NHL Rumors: Insider names Vancouver Canucks as potential destination for Wild RFA Marco Rossi

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jun 06, 2025 06:34 GMT

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Minnesota Wild restricted free agent Marco Rossi is rumored to be a perfect fit for the Vancouver Canucks' need of a top-six forward.

According to Sportsnet 650’s Michael Russo, the Vancouver Canucks are one of the teams interested in the 23-year-old center.

Rossi had a breakout year in 2024-25, posting 60 points and leading all Wild centers in five-on-five ice time. That level of production has caught the attention of many teams, but Vancouver appears to be among the most serious.

Rossi, while undersized at 5-foot-9, fits that need with his skill, speed and offensive instincts. He scored 24 goals and 36 assists in 82 games. He ended the season with a +3 rating while playing 18:14 minutes. In the playoffs, Rossi played six games, scoring two goals and providing an assist against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Canucks beat writer Thomas Drance noted that Vancouver’s top priority this offseason is to add a “top-two-lines center.” After moving J.T. Miller last season, the Canucks are actively searching for a dynamic young player to rebuild their forward depth.

While Rossi might not check every box in terms of size or handedness, Drance emphasized the Canucks’ urgent need for center talent outweighs those concerns.

"Rossi is a gifted young center, and the Canucks are desperate to add a gifted young center, so the fit here is obvious," Drance wrote in his June 4 column for The Athletic, co-authored by Russo. "If the Canucks decide to get into the Rossi business this summer, they’ll have some desirable assets to dangle in exchange."

Vancouver also has the trade assets to make a deal happen. Their 15th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is reportedly available and could headline a package for Rossi. Rossi’s entry-level contract, which carried a $863,334 cap hit, expired after the 2024-25 season.

As an RFA, any team acquiring him would need to negotiate a new deal. But with his strong regular season and still-growing ceiling, Rossi represents the kind of long-term asset Vancouver needs.

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Vancouver Canucks could fill offensive void with Marco Rossi

The Vancouver Canucks missed the 2025 playoffs after a tough season as goalie Thatcher Demko's injuries hurt the team. A reported conflict between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller also affected team play.

Miller was traded, and the Canucks went 13-12-3 after the deal. Pettersson, though, struggled this season, scoring just 45 points. A new player like Marco Rossi could fill the offensive void.

Captain Quinn Hughes played well, scoring 76 points, but the team lacked consistency. The Vancouver Canucks has missed the playoffs in four of five years. With their draft picks and cap space, they will look to improve next season.