Will the Wild view Marco Rossi as a long-term piece?
Michael Russo of The Athletic: (mailbag) If the Minnesota Wild are still not convinced long-term about forward Marco Rossi, they could look to a bridge deal like the one Cole Perfetti signed at $3.25 million. The longer they wait, the more expensive it might become.
The Wild have Joel Eriksson Ek at center and they may see Danila Yurov as a top-six center as well, so where does that leave Rossi? Rossi doesn’t really fit the mold of a third-line center.
Don’t get the sense that the Wild had/have any interest in Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren.
The Edmonton Oilers are looking for defensive help, and are not worried about the offense just yet
Shawn Simpson: Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is looking for a top-four defenseman.
“Good luck with that one. Everyone one in the league is looking for help. Being healthy and rewarding a player in your system is the only hope teams have this early in the season.”
Jim Matheson: If the Oilers are looking for a top-four defenseman to play with Darnell Nurse, two potential options could be Connor Murphy and Ivan Provorov.
Murphy is a RHD with the Chicago Blackhawks and carries a $4.4 million salary cap hit through next season.
Povorov is left-handed but is playing on the right side beside Zach Werenski. He’s a pending UFA with a $4.7 million cap hit.
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers have the Connor McDavid injury concerns to deal with, and they offensive concerns according to Darren Dreger, but there is no urgency right now to look for outside help.
“Management isn’t pushing any panic buttons. They believe and remain confident that the offensive leaders will find their way. But if you look at the offensive categories around the National Hockey League, for the most part, you can appreciate why Stan Bowman and company are confident.
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens Would Like To Get a Controllable Asset
Yes, they rank last in actual goals scored, but they’re number one in shot attempts, number one in offensive zone possession time, and top-five in expected goals and slot shots. The message internally is just to find a way to score and to finish the play.”