Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin prides himself on fair trades, not trying to “win” them. That philosophy, learned from mentor Jim Rutherford, has shaped his approach since taking over. But now, with pressure mounting in 2025, Guerin faces a major test: trading center Marco Rossi — arguably his top asset.
Rossi, 23, is coming off a rare 20-goal, 60-point season — a milestone hit by only 41 centers under 24 in the past two decades. Players like Ryan Johansen and Pierre-Luc Dubois were moved in similar circumstances, but always for fair value, including top prospects or high draft picks.
That’s why Guerin’s reported trade demands — either Flyers winger Tyson Foerster or one of their late first-round picks (22nd or 29–32nd overall) — are raising eyebrows. Philadelphia, apparently, isn’t biting. Even more concerning, other teams may not feel compelled to meet even those modest asks.
Why? Because the Wild themselves have undermined Rossi’s value. After over a year of signaling he’s available, the team lowballed him with a $25M contract and benched him on the fourth line during the playoffs. Guerin’s public comments and actions suggest they don’t view Rossi as a core piece, and the league has taken notice.
With no urgency to act, teams like Philly can wait out the Wild or push for an even lower price. They could submit an offer sheet or wait until the draft nears to make a lowball move — perhaps just two second-rounders.
The bigger issue: if Guerin can’t even fetch Foerster for Rossi, there’s little chance he could land a top-tier player like Buffalo’s JJ Peterka. Why would a team give up someone they value for a player Minnesota clearly doesn’t?
Ultimately, Rossi’s market has been damaged by the Wild themselves. Young, skilled centers are rare and valuable — the kind you build around. If Guerin truly wants fair value, he may need to start acting like Rossi is worth it.
