The Chicago Blackhawks have had a relatively quiet offseason. But there’s still time for the club to shock the NHL offseason by targeting a high-end RFA with an offer sheet. Specifically, that RFA could be Marco Rossi.
Rossi and the Minnesota Wild remain at a stalemate regarding the 23-year-old’s next contract. The two sides have purportedly not spoken since mid-June, further fueling speculation about Rossi’s future.
Publicly, both sides have said all the right things. The Wild have manifested their desire to re-sign Rossi. Meanwhile, Rossi has pledged his commitment to the team. But that doesn’t preclude a team like the Blackhawks from pursuing Rossi via an offer sheet.
It’s worth pointing out that Rossi is offer-sheet eligible as the Wild issued a perfunctory qualifying offer (QO) earlier this offseason. The QO ensured the Wild retained Rossi’s signing rights moving forward.
But the QO also opens up the door for Rossi to be targeted via an offer sheet. Given the Minnesota Wild’s current cap situation, targeting Rossi could work out in the Blackhawks’ favor.
Depending on the offer itself, the Wild may have trouble matching it. In particular, the biggest issue hovering above the Wild is Kirill Kaprizov’s contract extension. Therefore, the Wild cannot overcommit to matching an offer sheet, particularly if it eats into the cap space the team would need to keep Kaprizov.
Looking at Compensation Blackhawks Would Need to Pay for Rossi Offer Sheet
Now, here’s where things get complicated. If the Blackhawks successfully land Rossi via an offer sheet, the club will need to pay the corresponding compensation. Said compensation depends on the AAV on the offer sheet.
As it stands, an offer sheet signed between $2.3 and $4.6 million could net the Wild a third-round pick. If the AAV is between $4.6 and $7.02 million, that would mean a first and third-round pick. If the AAV lands between $7.02 and $9.36 million, that would net the Wild a first, second, and third-round pick.
It’s tough to envisage the Blackhawks signing Rossi for more than $7 million AAV. So, let’s assume the Blackhawks could lure Rossi with a deal close to, but not exceeding $7 million. Such a contract would net the Wild a first and third-round pick.
The question would then be: Could the Wild match that? The short answer is yes. The Wild have the cap space to do it. Unfortunately, they may choose to pass, as $7 million would eat up most of the team’s current $10 million. If the Wild then signed Kaprizov to a massive extension, the Wild might then have to pivot and dump contracts to clear cap space.
Why Rossi Makes Sense for Chicago
Adding Marco Rossi makes sense for the Blackhawks. The club could use a solid second-line center to play behind Connor Bedard. Most importantly, Rossi is still a young and up-and-coming player. So, Rossi would fit well within the Blackhawks’ rebuilding plans.
While the Wild were a playoff team last season, the club is in a holding pattern because of Kaprizov. Some chatter suggests Kaprizov could land as much as $15 million AAV on his next contract.
If that’s the case, the Wild may find it difficult to round out the roster. So, Rossi might be better off joining the Blackhawks’ solid, young core as opposed to sticking around in Minnesota.
Blackhawks Could Still Shock NHL Offseason with Offer Sheet Threat