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No, Marco Rossi is not the ideal target for the Canadian

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated 5/10/24

Recently, we learned that the Minnesota Wild would be willing to listen to offers for Marco Rossi and Filip Gustavsson. These are two interesting young players.

Of course, the question must be: should Kent Hughes, who wants to add talent to his organization, turn his nose up at both players?

Stick his nose in? Yes. Go deep into negotiations? In my opinion, no.

Wild willing to listen on Gustavsson, Rossi https://t.co/6ILjsC7Z98

– The Fourth Period (@TFP) May 9, 2024

First of all, Rossi is an excellent hockey player. He has immense talent, but I don’t see him fitting into what the Habs are looking for due to the fact that he’s a small player.

The Habs already have two players under six feet in their top-6: Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. These are not players who “play big” on the ice, to use the popular example.

Alex Newhook (5’11) and Joshua Roy (6′), who are tipped to fight for a top-6 spot and could play in the top-9 in the long run, aren’t the tallest.

And Rossi, as good as he was in junior in Ottawa and as talented as he is, is really small: 5’9. The Canadiens, who are looking for big players for their top-6, need to look elsewhere.

(Credit: Hockey DB)

As for Filip Gustavsson, we know he was excellent in front of his team’s net in 2022-2023. He slowed down last year, but I can’t say that worries me because the club wants to make room for prospect Jesper Wallstedt.

But when you combine that with his contractual situation (free agent in two years) and the price the Wild will ask, it tells me that no, he’s not the ideal target for the Habs. And he wouldn’t fill a need, either.

After all, in two years’ time, the Habs won’t be ready to win the Stanley Cup and the goalie could simply leave. That’s probably not what the Habs want, we agree.

Paying for Gustavsson doesn’t fit in with the rebuilding process. Next, then.

In gusts

– Ouch.

Gabriel Gervais: “unlike others, the club doesn’t negotiate publicly”.

My read: the club REALLY didn’t like seeing the Mathieu Choinière negotiations come out publicly.

– Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) May 10, 2024

– Brendan Shanahan is here to stay… and he wants to do everything he can to win. #Cassette

Keith Pelley: “Brendan Shanahan is the President of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s a champion.”

– Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) May 10, 2024

Brendan Shanahan says the #leafs will look at everything this summer and considering changing everything. He says the patterns have become too familiar to stay patient.

– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 10, 2024

– He’s done well.