Marco Rossi on another 'huge' season, his future with Wild: 'I know how good I am'

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Marco Rossi would have loved to play for Austria late last month as his homeland battled for a spot in the 2026 Milan Olympics.

Remember Rossi and his countrymen’s heroics at the World Championship earlier in the summer, upsetting Finland? They had Canada on the ropes, too. The 22-year-old Minnesota Wild forward had his fingerprints all over those games. Advertisement But after conversations with Wild coach John Hynes and team president and general manager Bill Guerin, Rossi decided it was best to skip the qualifiers in Europe and come to Minnesota in mid-August to continue his training with the team.



After Rossi’s decision to stay in the Twin Cities last summer sparked a breakout 21-goal, 40-point season, Hynes emphasized to Rossi what a huge year 2024-25 will be for him. The former first-round pick is a restricted free agent next offseason. So Rossi watched from afar, on TV and online, as Austria failed to qualify.

“You always want to play for your country,” Rossi said. “Always an honor. But sometimes you have to look at the big picture, too — what’s best for you.

” The big picture for Rossi: He established himself as an NHL regular last season, even spending some time centering the top line with Kirill Kaprizov , but he’s got more to prove and he knows it. The Wild likely have touted center prospect Danila Yurov coming over to North America next season, and Riley Heidt is expected to get a shot to make the team this year out of camp. This is the final year of Rossi’s entry-level deal, and he said the team hasn’t reached out about an extension yet.

(Not everybody gets an eight-year deal like Brock Faber .) It doesn’t seem like the Wild are sure what they have long-term in the 5-foot-9 center, which is why his name was floated in trade rumors around the NHL Draft. Rossi said he’s not surprised or upset the club hasn’t committed to him beyond this season.

He’s not concerned about rumors. He’s always going to bet on himself, he said. “I have high expectations for myself,” Rossi said.

“I know my best. I know myself and what I have to do — what my expectations are. It’s going to be a big year for me.

” “You’re not a bust. You’re a beast.” I watched a recent #mnwild game with Marco Rossi’s family, and gained insight into the prized prospect’s personality and unique path to top line in #NHL https://t.

co/0zskavkxxm — Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) November 10, 2023 Rossi is proud of how he performed last season. He put himself in the conversation for Calder Trophy votes and earned the local chapter of the PWHA’s Masterton Trophy nomination . After a humbling first NHL season shuttling back and forth between Minnesota and AHL Iowa, he established himself as an NHL player, playing all 82 games, and was a regular in the top-six.

Advertisement “Marco had an awesome (year),” Wild winger Matt Boldy said. “What did he have, 20-something goals? That’s a good year. It’s not easy to score in this league.

He played everywhere in our lineup. There were times he was playing with me, ( Marcus Johansson ), (Frederick) Gaudreau, Kirill, ( Mats Zuccarello ). “His ability to move up and down the lineup and still be productive and impactful with our team is huge.

” Rossi thinks he can provide more offense. He spent the summer working on his shot and creating more opportunities to change the angle. He focused on getting out of corners and making plays.

Is a 30-goal season in play? “I think that’s of course possible,” he said. “There were a few opportunities I missed. I’ve been working on it.

” Rossi looked like a different player to start last season, something he credited to his full summer in Minnesota working with skating coach Andy Ness and strength and conditioning coach Matt Harder. He revamped his stride and focused on getting stronger in all areas. “The first game of the regular season, I felt so much better,” Rossi said.

“I had more confidence, and when you score your first goal, it gives you a boost. I just tried to keep the flow going, and that’s what I did. You’re always more comfortable, even this year coming in now.

You don’t think too much anymore. You just have to play. Everything is more relaxed.

You have more time to make more plays and stuff like that.” Rossi didn’t tweak much this summer in his workouts. He knows he needs to get a little faster.

Former assistant coach Darby Hendrickson had him focused on getting in and out of corners, winning those battles to get to the net. Rossi might be on the smaller side, but he’s tough. Hendrickson would always tell him, “Don’t take any s—.

” Give it. “When you’re smaller, you don’t have to be afraid,” Rossi said. “I’m a proud player.

I know how good I am. I’m not afraid of anyone. Just don’t take any (s—).

It’s mental stuff too. You always want to be ready. It doesn’t matter who is in front of you, who is in the corner.

” Advertisement It’s unclear how the lines will shake out to start training camp on Sept. 19. Rossi said he learned a lot from playing with Kaprizov and Zuccarello on the top line for parts of last season — how they think the game and create, and what he needs to do to be effective there.

But with the chance Ryan Hartman returns to the middle on the top line and Joel Eriksson Ek on line two, there’s a scenario where Rossi is a third-line center (alongside, say, Marcus Foligno and Yakov Trenin or Marcus Johansson). Rossi said some coaches in his past have tried to move him to wing but “always put me back in center.” Have the Wild approached him about going to the wing in top six? “Not yet,” he said, smiling.

Rossi was happy for his friend Faber for signing an eight-year deal with an $8.5 million AAV. He hopes to be a long-term Wild player, too.

“You have to focus on what’s right now, and the rest will come,” he said. Progress might seem slower for Rossi, the ninth pick in 2020, but there’s also the reminder of what he went through, with myocarditis and complications from COVID-19. “I think Marco has shown a lot of what we thought he’d be,” said Judd Brackett, the Wild’s director of amateur scouting.

“In terms of the timeline to get there, to me that’s not as important as the player we wanted him to be, expected him to be, thought he could be. You still see the same hallmarks: the hockey sense, the two-way play, the details. He’s always been a point-producer and he continues to be.

He’s performing very, very well.” The struggles Rossi has been through gave him perspective, made him tougher. “Always makes you stronger mentally,” he said.

“I’m ready for the next step right now.” Rossi took about 2 1/2 weeks off after the season ended before getting back into workouts. He spent time in Austria with his family, something he missed last offseason.

He went on a 10-day vacation with his girlfriend, Stefanie, “chilled, relaxed and did nothing.” Advertisement Well, at least he tried. “I say four, five days is good,” he said.

“Sixth day, I start shaking. You always want to go to the pool or swim. The first couple days is good, but I need more action.

” Rossi has now settled into the same Minneapolis apartment as last year and even attended the Minnesota State Fair for the first time. Known for his extreme health-conscious eating, Rossi splurged a little at Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar. He had one cookie.

“I love sweets” Rossi said. “But I had to stop myself, or I’d eat too much.” Rossi has been a regular at informal team skates the past few weeks, often getting extra work in afterward.

He’s not thinking about the next contract or trade rumors. “So many people are talking,” he said. “It’s not my focus.

Not what I want. My focus is on what I believe in, what my small group believes in me, and what they’re thinking. Anything else? It’s not in my control.

” He’s making more believers, even in his own organization. “There’s definitely room to grow in his game,” said former Wild forward and current color analyst Wes Walz. “The one area he needs to focus more on is being more assertive in his game against bigger teams, better teams.

He’s far from a finished product. But two years ago, he never played a game. You’ve got to remind people.

When we started last season, the amount of pressure on Marco Rossi — the season before he had one assist in 19 games. People were like, ‘Can he play in the league?’ I was one of them, I have to be honest. “And he answered the bell.

He had 21 goals, finished with 19 (even strength). Only Kirill Kaprizov had more even-strength goals. Is it a perfectly finished product right now? No.

Do I think he’ll be a top-six player in the NHL and the Minnesota Wild? I really do.” (Top photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images).