Marco Rossi is not on the fourth line

Despite a recent line change, John Hynes indicated today that Rossi isn’t necessarily on the fourth line. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PAUL – When Wild head coach John Hynes put Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy on the top line with Joel Eriksson Ek, that line took off.

The switch opened the spot for a solid second scoring line with Marco Rossi centering Marcus Johansson and Mats Zuccarello. But that line only produced one goal in four games.

In the game against Vancouver, the Wild had so many 5-on-3 power plays that Rossi did not get much ice time so after the power plays expired, Hynes put the young rookie center on a line with Jake Lucchini and Vinni Lettieri and Rossi scored.

Since then, Hynes has kept Rossi with Lucchini and Lettieri and will for the third straight game tomorrow.

“Well, they scored two goals in two games as a line,” Hynes said when asked why Rossi is with Lucchini and Lettieri. “I think the line has an identity. I think that Marco is a fast player. I think when you look at Lucchini, he’s been really impressive to me. He’s playing fast, he’s tenacious, he’s on pucks, making plays and Vinni is doing the same thing. So I think when you put the three of those guys together, you could arguably say they’ve been our second most productive line. They’re quick, fast, tenacious, they’re turning plays, they’re checking pucks, they’re spending time in the offensive zone and they’re scoring. So I think there’s a clear-cut identity to that group.”

The first thought by many Wild fans was ‘Why did Rossi get demoted to the fourth line?’ But as Hynes said, this really isn’t the fourth line. It is basically their second line when you look at production. In two games of being together, they have scored two goals. So why change that?

You could say that Ryan Hartman hasn’t been playing good hockey recently and the same thing could be said for Johansson, but earlier in the year when those two played with Zuccarello they seemed to click. Plus with Rossi’s line scoring twice in the last two games, why change up a line that has been their second-best?

“You’re looking for different combinations all the time and I think when you make an in-game adjustment and you know, that line scored a huge goal for us. I thought they played well together. I think Lucchini and Lettieri have played really well. Whoever their centerman has been they’ve been very effective now since coming off the break. Then adding Marco on that, it’s three quick guys that right now is our second most productive line. You have Ekky’s [Eriksson Ek] line, you would arguably say that’s the first line, right? No one would argue that and then with the next three lines, it’s who’s producing and right now those guys [Rossi’s line] are producing the most.”

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