Washington Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Washington Capitals, NHL or NHLPA
Washington Capitals may have just found their newest offseason target
Photo credit: DC Backcheck
The Washington Capitals season is officially over, and GM Chris Patrick has his eyes set on improving his team. That said, the Washington Capitals have two prime objectives to achieve over the offseason: adding youth to the roster, and securing a third-line centerman - and Marco Rossi fits the bill perfectly.
The Washington Capitals will have Alexander Ovechkin for at least one more season, but the team must start planning for the future by making key roster decisions to remain competitive.
Forward Lars Eller was a healthy scratch in Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes, signalling the Caps' may be eyeing an upgrade at the third-line center position.
While forward Connor McMichael did a respectable job filling in, GM Chris Patrick will need to find a permanent solution, and Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi appears is an intriguing solution.
Marco Rossi emerges as prime offseason target
According to Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck Rossi is coming off a career year for the Minnesota Wild that saw him rack up 24 goals and 36 assists for 60 points in 82 games, a significant jump from the 40-point campaign he put up in 2023-24. The Minnesota Wild center also averaged 18:15 minutes per game, taking on more responsibility, winning 46.8 percent of his face-offs and boasting a shooting percentage of 17.6 percent.
The 23-year-old is a skilled two-way player who has great hockey sense, is an outstanding playmaker and can perform well in all three zones. He's also quick and hard on pucks.
Rossi, a pending RFA, has struggled to reach an agreement in recent contract negotiations with the Minnesota Wild.
He was reportedly seeking a short-term deal with a higher AAV, but talks have "gone nowhere," according to sources.
Additionally, the Washington have plenty of enticing trade bait to put on the table.
If GM Chris Patrick wants to make this happen, dishing out top prospect Hendrix Lapierre and a 1st round draft pick could help move the deal forward.
GM Chris Patrick said during his end of season "if we take a swing, it'll be a big swing," and this could be the move that Washington Capitals fans have been waiting for.
More details to follow.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 1 | 69 ANSWERS Washington Capitals may have just found their newest offseason target Do you think the Washington Capitals should go for Marco Rossi? | ||
| Yes | 40 | 58 % |
| No | 29 | 42 % |
| List of polls | ||
