While nobody would claim that there is a true “replacement” for talented Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov available on the current roster, Marco Rossi is certainly doing a nice job of keeping the seat warm while fans patiently await the return of their Russian superstar. On Monday, Rossi was named the NHL’s first star of the week for his on-ice work after the Austrian led the league offensively with eight points (three goals, five assists) in three games last week. His points have been not only important but also timely, like his game-tying goal in the third period of an eventual 4-3 shootout win in Washington on Jan. 2, or his career-best four points, assisting on all of his team’s goals, in their 4-0 win in Carolina on Saturday. Rossi, 23, was picked in the first round, ninth overall, by the Wild in the 2020 NHL Draft, after playing two seasons of major junior hockey in Canada. While loving the points that he is producing, the Minnesota coaching staff is seeing an all-around game as Rossi spends just his second full season in the NHL. “He’s playing really well and I think as I said earlier, obviously he’s getting his points but he’s strong in the faceoff circle. He’s playing against other teams’ top lines on the road. He’s competitive. He’s making plays. He’s defensively responsible,” Wild coach John Hynes said after perhaps the team’s most decisive win of the season versus the Hurricanes. “His game’s in good order, but it’s nice to see the growth with him of just being able to play a strong two-way game regardless of who he’s playing with and regardless of who he’s playing against.” Centering the team’s top line between Mats Zuccarello and Matt Boldy, the trio has clearly found some chemistry that is paying off, as the Wild have won five of their last six heading into Tuesday’s meeting with St. Louis in St. Paul. Zuccarello joked that he instructed Rossi to play more of a set-up role before they faced Carolina, and it worked. “Yeah, today the puck went in. We made some good plays,” said Zuccarello, after Rossi set him up for two goals. “Told Marco this morning, ‘start passing the puck and stop taking all the glory and just see what happens.’” Manpower update Zuccarello sat out Monday’s practice because of an illness. Forward Freddie Gaudreau started practice but left the ice early as he was feeling under the weather as well. “Stomach wasn’t feeling good,” Hynes said. “So yeah, (Gaudreau) and Zucc are sickness-related.” Defenseman Zach Bogosian had a maintenance day and did not skate Monday. Kaprizov remains out of the lineup with a lower-body injury and has not yet resumed skating, according to Hynes. The good news was the return to the ice of forward Jakub Lauko and defenseman Jake Middleton, both of whom missed much of December. Hynes said Middleton could return to game action as early as the St. Louis game Tuesday. “(Midddleton), we will see how he responded to this, whether he would be available for the next game or two,” Hynes said. “(Lauko), I think this was his first, like, real practice type of thing. So, I don’t know the exact timeline of him other than he’s nearing pretty quick. I would say Middsy is imminent. Whether that’s tomorrow or not, not sure.” Related Articles Minnesota Wild | Filip Gustavsson has a chilly night keeping the Hurricanes quiet Minnesota Wild | Tobacco Road romp for Wild, who stifle Carolina start to finish Minnesota Wild | Patience and pasta the keys as Ryan Hartman snaps lengthy goal drought Minnesota Wild | Patience pays off for Wild blue line prospect Carson Lambos Minnesota Wild | Wild mastery on the road continues in comeback win over Caps