Marco Rossi and Calen Addison went to Iowa on Sunday, but not to join the Wild's minor-league affiliate.
Calen Addison, Marco Rossi will make Wild roster out of camp
Nic Petan and Mason Shaw were placed on waivers and are ticketed to start the season at Iowa.
October 10, 2022 at 12:01AM
They'll return to the Twin Cities with the rest of the Wild after this team-building retreat is over because Rossi and Addison made the NHL roster after impressive auditions at training camp.
"It's a big honor for me," Rossi said. "I'm really excited."
Although their addition isn't surprising considering the Wild had room in their lineup for both players, each still had to warrant the promotion.
And they did just that.
Rossi, the ninth overall draft pick in 2020, led the league in preseason scoring with nine points in six games; his seven assists were also tops.
This achievement comes after Rossi was sidelined most of 2021 as he recovered from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that can be a complication from COVID-19.
"I'm really proud," the 21-year-old said.
Like Rossi, Addison spent most of last season in the American Hockey League, his second with Iowa after the Wild acquired the 22-year-old in the Jason Zucker trade with Pittsburgh in 2020.
An offensive defenseman, Addison contributed to a new-look power play that had seven goals in preseason action.
"It's obviously just a crazy feeling, something I've dreamt about forever," said Addison, who has switched to No. 2 from 59. "I want to be here for a long time and be a big part of this team. I feel like I earned it a lot this year and did everything I could coming in."
Nic Petan and Mason Shaw were also competing for a spot, but the forwards were placed on waivers so they could be assigned to Iowa.
The Wild are keeping an extra defenseman with Andrej Sustr the lone reinforcement. Jordan Greenway and Jon Merrill are recovering from injury and Dakota Mermis is hurt.
That leaves the Wild with 21 players ahead of the season and home opener on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center against the New York Rangers, a group that now officially includes Rossi and Addison.
"Both of them had the right attitude all through not only this preseason but last year in their development process in Iowa," coach Dean Evason said. "It allowed them to come back with the right mind-set to make our hockey club."
For the Wild, four points behind the league-leading Jets, this will be their most anticipated matchup against a division rival since they lost 2-1 to the Stars on Nov. 16.
