What is the Latest Involving Marco Rossi and the Minnesota Wild
Michael Russo of The Athletic joined Jason Gregor on the DFO Rundown Podcast and was asked about the goalie situation next season in Minnesota, but mentioned how the Wild are in a major contract dispute with Marco Rossi.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Jason Gregor: “Looking at the wild, because you’ve got (Vladimir) Tarasenko, (Mats)Zuccarello, they’re all UFAs at the end of the season as well, Bogosian so they will be getting younger. Filip Gustavsson, their goalie. That’s another guy that they’re going to have to re-sign before then as well. Is it safe to say that with (Marc-Andre) Fleury gone, that (Jesper) Wallstedt automatic, he’s going to be coming up as the backup next year?”
Michael Russo: “Yeah, they signed Cal Petersen as their number three. They did give a one way deal, but they’re fully intending on sliding him through waivers and having him go down to Iowa. I can’t imagine he’s a waiver risk after some real struggles last couple years. But Wallstedt had his struggles in Iowa, but sometimes when you’re playing in front of a structure like the Minnesota Wild have in front of them, it probably will help them out.
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I think it’ll put a little pressure on Gustavsson as well. They get along really, really well. All signs during training camp they were going disc golfing every single day. So he’s definitely automatic and it’s just going to be really fascinating. The way this goes right now
They are in a major contract dispute with Marco Rossi, major difference in opinion, on his value. From Marco’s side to what the wild believe he’s worth. You look at everybody from Matt Coronato at six and a half to Gabe Vilardi, to a lot of guys are signing the $7 million range. He turned down a five-year deal at $5 million per year. That is the type of contract Dylan Strome and Anton Lundell have. Exact AAV. And he turned it down and rejected it.
He had a 24-goal, 60-point season in only his second full year. And so you look at the comparables, and he probably deserves significantly more than what the Wild are offering. But the Wild do not want to go over Matt Boldy, and I don’t even think they want to go in the $6 million range.
So then you add in the complication that he was demoted to the fourth line during the playoffs. And I think he’s a little worried about signing some sort of bridge deal right now to a lesser value, and then getting buried and not being able to really prove himself fully over the term of that bridge deal and hit that home run contract next time. So it’s going to be really fascinating where this goes right now.
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They’re in total shutdown mode. I mean, I don’t think they’ve had a conversation in three or four weeks at this point. They were, I think, playing a game of chicken to see if he could sign an offer sheet. Right now, to that point, it hasn’t happened. So I think Billy (Bill Guerin) is trying to make him sweat here, and then they’ll try to re-trigger contract negotiations in the middle of next month, or as we get closer to training camp now.”
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