NHL Rumors: Analyst floats short-term deal for Marco Rossi as Wild prioritize contract for $45M 'MVP' candidate

The Minnesota Wild will be looking to lock up RFA Marco Rossi ahead of training camp this fall. But hovering above Rossi’s extension is MVP candidate Kirill Kaprizov’s contract extension.

In an Aug. 4 article published on Sportsnet, NHL analyst Luke Fox delved into Rossi’s situation with the Minnesota Wild. Fox highlighted just how important it is for the Wild to re-sign Rossi this offseason.

Moreover, Rossi has indicated he’s fully committed to staying in Minnesota. But as Fox pointed out, the best course of action might be a short-term solution. He stated:

“The best route is likely a short-term, kick-the-issue-down-the-road solution. Think something along the lines of Cole Perfetti’s two-year, $6.5-million extension in Winnipeg.”

The Jets averted a major disaster by re-upping Perfetti to a bridge deal while the other contract situations play themselves out in Winnipeg.

That course of action would seem to be the best one in Minnesota. The Wild would lock up Rossi while providing themselves with some flexibility moving forward. That plan would also enable the Wild to focus on inking Kaprizov to a new deal. Kaprizov has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1, as he's entering the final year of his current five-year, $45 million contract.

As Fox noted:

“While Rossi’s raise is a priority, Guerin’s cap planning must begin with locking in team MVP, Kirill Kaprizov, to an eight-figure deal. Kaprizov has been eligible to re-sign since July 1, and locking in his number will help inform how Minnesota allots the rest of its dollars.”

It seems that once Kaprizov’s extension is done, the club will be able to move on to every other bit of pending business.

Marco Rossi, Minnesota Wild haven’t talked since mid-June

Rossi has been working out hard this summer in preparation for next season - Source: Imagn

According to a July 28 piece in The Athletic, the chatter surrounding Marco Rossi and the Wild has been their lack of communication. The piece highlighted how the two sides have apparently not spoken since mid-June. That’s a concerning situation as training camp is roughly six weeks away.

While Marco Rossi is still a prime offer sheet candidate, there doesn’t seem to be any indication of one forthcoming. Regardless of the situation, reports indicate that Marco Rossi has been working out hard this summer, prepping for the upcoming season.

Such reports indicate that Marco Rossi is eager to play next season. So, as The Athletic notes, the Wild could use Rossi’s eagerness against him. If Rossi is truly gung-ho about playing next season, he’ll likely sign sooner rather than later.

It remains to be seen what Rossi’s next contract looks like. But it would appear that a short-term bridge deal could be the best option for all sides at this point.