Marco Rossi’s three-year, $5 million-per-season contract with Minnesota strengthens his bid to be the Wild’s true middle, with a $6 million qualifying offer due after 2027-28 and no three-year trade protection. His short-term ask vs longer-term offers from peers nudges Rossi toward the front of a shifting center market. Comparables like Stankoven, Coronato, Peterka, and Knies have set a higher bar, while Connor McDavid’s potential extension looms as the ultimate market signal for star contracts.

The deal structure comes as the NHL casually widens gambling and gaming ads in arenas, and Wild GM Bill Guerin sought to improve without dragging Rossi into futures. If McDavid’s extension lands before training camp, it could push the ceiling for young players and reshape dynasty and daily fantasy valuations, particularly for mid-market centers with upside.

Rossi’s move also places Rossi and Minnesota on a clearer path to recapture offensive balance, adding depth behind the top line and underscoring how evolving contract dynamics influence fantasy projections across the league.

Matthew Knies edges Jack Hughes for Team USA's Olympic roster, thanks to size, puck battles, and a reliable two-way game that translates to a playoff stage. Hughes remains elite, but injury history and a need for versatile wing play tilt the balance toward Knies.

The discussion leans into Matthews anchoring a top line with Guentzel and Tage Thompson, with Eichel slotting between Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk. Connor, Larkin, Keller, Trocheck and Boldy provide depth and PP options, leaving Knies in a critical, but off-top-line, role.

Lane Hutson's rising puck-moving ceiling and Knies's stage presence shape the roster and fantasy outlook. The outcome could redefine USA's gold bid and give fantasy managers a fresh angle on Olympic exposure and value.

Patrick Kane will attend USA Hockey’s orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan, aiming for a third Olympic appearance in Italy next year, and his veteran presence immediately becomes a focal point for the US lineup. Kane joins a cadre of Olympians and former Olympians at the two-day camp that doubles as administrative team-building ahead of the formal selection process. The gathering also highlights several expected contributors and surprises, underscoring how final roster decisions in January will hinge on health, chemistry, and where veteran leadership can push younger talent toward Olympic-level performance.

USA Hockey announced six of the 2026 Olympic forwards and defensed early this summer, with the final 25-man roster due in January. Notably absent from invites were high-end scorers like Alex DeBrincat, while names such as Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Brayden Tkachuk are already positioned as core pieces. Coaching duties fall to Minnesota’s Bill Guerin and Mike Sullivan, and the event itself signals a careful balance of continuity and new voices as the US chases a deep, adaptable squad for the Winter Games in Italy.