bother with offer sheets unless it's for a player with a team that's in a bind with the salary cap. Most teams will automatically match an offer sheet, meaning that you just negotiated a contract for another team. Still, if Minnesota hasn't blinked thus far, another team could easily call their bluff.

    That is, if they have the draft capital to do it. To sign Rossi in the $6.5 to $7 million range -- which goes far past the line Minnesota's drawn in the sand thus far -- a team would have to compensate the Wild with their own first and third-round picks in 2026. Not every team has that to offer. For example, the Vancouver Canucks, who have shown interest in Rossi. However, other teams linked to Rossi, such as the Buffalo Sabres or Calgary Flames, have the ammunition to call Guerin's bluff.

    But hey, maybe the Sabres or Flames don't think Rossi's worth the asking price, either. That'd give them some downside to offering Rossi a contract in the range he wants. However, there are five teams for whom signing Rossi to a contract would offer absolutely zero downside.

    The bad news for Minnesota?

    They're all in the Central Division.

    As of 6:00 pm on June 30, the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Utah Mammoth, and Winnipeg Jets all have their first and third-round picks in 2026. The Blues ($1.6M under the cap) would have to clear space later this summer to sign the center, but the Predators ($12.1M), Mammoth ($18.4M), Blackhawks ($22.5M), and Jets ($23.5M) all have money to throw around Tuesday.

    Worse yet, money to throw around, but nowhere to spend it. Teams like the Mammoth were hoping to make a pitch for superstar forward Mitch Marner. That's off the table; he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. The best remaining free agent forwards are Nikolaj Ehlers and Brock Boeser.

    After that? Well, hope you're a fan of 36-year-old Patrick Kane.

    If any of these teams are going to try making a splash this week, why pay a premium for, say, Granlund when you can try scooping up Rossi at a comparable price? Just looking at the Central Division, all five of these teams could easily have a motivation to try to snipe a 23-year-old center.

    Chicago: Rossi immediately provides more splash to a strong youth movement, while giving them a stable, two-way center on a team that is already considering moving Connor Bedard and/or Frank Nazar to the wing. 

    Nashville: Rossi would provide Nashville with either a third center to pair with Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos, or the flexibility to move Stamkos to the wing to try squeezing more offense from their splash signing from last summer. O'Reilly (34) is UFA in two years, while Stamkos (35) is UFA in three.

    St. Louis: Rossi would give the Blues the flexibility to offload the final three seasons of 33-year-old Brayden Schenn's contract, with the possibility to get a massive haul the other way for their captain. After years of drafting big at forward (Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorský, Zach Bolduc), St. Louis may have the size to insulate Rossi in a way the Wild don't feel they can.

    Utah: $7 million can buy you a strong 1-2-3 punch at center. Barrett Hayton might be outmatched as a second-line option, with Rossi pushing him down. However, as a 3C? Hayton would be in his ideal spot, with Rossi rounding out the Mammoth's top-six behind Logan Cooley. Plus, you know coach André Touringy is going to approve. 

    Winnipeg: The Jets have a miserable time of free agency, being unable to attract any free agent who isn't 1) 37 years old, 2) coming back from two seasons of not playing, and 3) a hometown hero. If you're Kevin Cheveldayoff, this is essentially the only opportunity in your life where you can present a five-year, $35 million offer for a top-six center and make it a compelling pitch.

    That's just the motivation to do an offer sheet if the Wild don't match. There is almost zero downside for any of these teams to sign Rossi to a contract and have the Wild match. Even if you think Rossi is great value at $7 million, forcing Guerin to match would disrupt a rival's salary structure and require him to spend significantly more money than he wants.

    A more expensive Rossi theoretically means that the Wild will have a more difficult time trading him for the haul they're seeking for him. 

    It's a no-lose situation for four of these Central Division rivals, and maybe even five. Either they get a young player of a caliber they wouldn't be able to get in free agency, or they sabotage the Wild and make it much harder for them to execute Guerin's five-year plan. There are teams outside the Central who could undoubtedly benefit from offer sheeting Rossi, but for the ones within the division, it's a move that would be particularly devious and brilliant.

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

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    Merry Christmas! Very insightful piece, Tony. Billy is going to have to swallow hard on the Rossi situation or it very well could come back to bite him in the butt even worse than it already has. Facing any of the other Central teams with Rossi wearing one of their sweaters would really be rubbing salt into the wound.

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    I know it's only July 1st and the first day of free agency.  But after three years of mediocre hockey during the buyout years with promises of greatness when the cap hit came off, I am underwhelmed thus far.  Taking on the guy from Detroit and his 4.75 salary cap hit after he scored a whopping 11 goals in 80 games doesn't give cause for excitement from the fan base.  After all this waiting we hear Guerin whining about how few options they have WHAT???  We should be used to the bs by now.  They are going to have to do a lot more to convince me they are serious.  Oh yes they will tout the upcoming signing of Kaprisov.  But he was already here.

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    11 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Stank signs for 8x6.  I’ve gotta believe that sets the ceiling for Rossi.  I think teams would rather have stank than Rossi given choice.  Even though he’s a wing. 

    I was thinking the opposite and that it set the floor.  Stankoven is one inch shorter and almost twenty pounds lighter than Rossi and has played one less season.  He scored 38 points this year with is similar to what Rossi did in his first year, but doesn’t have the second season at 60 yet.

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    23 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

    I was thinking the opposite and that it set the floor.  Stankoven is one inch shorter and almost twenty pounds lighter than Rossi and has played one less season.  He scored 38 points this year with is similar to what Rossi did in his first year, but doesn’t have the second season at 60 yet.

    I'll take that bet.  I do understand Rossi is open to the market for all teams to bid, while Stank's was a one team negotiation, but I'll still take the bet.

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    2 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    I'll take that bet.  I do understand Rossi is open to the market for all teams to bid, while Stank's was a one team negotiation, but I'll still take the bet.

    Rossi might end up as a one team negotiation too with no real option to get more than what he is offered by us.  I guess what I meant by floor is not what he may end up getting, but what his team will use in trying to negotiate his contract.  If I am his agent, I am saying this guy got this and hasn’t done as much as my guy.

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    2 hours ago, greg said:

    After all this waiting we hear Guerin whining about how few options they have WHAT???

    What's funny or ironic about this is that several other teams made significant moves, no problem. Billy finally had the cap space and some assets to do something big and sat on his hands. Instead he opted for his usual MO, getting over the hill throw aways.

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    3 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

    What's funny or ironic about this is that several other teams made significant moves, no problem. Billy finally had the cap space and some assets to do something big and sat on his hands. Instead he opted for his usual MO, getting over the hill throw aways.

    What teams made significant moves besides signing their own players?  

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    6 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

    What teams made significant moves besides signing their own players?  

    These are the just the bigger names that Wild could have benefitted from.

    Marner

    Peterka

    Dobson

    Kane

    Coyle

    Zegras

    Marchment

    Kreider

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    11 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

    These are the just the bigger names that Wild could have benefitted from.

    Marner

    Peterka

    Dobson

    Kane

    Coyle

    Zegras

    Marchment

    Kreider

    Did you just list all the players that were traded?  Marner was not coming here.  Vegas through in Roy so they wouldn't get hit with tampering charges.  We made an offer for Paterka.  Dobson?  Did we really need to add another defenseman, let alone at $9.5M.  Evander Kane?  Huge risk with his injury history.  Everyone else you mention I would not count as a significant move.

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    15 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

    Did you just list all the players that were traded?  Marner was not coming here.  Vegas through in Roy so they wouldn't get hit with tampering charges.  We made an offer for Paterka.  Dobson?  Did we really need to add another defenseman, let alone at $9.5M.  Evander Kane?  Huge risk with his injury history.  Everyone else you mention I would not count as a significant move.

    Are you just arguing to argue? You asked what big names have been traded, there is a list. There have been moves, some big moves, but the Wild have made zero. Except use up more cap space for another has been.

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    12 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

    Are you just arguing to argue? You asked what big names have been traded, there is a list. There have been moves, some big moves, but the Wild have made zero. Except use up more cap space for another has been.

    I asked what teams made significant moves.  Marner would have went to Vegas regardless whether he was traded or not. We offered for Paterka supposedly and Dobson was never a player we would have wanted.  Those are really the only 3 big names that have been moved.  My point to your original post was there really wasn’t anyone significant that we could have gotten.

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    1 minute ago, SkolWild73 said:

    I asked what teams made significant moves.  Marner would have went to Vegas regardless whether he was traded or not. We offered for Paterka supposedly and Dobson was never a player we would have wanted.  Those are really the only 3 big names that have been moved.  My point to your original post was there really wasn’t anyone significant that we could have gotten.

    You can't do anything if you never try. Skilled/intelligent GM's get it done.

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    Could the problem be Guerin's mindset? His two priorities in the offseason were signing Kaprizov and dumping Rossi. Signing Kaprizov is almost a given. But dumping Rossi has been a challenge; a challenge that Billy created by himself.

    GMBG has shown his hand to other GM's regarding Rossi for a couple years. Why would you make a nice offer for something you know the other guy doesn't value and wants to get rid of?

    Hypothetically, if Guerin would have signed Rossi to an extension last season, he could have used him more effectively as a trade piece now. Hindsight is 20/20, but showing disdain publicly for the last couple seasons got Guerin in his current predicament. Bill Guerin is his own worst enemy and the Wild organization and fans as well.

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    1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

    Wouldn't that be something...Lol...

    in all likelihood - DET is not in the PO next year and likely be towards the bottom of the standing.... it would be kinda awesome for us to luck in to their top 5 pick.

    so i'd be fine if they went after Rossi. 

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    3 hours ago, Scalptrash said:

    Are you just arguing to argue? You asked what big names have been traded, there is a list. There have been moves, some big moves, but the Wild have made zero. Except use up more cap space for another has been.

    The one on my list was Kreider, I think he could have helped us, and it doesn't look like NYR was looking for much return. If we had done that and put Tarasenko on board, I'd be happy. 

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