Wild re-sign Rossi to 3-year, $15M contract
The Minnesota Wild re-signed restricted free-agent center Marco Rossi to a three-year contract carrying an average annual value of $5 million, the team announced Friday.
Rossi will be an RFA once the contract expires before he can hit unrestricted free agency in 2029. His qualifying offer in 2028 will be $6 million, reports The Athletic's Michael Russo.
The 23-year-old is coming off a breakout season in which he tallied 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games. He ranked second on the Wild in points and third in goals.
However, Rossi's role shrank during the playoffs. He went from averaging 18:15 of ice time as Minnesota's primary second-line center during the regular season to dropping to 11:08 per game in the postseason as a fourth-line pivot.
Rossi found his name embroiled in trade rumors this offseason, with general manager Bill Guerin confirming in June that teams had called the Wild about the center's availability. The Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks were reportedly among the interested clubs.
Minnesota has $4.41 million in cap space left after signing Rossi.
The Wild drafted the 5-foot-9 Austrian ninth overall in 2020.
Luke Hughes, Mason McTavish, and Connor Zary are among the NHL's most prominent remaining RFAs.