NHL Trade Rumors: RFA Marco Rossi Becoming Target for Metropolitan Team

NHL Rumors: With RFA Marco Rossi becoming a trade candidate, one report has the Pittsburgh Penguins being an ideal fit.

Marco Rossi's future with the Minnesota Wild has come into question. The pending restricted free agent, as the team's second-leading scorer this season, was relegated to the 4th line for the entirety of their first-round series loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. With the two sides not seeing eye-to-eye, either around off-ice (contract) or on-ice issues, a Rossi trade is becoming a possibility.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now suggests that trading for Rossi would "fit the Penguins very well."

We are well aware of GM Kyle Dubas's desire for the team to get younger, and his wishes over the last year to bring in prospects and NHL-ready players on the rise.

"If there are players that come available that are young, that are going to be in their key performing prime years when the team is back in contention," said Dubas at his end of year media conference, he will "continue to acquire those assets."

Certainly, Rossi, just 23, and coming off 20+ goal seasons in each of his first two full years with the Wild, fits that mold.

Why Marco Rossi is an ideal trade target for the Penguins

"He’s got a high hockey IQ, on which Dubas seems to place importance," writes Kingerski, "a good first step, and he knows how to play down low–the Penguins’ style of offense".

In addition, he points to the fact that Evgeni Malkin's career is potentially winding down after this season, and the team will "have a Russia-sized hole in the middle of their lineup" in the top six.

Rossi is a restricted free agent, so why not just swoop in with an offer sheet? Dubas seemed to downplay that idea in general after the season, stating that "teams will be better prepared to guard against (offer sheets) this year because of the (salary) cap going up." With teams better able to match offer sheets, Dubas is prepared to go the trade route to bring in an RFA.

We'll see if Dubas dials up Wild GM Bill Guerin as their offseasons progress.