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  • Wild Want Massive Haul in Trade for Marco Rossi


    Image courtesy of © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    The Minnesota Wild are not going to be selling Marco Rossi for pennies on the dollar, like we thought they were going to. A few weeks back, when the rumored desire to get one of Tyson Foerster or a late first-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers for the 23-year-old center, we all panicked. There was no way that they could just send off someone who just scored 60 points for a package of potential that might not even gel with the Wild.

    Well, thankfully, that wasn't true.

    The most recent report, though, does tell us that the Wild are doing the opposite and are trying to get the most from interested teams in exchange for Rossi. According to The Province, the Wild have rejected an offer of the 15th overall pick this Friday and a player on the Canucks roster. Of course, that player could be a mystery but as we all know now, they quickly said to no to that.

    It does certainly feel that the Wild are taking advantage of a weak center market. With Brock Nelson gone, Sam Bennett re-signing in Florida, Matt Duchene staying in Dallas, Trevor Zegras traded to Philadelphia, and now an elderly John Tavares left alone as the prize pony down the middle, the Wild can demand a whole lot. 

    Arguably, Marco Rossi is the best center available in the entire NHL. He has potential and plays a hard game despite his height, and would seamlessly fit into any team's top six (or at least, middle six). Maybe that's why the Wild should keep him. But, if they are hard-pressed on trading him and will do it sometime soon, they should get more than they originally bargained for. 

    • Greg Cronin was officially announced as the next head coach for AHL Iowa Wild. Can he be the one to fix the Wild's pipeline issues? [Hockey Wilderness]

    Off the trail...

    • Zegras was finally traded, and it was to the Flyers. They got their "high-end talent" that they have been searching for and will try to have him as a top-six center. [NBC Sports]
    • The NHL has a show featuring the stories of the top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft. [NHL.com]
    • One of the final Draft Rankings for this year. [ESPN]

    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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    2 hours ago, SkolWild73 said:

    I read yesterday that Toronto offered Tavares a contract of three years at less than $4M a year.  I know guys like Duchene,  Tavares and Donato are all older than Rossi, but with the contracts they are getting, it would seem to me that Rossi might have to settle for less than he is hoping for.  

    Tavares is from Toronto (Mississauga), Douchene is on an immediate cup contender (Dallas), and not sure if Donato would have been open to a reunion. Safe to assume they’d all have to be given a LOT more to come here.

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    1 minute ago, FredJohnson said:

    Tavares is from Toronto (Mississauga), Douchene is on an immediate cup contender (Dallas), and not sure if Donato would have been open to a reunion. Safe to assume they’d all have to be given a LOT more to come here.

    I get all that, but of all the contracts going out, there is not a bunch of money flying around.  I just don't see Rossi and his camp having many other centers to point at and say we need to get at least this.  Especially if Bennett signs in Florida for $7.5M.  Not saying I do not think he is worth more, just what it looks like he is going to have to settle for, if he is not traded, which is looking less likely by the week.

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    1 minute ago, mnfaninnc said:

    So, which one are you looking at?

    I’m not looking at any other teams/GMs. Even if I were to, there’s no real chance I’d figure out who might roll the dice on Marco. GMs are pretty secretive.

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    7 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    But lose for nothing after next season? (Not sure how much control we have.)

    Pretty sure he would still be a RFA up until he is 27, so if he were to sign a one-year deal, would have to go through the same thing next year.

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    2 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

    I get all that, but of all the contracts going out, there is not a bunch of money flying around.  I just don't see Rossi and his camp having many other centers to point at and say we need to get at least this.  Especially if Bennett signs in Florida for $7.5M.  Not saying I do not think he is worth more, just what it looks like he is going to have to settle for, if he is not traded, which is looking less likely by the week.

    If a team is desperate enough to acquire the best “available” center, how much will another GM offer BG in a trade or how big is their offer sheet? I don’t know…we don’t know. All because Hynes/Billy f-ed this all up.

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    2 hours ago, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

    What sort of donkey thinks pigeonholing his 2nd most productive player this year on the 4th line isn't going to have consequences? In a contact year?

    I don't blame Rossi for wanting to go elsewhere now. Between a lowball offer for a 5X5M, which is no where near market value, and getting placed below Gaudreau on the depth chart for post season after putting up 60 pts in the reg.

    Why is 5 x $5m so far off of market value? It's the same contract Lundell got with more of a sample size. I think we can all agree that the last quarter of the season, for one reason or another, Rossi was not putting up points as usual. He had a very good 3/4 of a season, but we needed consistency and he didn't give it to us. 

    Rossi is simply not a 7 x $7m player right now. Can he get there? Yes he can. But for this season he is more in the $4.5m area. For all the whining about being on the depth chart below Freddy G, Freddy G had put up points and played well in the last 1/4 of the season. Rossi also looked slower than normal. 

    That Rossi was in a contract year is completely irrelevant. It's not really a contract year when you're an RFA anyway. There are examples of plenty of guys who got big contracts when they were young and they quit putting in the hard work, and Rossi has some hard work to put in ahead of him. If you have $49m coming your way, why put in all the summer work? I don't find $5m insulting at all, it's a large raise from his previous salary. 

    Don't get me wrong, I like Rossi as a player and think he's got a lot more to give. But if you're sitting in Guerin's seat where a player has very little leverage and he drove off a cliff the last 1/4 of the season, you've got some questions. In Rossi's corner, he did gut out the shot to the knee and played in all the games. Being injured was probably a reason he looked slower than normal, but he did give it his all. 

    And, to Rossi's credit, he scored twice on the 4th line to give some secondary scoring support. I agree with you that that line should have gotten more ice time. That it was better than line 2 which was a disaster (I think it was Freddy, Johansson and Nyquist). 

    I'd really like to have seen what Rossi could have done with Kreider and Tuch on his wings. My bet is that line would have really clicked, yet Guerin was not in on Kreider for reasons unknown. 

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    16 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    If a team is desperate enough to acquire the best “available” center, how much will another GM offer BG in a trade or how big is their offer sheet? I don’t know…we don’t know. All because Hynes/Billy f-ed this all up.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $6m, we match.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $7m, we match.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $7.5m, it depends on the team.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $8.5+m, I think we take the compensation.

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    5 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $6m, we match.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $7m, we match.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $7.5m, it depends on the team.

    Let's say a team offers 5 x $8.5+m, I think we take the compensation.

    Fair plan. 👍

    Would the matches (5x6 and 5x7) be a loss/fail?

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    It's only a "fuck up" if Guerin gets futures or 3rd/4th liners for Rossi.  He has said he wants a 2nd line guy in trade, or even a legit 1st liner.

    I think both sides are culpable to the situation, because Rossi is what he is "now." A good 2nd line player who is an opportunistic complement when better players are around him.  That has value, but Guerin said that other than Kap, you can only value someone so much.

    If Rossi (or more likely) the agent want to push the, "we won't make godly sums on our next deal" that isn't Guerin's problem.  He has comps and that is good, but Buffalo sold away Cozens.  Guerin is right if he wants to avoid that...to a point.

    Rossi SHOULD be on the Wild because we know jack shit about what Yurov will bring.  But Guerin is doing due diligence because Rossi isn't another Kap level player.

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    52 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    But lose for nothing after next season? (Not sure how much control we have.)

    This would be a trade at TDL scenario.  I don’t think bill has any long term plans for little Marco

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    I doubt he gets an offer sheet above the $7.02M, as that would cost a first, second, and third round pick, but for a first and third round pick, I would!

    MTL, WPG, BOS, BUF, CGY, DET, PIT, PHI, UTA all have the picks and need center depth, of course the high end draft of 2026 would definitely influence the lousier teams not to do an offer sheet but teams trying for playoffs, why not!

    The way the contract is structured with base salary vs signing bonuses can definitely hinder some teams/owners (eg BUF & JJP).  It would be a win for the Jets to screw us over in return for a later round pick

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    7 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

    Billy is looking big, like pushing 300. Rossi better watch out or he'll eat him.

    There are credible rumors (mnfan can corroborate) that the reason the kids aren’t bulking in Iowa is because bill is having the IA Wild food shipped up to his office in St. Paul

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    4 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

    Hearing (on Russo’s podcast) that Rossi wants out. How likely will he get a chance to play top-6 minutes after getting put on the 4th in the playoffs? (Worst case scenario) In 3 years after playing on the 4th line, how much can he make in free agency? Maybe a 1 year contract?

    Russo straight up lies for attention.  He is not to be trusted.

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    35 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    Rossi is simply not a 7 x $7m player right now. Can he get there? Yes he can. But for this season he is more in the $4.5m area.

    I have to admit, I was in your boat.  Rossi for $5M seemed like where it should be.  But when I looked at players that signed in that range in past years they signed on potential of youth and lower numbers than what Rossi was already producing.  If you base him off the entire season, along with his potential because of youth ... his value is pretty close to that $7M range.   (That is the Numbers game)

    There is another side to it.  A product is only worth what another person is willing to spend for it.  Which is similar to the approach you took.  I've never drilled down on this approach.  Maybe BG has.  If he has and he only sees 1 or 2 teams as viable he could risk the confrontation and force a lower salary allowing him to spend more on other players.  It's a bit shrewd but sometimes you have to do that.  I think Rossi is worth somewhere between 6.5M to $7M... but that doesn't mean he gets it in this market   It would be great to get him for $5M or less.  That is another $2M that can help the roster somewhere else.

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    3 hours ago, SkolWild73 said:

    I agree that Rossi has more upside and is worth more, but unless other teams wow us with some offer, I don't see him getting the money he is asking for.  He has no leverage at all.  If the rumors are true that Bennett is close to resigning with the Panthers at $7.5-$8M, that isn't going to help Rossi and his agent in getting what they want either.  

    Bennet is only worth that on the Panthers.  

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    3 minutes ago, SkolWild73 said:

    So worth more or less somewhere else?

    Less.  He is a perfect compliment to their star players.  If he leaves expect a significant drop in productivity.

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    19 minutes ago, Patrick said:

    Less.  He is a perfect compliment to their star players.  If he leaves expect a significant drop in productivity.

    If he is worth less somewhere else, that definitely would not help Rossi and his agent in terms of what Rossi is worth

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    So now Billy wants a gold mine for his personal lump of coal. Call him soft publicly dump him on the fourth line in playoffs and lose.  That Billy he sure knows his way around a 3D negotiations 101 chess board! The Rossi/Wild relationship is broke and Rossi wants his ring back. Other GM's must get off the phone with Billy and just go wtf?? 🤣

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