Marco Rossi Trade Candidates

Here’s a (very short) list of dudes I’m aware of right now that meet the criteria of: play center, are young, could fit stated goals of bigger, faster, more scoring on second line, and are rumored to be available for whatever reason.

1.) **Kent Johnson from CBJ**. Entering 10.2c (like Pinto) the CBJ kind of have a decision to make. Can he play center? Well he very vocally aspires to but most peg him as a play-driving winger. He’s nowhere near a 2-way guy right now and his skating isnt amazing but to be fair he’s 21 years old. There are rumors about his discontent in CBJ – he started the year in AHL despite a 40 pt season the previous year. There’s a non-trivial chance this could be the guy who had the issue with Babcock. A trade for Johnson is a homerun swing on his high-level shot, elite hands and creativity while praying his frame is going to fill out and/or his 2way play will improve enough. This is the probably the biggest homerun swing the Wild could make with a Marco Rossi trade – the ceiling is an elite 1C but its probably not my favorite option bc I’m a bit skeptical and years of being a Wild fan has made me preferential to 2 way Corsi players like Mikko, Ek, etc. Russo did explicitly mention Johnson wrt to Rossi in a podcast recently though.

2.) **Martin Necas** – A two way player for the Canes who can and really wants to play center but most agree is better on the wing. A really good skater with decent size and good two way play. Just a generally good hockey player for the way the modern NHL game is played imo. Not the most physical but enough. Not the most skilled but enough. Not elite speed but pretty damn fast. The Canes are in a tight spot with their cap and thats the reason they may trade him. If you look at their lost of rfas and ufas theyre going to have to compromise their defense, two-way play (necas), or scoring (guentzal). They might not choose to part with Necas but they have already tried to negotiate with Marty over the course of last season and no contract was signed. This is probably my favorite target for a Rossi trade although this idea does implicitly rely on betting on one of Necas, Yurov, Haight, Heidt sticking at 2C (atleast) which isnt a safe bet and there’s also a new rumored candidate I just saw who perhaps fits the Wild situation even better…

3.) **Anthony Cirelli** – I hadn’t thought of him at all until I saw this: https://clutchpoints.com/nhl-rumors-lightning-could-trade-anthony-cirelli-this-summer
but it makes a lot of sense. Cirelli, Tampa’s 2C, isn’t a huge offensive threat but he’s a really good skater with good size. The sort of guy that belongs in the Selke conversation along with guys like Ek and Danault (behind Barkov who has that locked up now that Bergeron retired). Cirelli is rumored out of Tampa to make room for tampa to extend Stamkos and Hedman (has another year but sounds like extension is close). This option is the polar opposite of trading for Johnson. Here you know exactly what you are getting (a 40-50 point Ek-type C) and what the price-tag is (cirelli is 6.25 for the next 7 years – aka his prime). You will be relying on your 2nd line wings (Ohgren and Yurov most likely as of right now) to be driving offense in the future but wrt defense and controlling the puck in a pretty good place with Ek and Cirelli down the middle.

There are other options i’ve heard ofc. Anton Lundell’s name is *kinda* out there but feels less real. And ofc there is always the option of just simply keeping Marco Rossi – which after all, isnt such a bad option at all.

by PepperWilling4393