After the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Wild are now heading into offseason mode and have to re-sign Marco Rossi.

The 23-year-old centreman, who is coming off a 60-point season, was demoted to the fourth line during their series against the Golden Knights, averaging 11:08 minutes of ice time, 7:07 less than his regular season average.

Rossi voiced his frustration with the decision when he said, “I have no doubt I am for sure a top-six guy,” in his end-of-season media availability. With the Vancouver Canucks on the hunt for a top-six centreman, Rossi could be an intriguing fit as the team’s second line centre and would have an immediate opportunity to play the role he believes he’s capable of.

Let’s dive into the player, and see if he would be a potential fit for the Canucks.

The Player

The Austrian native is a small, skilled centreman with a high-level hockey IQ and a defensively sound game. Despite his size, being listed at 5’9”, 182 pounds, Rossi doesn’t shy away from physical play. 

He’s coming off a career year, scoring 24 goals and registering 60 points. The former ninth-overall pick in the 2020 draft has taken some time to develop, just having played two full seasons in the NHL since being drafted. However, Rossi has quickly adapted to the NHL. 

Playing alongside either Matt Boldy or Kirill Kaprizov for the majority of the season has certainly helped him take the steps he has, and because of this, we’ve yet to see him actually drive a line himself. That being said, it doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of developing into a line-driving second-line centreman. 

Bringing in another smaller player to the Canucks lineup might not be ideal, however if management can bring in bigger wingers to compliment him it could be a great fit.

The Fit

In Minnesota, Rossi spent time as the team’s number one centreman, sharing duties with Joel Eriksson Ek, splitting time with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov, while Mats Zuccarello was his most consistent linemate. 

Vancouver, of course, doesn’t have this calibre of wingers, so an ideal fit would be bringing someone in to play on Rossi’s wing. However, since we don’t have a crystal ball that will tell us who Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin will be bringing in, the best we can do is look at the best fits currently on the roster.

Rossi would immediately jump into the lineup as the team’s second line centreman. The size and playstyle of Jake DeBrusk seem like he would be an ideal fit on one of Rossi’s wings. DeBrusk could be the cleanup guy around the net, while Rossi creates those chances for DeBrusk.

Along with the two of them, there are a few guys that could make sense, though they aren’t quite top-six wingers. If Jonathan Lekkerimäki can take massive steps during this offseason, then his speed and shot would make him a great fit on the right side. DeBrusk would be the veteran presence and big body, playing with the two smaller young guys who create a ton of offence. 

Assuming Lekkerimäki is not ready to make that big of a jump, then Kiefer Sherwood could slot in nicely on a line with DeBrusk and Rossi. Sherwood being hard on the forecheck and using his physicality could open a lot of space for Rossi to be the dynamic playmaker he is.

Currently, Rossi is listed on the Wild’s second power play unit, but he has the ability to jump up to the Canucks top unit being slotted ideally on one of the flanks where he can use his vision and creativity to set guys up that are net front or set up cross ice passes for Elias Pettersson one-timers. 

What might it cost?

Rossi is on an expiring contract and will be a restricted free agent come July 1st. According to AFP Analytics, his next contract on a long-term deal would cost around $7 million, and a bridge deal would be around $4.5 million. 

The compensation needed for an offer sheet at $7-million is a first-, second- and third- round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which the Canucks don’t have to offer after trading their third round pick to the Calgary Flames in the Nikita Zadorov trade. An offer sheet for the bridge deal, however, would only cost a 2026 second-round pick, but the Wild would more than likely match this.

This leads to a trade being the most likely scenario if the Canucks were wanting to add Rossi to their lineup. After Rutherford said the team would like to do business before July 1st, we can assume that this deal would include the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft. Along with the Canucks likely having to add in another enticing piece like a Tom Willander to get a deal done. 

Recently on Canucks Conversation, Cam Robinson from Elite Prospects mentioned a package of the 15th overall pick and Tom Willander for Marco Rossi and defenceman prospect David Spacek could make some sense. 

After recently signing Willander, Canucks fans might not want to give him up before seeing him suit up for the team at the NHL level. However, if management wants to seriously upgrade this team’s forward group heading into next season, this may be the best course of action.

So, what do you think Canucks fans? Should the Canucks look to Marco Rossi to fill the team’s second line centre role? Or should the team look at some less expensive or riskier options in the trade market?