The Minnesota Wild seem to be in a holding pattern this offseason with RFA Marco Rossi. Publicly, Rossi and the club have said all the right things. Rossi has pledged allegiance to the Wild. Meanwhile, the club has said it’s willing to do whatever it can to keep Rossi in the fold.
But pleasantries aside, business is business. Rossi needs a new contract, and the Wild could use him in the lineup.
While it seems that simple, a July 28 piece in The Athletic shed some interesting light on a key situation likely keeping the Wild in a holding pattern: Kirill Kaprizov’s next contract.
Kaprizov is on the books for one more season. But that’s no consolation. Wild fans won’t feel safe until Kaprizov’s signature is on a long-term extension. But that seems easier said than done.
The article in The Athletic suggested that Kaprizov could become the NHL’s highest-paid player. The projection is that Kaprizov could land as much as $15 million AAV over eight years. Given Kaprizov’s talent and value to the team, the Wild would do well to pay up.
However, cap space is a finite commodity in the NHL. Minnesota has more to play with this offseason, but the specter of Kaprizov’s extension, compounded by Rossi’s next contract, could quickly evaporate said cap space.
What does this mean for the Wild? Does the club sign Rossi and then extend Kaprizov? Or does the club extend Kaprizov and then sign Rossi?
It’s a catch-22 that is poised to end terribly for Minnesota. The Athletic reported that Rossi and the Wild haven’t spoken since mid-June. That’s no bueno, if true. The clock is ticking, and the last thing the Wild need is for the Rossi situation to bleed over into training camp.
Short-Term Deal Could Be Best Solution for Rossi and Wild
The consensus seems to be that Rossi and the Wild could agree to a short-term deal this summer. While it’s hardly the outcome most fans would like, kicking the proverbial can down the road would allow the team room to maneuver with both Rossi and Kaprizov.
Signing Rossi to a two or three-year pact gives the Wild the flexibility to extend Kaprizov for the long haul. Then, the Wild can circle back to Rossi and extend him.
It’s a risky strategy, but one worth pursuing as the cap ceiling will be going up over the next couple of seasons. That situation could give the Wild a shot at having their cake and eating it, too.
Rossi Vulnerable to Offer Sheet This Summer
However, there’s one word of caution. Rossi is a sitting duck for an offer sheet. Just because no one has pulled the trigger yet doesn’t mean it can’t happen. There’s still time for someone to make waves this offseason. That’s why the Wild would do well to put the Rossi contract situation behind everyone as soon as possible.
If a bold club chooses to go rogue and target Rossi with an offer sheet, the Wild may face a tough choice. Matching an unreasonably high offer sheet could prompt the Wild to pass on Rossi. While the compensation could make up for the loss, the Wild would rather trade Rossi and recoup assets the team could use now, rather than the magic beans that come with draft picks.
Wild in holding pattern with Rossi for 1 key reason