Rossi May Not Be Safe From A Trade Despite Multi-Year Contract Extension

While some teams are still struggling to sign their RFAs like the New Jersey Devils, Anaheim Ducks, and Nashville Predators, the Minnesota Wild were able to lock down Marco Rossi to a three-year, $5 million AAV deal where he will still be a RFA at the end of it. But it seems just because the Wild were able to bring Rossi back and not make a trade, that may not be off the table.

There were plenty of rumors going around that Rossi was nearly as good as gone since contract talks were not close for a while. Frank Seravalli said that, "the Wild were able to make something work with Marco Rossi, but if the right situation popped up...he'd be a guy that I don't think they would hesitate to move."

There are problems with moving Rossi though, especially as he's under contract on a great deal for a young player that has improved each season and finished 2024-25 with 24 goals and 60 points. Even just based off of that and his average time on ice per game of 18:15 and his excellent underlying numbers, the Wild greatly underpaid him.

The Wild don't have great center depth as it stands already. Down the middle they should have Rossi, Joel Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, and Nico Sturm. At times, Hartman has been used on the wing too. As for the center prospects, that is not where the Wild are going to find help anytime soon to be able to replace what Rossi gives them.

Rossi will fetch a large price, but if Minnesota plans to keep Kirill Kaprizov, then they will go nowhere with a lack of center depth of quality centers. Options around the league are already scarce and the Wild aren't just going to be gifted a younger and more talented NHL-ready player when trading away Rossi. I think it's a bad move, but the feeling from Minnesota about Rossi is a bit different and it's hard to see him stay long-term if something better pops up in the next three years.