The Montreal Canadiens are on the hunt for another playoff position. While adding another goaltender or defender would be a great proposition, a second-line center should probably be at the top of the list. While Mason McTavish or Nazem Kadri would be great, there is another option that could be a great fit.
Heavy.com proposed a deal that would see the Canadiens add RFA center Marco Rossi from the Minnesota Wild.
Canadiens Acquire:
Wild Acquire:
- Josh Anderson ($5,500,000)
- Kirby Dach ($3,362,500)
Trading three young players of this pedigree in addition to a veteran, complementary winger would make this potential deal a blockbuster.
The Canadiens could nab their new second-line center with the 23-year-old Rossi. The 5-foot-9, 182 lb forward was the ninth overall selection of the 2020 draft. In 2024-25, he recorded a 24-goal, 60-point season while playing 18:15 a night over 82 games.
This proposal also adds young defense prospect David Jiricek to the mix. The 6-foot-4, 204 lb right-handed blueliner was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022. The 21-year-old defender played 12 games between the Wild and Blue Jackets in 2024-25.
Going the other way is veteran winger Josh Anderson. The 31-year-old was initially drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2012. The 6-foot-3, 226 lb winger recorded 27 points and averaged 14:19 a night in 81 games.
The Wild also nab Kirby Dach. The 24-year-old is a 6-foot-4, 221 lb forward drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks third overall in 2019. The young forward collected 22 points in 57 games last year.
Marco Rossi Linked to the Canadiens
At least one report has linked the Canadiens to Rossi. David Pagnotta has connected the Canadiens with Rossi along with five other teams: the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres.
“Minnesota is actively looking to move Rossi,” Pagnotta wrote earlier this summer. “Who is believed to be looking for a contract in the $45 million to $50 million range. He’s an RFA and Wild GM Bill Guerin has been taking calls on him.”
Rossi only has 185 NHL games of experience, yet he has displayed strong offensive skills by putting together back-to-back 20+ goal seasons.
Rossi Has Been Getting Stronger
Rossi has a strong work ethic. A new report from Dylan Loucks evidences his commitment to getting bigger and stronger.
“He has already had a big offseason by training with Hall of Fame center Joe Thornton,” The Hockey News scribe wrote. “In an article by Laola, Rossi said he is up already 14 pounds this offseason. That puts him at 196 pounds at 5-foot-9.”
“The knock on him is he is too small, and the persona around him is he is easy to shove off the puck because he’s ‘so small’.”
Time For the Canadiens to Move on From Kirby Dach?
Dach is still recovering from a knee injury he sustained during the 2024-25 season. With a recent report detailing that he might not be ready for training camp, it might be time for the Canadiens to consider trading him.
Some players are injury-prone, and the Canadiens must decide if Dach is worth the trouble or if they are better off looking at other options.
The Canadiens would add offensive juice to their forward group by upgrading on Dach with Rossi. Despite having 84 more games under his belt, Dach has scored 43 career goals to Rossi’s 45.
By completing this trade proposal, the Canadiens would save themselves $7,944,167. They would be under the salary cap ceiling with a few million bucks to spare. With Carey Price’s contract still on the books, they could go into LTIR to sign Rossi to a seven or eight-year deal at or around $7 million.
The Canadiens are currently over the cap ceiling by $5,931,667.
Canadiens Big Trade Idea Gives Promising Players New Start