Bruins urged to trade for star young forward.
The Boston Bruins were one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL last season and are looking to be a playoff team again next season.
The Bruins finished the year with the fifth-worst record in the NHL. But, they do have some star players to be a playoff team next season. With the Bruins looking to be a playoff team next season, NHL analyst Michael DeRosa of The Hockey News urges Boston to trade for Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild.
“One player who continues to create chatter in the rumor mill as a potential trade candidate is Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi,” DeRosa wrote. “If Rossi is officially made available by the Wild this summer, the Bruins should seriously consider making a push for him.”
Rossi would be a top-six forward with the Bruins and be able to play on their power play.
“Another very appealing factor about Rossi is that he is still only 23 years old. Thus, the possibility of him hitting another level is undoubtedly there,” DeRosa wrote. “This should make him intriguing to a Bruins club looking for younger, impactful talent.
“Given Rossi’s young age and strong upside, it would undoubtedly take a significant trade offer for the Bruins to bring him in from Minnesota,” DeRosa added. “However, with the Bruins needing help at center and Rossi blossoming into a high-impact player, Boston should make a push for the 2020 ninth-overall pick.”
Rossi is a pending RFA and will be in line for a nice payday. The 23-year-old centerman recorded 24 goals and 36 assists for 60 points in 82 games this season with the Wild.
Rossi could be the Bruins’ second-line center. Or, perhaps he plays on the top line with David Pastrnak.
Analyst Believes Rossi Wants Out of Minnesota
Rossi was selected ninth overall in 2020, but he hasn’t been given the playing time he wants.
Rossi was demoted to the fourth line during the season. The forward wasn’t given top-six minutes or top power-play time. Wild beat writers Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic believe Rossi would prefer being traded.
“It’s no longer simply, what do the Wild think of Marco Rossi? It’s now, what does Marco Rossi think of the Wild?… “The regular season’s second-leading Wild scorer had to be confused and hurt,” the article read. “The team made him a contract offer a few months ago — one he didn’t accept. Is that offer still on the table? Does Rossi, a pending restricted free agent who is offer-sheet eligible, even want to re-sign when it looks like his future in Minnesota isn’t in the top six or on the top power play?”
If Rossi does want out, the Bruins could give him the playing time he wants.
Bruins Plan to be Aggressive in Offseason
After the lackluster season, the Bruins are looking to be competitive next season.
Boston enters the offseason with nearly $29 million in cap space. With plenty of cap space to make moves, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney says they will be aggressive in the offseason.
“We are in a situation where we can look to add to our core group of guys. And, that includes also some of the younger guys, as (Bruins president Cam Neely) mentioned,” Sweeney said. “But we are going to be aggressive, to be able to complement what we currently have in some areas.”
If Boston can add some star players this offseason, the Bruins could be playoff contenders again in 2026.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
