Minnesota Wild Say They are No Longer Interested in Trading Blossoming Young Center

Still looking to escape an ugly cap situation, there was little reason to believe the Minnesota Wild would be good this season. Then, Kirill Kaprizov decided to be the best player in the whole sport. John Hynes has gotten some surprise performances from his team, and his young center ,Marco Rossi, is cementing a spot as a mainstay on the roster.

Marco Rossi is staying put with the Minnesota Wild

At multiple points throughout his career it has seemed like Marco Rossi was not going to be long for the Minnesota Wild roster. The former ninth overall pick hadn’t really established himself as a can’t-miss talent. At this point though, he’s off limits.

“No, I’m not looking to trade him. I’m very happy with Marco – oh my god, yeah. Just his pace of play, his engagement every night, he has been one of our best players. I think the biggest thing, too, and I know this is the hardest thing for young players, is his consistency. We were commenting last game, he’s one of our better net-front presence guys. And he’s not the biggest guy, but he stands in there and that’s why he’s getting rewarded. All his goals are from 10 feet and less. He’s doing all the right stuff.”

Bill Guerin on Marco Rossi (The Athletic)

Michael Russo of The Athletic has been closely following Marco Rossi’s progress throughout the season. After tallying 21 goals and 40 points last year, the young center has already notched 12 goals and 28 points in just 35 games this season. Letting go of such a dynamic playmaker, who is evidently instrumental in supporting stars like Kirill Kaprizov, would be a hard decision to justify.

Force. Awakened. Thank you Marco. pic.twitter.com/r4X2MuEgyg

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 19, 2024

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Rossi still has to prove he can keep up this level of play, of course. He stayed in Minnesota over the offseason and has been incredibly dedicated to the franchise. That has been noticed by those throughout the organization, and it has translated to success on the ice as well.

Decisions loom for Wild with Rossi’s future

It was Brock Faber that grabbed all of the accolades last season. Which probably overshadowed plenty of what Rossi was doing on his own. The Austrian has never been more committed to his craft and he has avoided looking like a one year wonder because of that.

Minnesota must decide what to do with Rossi as he is a restricted free agent this offseason. An extension may not come in season, but for now his coach is pleased with the changes he is seeing.

“You want to be able to help guide the player into, ‘This is the foundation. These are the expectations that we need to see and the level you need to get to.’ He takes the information, he understands it, and then he takes it upon himself to continue to make those changes and make it consistent.”

John Hynes on Marco Rossi (The Athletic)

MARCO ROSSI! THE WILD TIE IT UP AT 4!#mnwild pic.twitter.com/i2KduX3Yp5

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 11, 2024

We haven’t yet reached the halfway point of the season, but Minnesota has been flying high. While the injuries add up, they’ll continue to need their top talents to show up on a nightly basis.

Related: Kirill Kaprizov Hart Trophy Odds: Can Minnesota Wild Superstar Win NHL MVP?

Rossi can set himself up for a nice extension this offseason, but is focused on the task at hand for now. That’s for the best because Minnesota needs this version to continue showing up.