The Minnesota Wild are heading into the offseason with a valuable trade asset in 23-year-old forward Marco Rossi, whose name is already circulating in trade rumors. Indications suggest the Wild are ready to part ways with him, but a significant hurdle looms. According to Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco, Rossi’s contract expectations could deter potential trade partners.
Di Marco reports that Rossi’s camp is seeking a deal comparable to Matt Boldy’s seven-year, $49 million contract. This price tag appears too steep for Wild GM Bill Guerin, who has reportedly started fielding calls on Rossi. If Guerin finds the cost prohibitive, other GMs are likely to share that sentiment.
The Philadelphia Flyers, for instance, have been in discussions with the Wild about Rossi for some time, per Di Marco, but they’ve consistently looked elsewhere due to his contract demands. A team source revealed that last season, the Wild sought a later-round draft pick in brief talks, but the Flyers showed no interest then and remain uninterested now, particularly due to the seven-year, $7 million per year demand from Rossi’s camp, which has kept them from re-engaging.
Some teams might see value in a 23-year-old with significant upside at that price, especially with the salary cap projected to rise sharply over the next three years, potentially making $7 million for a 20+ goal scorer standard. However, for the Flyers, Rossi’s cost outweighs his potential. As a developing 5’9” center, Rossi has room to grow but no guarantee of reaching his ceiling.
Interest in Rossi will likely persist, but the question remains: which team will be willing to meet his high contract demands?
SOURCE: SI.COM
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