Player Discussion Marco Rossi

[Minnewildsota]

any of you rossi h8trs back on the bandwagon yet? if he keeps up this pace we are gonna have to pay him big bucks. see alexis lafreniere new contract talks OUCH!

Who exactly are the haters? I don't recall anyone hating on him.

 

[JiricekSaveUs]

I would be shocked if he puts up 82 points. 60 seems more realistic given his role. I still don’t think he’s anywhere near his ceiling. Similar to Zuccarello, I think as he get stronger and faster with age and increases his confidence he’ll be one of those smaller players that really hits his stride at 26 or 27. Right now I think he’s more just the beneficiary of who he’s playing with. He’s making some good plays no doubt, but he isn’t driving the offense himself. There’s nothing wrong with that given his role on the line, but Guerin’s not about to dish out a big contract to him after this season. I just don’t see it.

 

[57special]

Hating Marco is like hating puppies. I am happy to see him looking far stronger. It's not like he is going to bully anyone out there, but he is able to withstand NHL physicality enough to still be a useful player. Two years ago, he was getting abused in the AHL.

I keep comparing him to Granlund. I think he is going to be a bit better, but in general, is going to be a similar level of player. If he continues to play with Kap, then he will have vg numbers, just like Hartman, Zucc, and Rask before him.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

FWIW, the Eriksson Ek contract factoring in cap inflation would be ~$5.9M per year this summer.

 

[DANOZ28]

Who exactly are the haters? I don't recall anyone hating on him.

i guess you forgot about all the posters who wanted to trade him.

 

[MuckOG]

i guess you forgot about all the posters who wanted to trade him.

hmmmm.....There was some discussion about BG potentially looking to trade him based on what Russo was reporting. I don't recall many fans agreeing with him on that. I could be wrong though.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I can think of 1.

 

[57special]

I mean, I'll consider trading anyone. I wouldn't be thinking about trading Rossi for most of what i saw offered here, though.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Don’t recall if I outright advocated for trading Rossi. It’s just clear to me that Yurov-Eriksson Ek is going to be our top 6 centers very soon and that definitely opens up the talk of trading him. Especially if Rossi earns a massive pay day that we might not be able to afford with Kaprizov’s future cap number up in the air.

 

[AKL]

It’s just clear to me that Yurov-Eriksson Ek is going to be our top 6 centers very soon

I don't think this is as cut and dried as you do

 

[Circulartheory]

I don't think this is as cut and dried as you do

In any case, I am true believer that to be a cup contender, you need to have a gluttony of riches. So you either have top four defensemen playing on the 3rd pairing or forwards that could play on a top 6 role in lower teams be on your 3rd line (think Seguin/Marchment).

So for us to be contenders, I'm happy to have JEE, Rossi, Yurov be our 3 line centers. Then Khusnutdinov be our key 4th energy line/PKer.

That just means Heidt is going to play wing and we will be trading Stramel/Bankier/Kumpulainen/Haight away in the near future for picks (or a few of them move into a wing position).

 

[MK9]

i guess you forgot about all the posters who wanted to trade him.

I think you're over selling that by a lot.

Receipts please.

 

[Minnewildsota]

i guess you forgot about all the posters who wanted to trade him.

There's a (big) difference between willing to trade and hating a player.

And subsequently, there's a difference between willing to trade a player and wanting to trade a player. A.e. If the right offer for Rossi came around, sure, I'd trade him. (Willing) But I wouldn't be actively trying to trade him (Want).

 

[Luceni]

I'm not sure if a future-center-linup of JEE-Rossi-Yurov-Khusnutdinov is good enough for a true contender. Rossi & Yurov could still develope into true #1 centers while JEE should be used as second line center on a contending team. Finally it's great to see some kind of depth at center with the kids making impact. But atm I don't see a true #1 center and thats what a true contender needs, imo.

That being said, I'm pretty happy about the production Rossi delivers this season so far. He looks better and more confident out there on the top line than last year. Still think that his skating-abilities & speed might be not enough to become a true #1 center. But his floor is definitely a career as serviceable #2 center.

Yurov has yet to play a game at NHL-level, so he is still kinda wildcard for me. His YT-Highlights look promising though.

 

[Arturia Pendragon]

Am I the only one that feels like Ek will be the new Koivu? A good #2 but never a #1.
Haha oh how life runs in circles!

Hopefully Rossi surprises us all and becomes our future #1 center supastahh!

 

[SMTHook]

Am I the only one that feels like Ek will be the new Koivu? A good #2 but never a #1.
Haha oh how life runs in circles!

Hopefully Rossi surprises us all and becomes our future #1 center supastahh!

His defensive talents don't really fit with our top line ambitions.

 

[MK9]

Am I the only one that feels like Ek will be the new Koivu? A good #2 but never a #1.
Haha oh how life runs in circles!

Hopefully Rossi surprises us all and becomes our future #1 center supastahh!

I've always thought that. I do think he's a good bit more offensively talented than Koivu was, however. He's like Koivu+. Granted Koivu probably neutered his offense some due to Lemaire's preference of play style. But, I still think JEE is a notch or two above. And I think Ek is fine as a 1C. You could do significantly worse than having a 30g , 64 point #1C who's likely capable of even more than that.

 

[DANOZ28]

if your willing to trade a player it means you DON'T want him aka your not a fan omg i can't handle some posters.

 

[MNRube]

I think this team’s chances of a Cup depend more on the development of Buium/Wallstedt than Rossi/Yurov. If one of the former two become a real star, we will be set up very well in a post-buyouts world.

JEE, Rossi, Yurov, Hartman, Marat, Freddy is a C group you can win with. Especially if they are buttressed by Kap, Boldy & Faber.

 

[Minnewildsota]

if your willing to trade a player it means you DON'T want him aka your not a fan omg i can't handle some posters.

So, if for whatever reason, Boston comes along and says,” Hey, for Rossi we’ll give you Pastranak”, you would say no?

I like Rossi, but I like Pastranak more.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I don't think this is as cut and dried as you do

That’s fine. I don’t have a problem if they keep Rossi in the top 6. But I expect Yurov to make his way to a scoring line rather fast. Maybe they put Ek father back on the third line:

Kaprizov-Rossi-Zucc
Boldy-Yurov-Xhgren
Khusnutdinov-Eriksson Ek-Hartman
Foligno-Gaudreau-Lauko
Trenin

That’s a pretty deep forward group.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Don’t recall if I outright advocated for trading Rossi. It’s just clear to me that Yurov-Eriksson Ek is going to be our top 6 centers very soon and that definitely opens up the talk of trading him. Especially if Rossi earns a massive pay day that we might not be able to afford with Kaprizov’s future cap number up in the air.

The day after I posted this, Russo’s article said this:

Yurov is the biggest X-factor here. Eriksson Ek is one top-six center and the team envisions Yurov as a top-six center, too, which makes you wonder where Rossi fits. He’s certainly not a prototypical third-line center. His skill would be wasted there.

 

[MNRube]

Hoping we lock Rossi up longterm sooner than later. A full season with Kaprizov and he’s going to end up being expensive.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Russo is weird about limiting the 3rd line to less skilled crash and bang types.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Russo is weird about limiting the 3rd line to less skilled crash and bang types.

Could be that the team’s current “3rd” line has Foligno and Trenin on it.