Marco Rossi just keeps getting better… and the Minnesota Wild desperately need him

On By Littum

Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild
Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

No Jake Middleton. No Kirill Kaprizov. Lost Jared Spurgeon? No problem. The Minnesota Wild managed their second win in their last three games on Tuesday night, despite once again being without multiple forwards and defensemen.

Much of that was due to the play of Marco Rossi, who won 12 of 15 faceoffs, scored two goals and assisted on another in Minnesota’s 5-3 win over Nashville. The Wild played well despite all the missing contributors. It was reminiscent of how they played Friday night, when two late scores erased a third-period deficit for a thrilling victory in Dallas.

Marco Rossi started the scoring against the Predators with a game that has been quite indicative of his successful season. He wins the faceoff, skates to the high-danger area in front of the net and is rewarded for being there on a shot from Mats Zuccarello. Rossi is winning faceoffs by almost 50 percent this season. That’s five percentage points better than his performance on the dot in the past three seasons.

Marco Rossi keeps getting better

Marco Rossi also won the faceoff to start overtime in Dallas on Sunday, and 35 seconds later Brock Faber scored a clinching goal for the win. Rossi’s ascension to top line center is the biggest reason for the Wild’s success despite suffering injuries, and the biggest reason for his ascension is his willingness to play in high-danger areas.

Related: Jared Spurgeon Injury Update Not Good After Dirty Kick

According to NHL Edge10 of Rossi’s 14 goals have come from high-danger areas, putting him in the league’s 95th percentile. He’s also in the 93rd percentile in high-danger shots, with 35 of 68 shots coming from the area in front of the net.

Marco Rossi Minnesota Wild High Danger Shots on Goal NHL Edge

“This is not an aberration either. Last season, 66 of Rossi’s 167 shots (87th percentile) and 14 of his 21 goals (85th percentile) came from high-danger areas.”

-Michael Russo, Athletics (subscription required)

When Joel Eriksson Ek was lost to injury on Dec. 3, he led the Wild forwards in expected goal differential on the ice with 4,957 over 22 games. Rossi wasn’t far behind with 3.691 despite a 16.3 percent shooting percentage. Since Marco Rossi was elevated to the top line, his on-ice xGoal differential has skyrocketed, leading the Wild at 5,161 entering the game against Nashville.

Related: Kirill Kaprizov Injury Update: Some good and bad news about the Minnesota Wild Superstar

Much of Rossi’s success is due to an increase in his shooting percentage to 20.6 percent, which comes with more shots taken from high-danger areas. The young man has gained more confidence than ever skating with the best guys and it shows in the numbers.

Basically, the Wild now have two top line centers that are more than willing to mix it up in front of the net. Whether Marco Rossi’s size will hold up in the playoffs remains to be seen, but he hasn’t shied away from the crease despite his five-foot-nine, 182-pound frame.

The Minnesota Wild need Rossi to step up

Either way, we know Marco Rossi is staying in Minnesota for now. Bill Guerin narrated AthleticsHe is Michael Russo “don’t want to trade him.” And that’s a good thing, because with all these injuries, the Wild need Rossi to continue to develop and blossom into one of the best centers in the Western Conference.

But with the injury to Spurgeon on Tuesday night, there is now a need to improve the defensive depth sooner rather than later. I talked about it in the latest episode of ours Minnesota Foul Play-by-Play podcast.

Mentioned in this article: Marco Rossi

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