Why Marco Rossi Isn’t the Right Trade Target for the Blackhawks

Marco Rossi is one of the players whose name has been circulating in trade rumors. Rossi is a skilled 2C who scored 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games with the Minnesota Wild last season. At 23 years old, Rossi is at the end of his contract and will be a restricted free agent this summer. The problem? His asking price of $7 million for seven years makes him difficult to fit on the Wild's roster. 

It's a steep price to pay for a center who's probably not a top-six center on a winning team, at least, not this early in his career. Rossi also finished the playoffs playing fourth-line minutes, making his $49 million asking price deter other teams.  

But could he fit on the Blackhawks?

Chicago is projected to have around $29 million in cap space. Surely, another skilled center who's still young and proven to be skilled in the NHL wouldn't hurt things, right?

At 5'9" and 182 lbs, Rossi is a small center. As much skill as he brings to the table, the Blackhawks don't need another undersized center. Further complicating things, Davidson is set on making Connor Bedard his 1C and Frank Nazar his 2C. While Nazar could make an excellent winger, Nazar also has the potential to be a solid 2C. 

Rossi would not be a fit on a third line, and rolling three lines with smaller centers wouldn't be ideal. Unless Rossi pans out, and you build three skill lines with a fourth checking line. But teams rarely, if ever, build a fourth line. 

While Marco Rossi is a nice player, I don't think the Blackhawks should consider pursuing him. Luckily for the Hawks, there are other, more enticing players they could acquire. Players who could play on Bedard's wing and maybe find a home on the second line next to Nazar. Players like Jason Robertson or JJ Peterka.