Jack Roslovic Latest: Maple Leafs Among 6 Teams in the Mix

Over a month into free agency, forward Jack Roslovic remains unsigned, but interest in the two-time 20-goal scorer hasn’t exactly dried up. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Roslovic has “five or six” teams still interested in potentially signing him. Among them is the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Roslovic, 28, just completed a 22-goal season with the Carolina Hurricanes. That matched his career high from the 2021-22 campaign. His game isn’t perfect, and he’s struggled with inconsistencies, but he remains the biggest name still available on the open market. In 526 career NHL games, he’s posted 260 points with the Jets, Blue Jackets, Rangers, and Hurricanes.

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So what is the hold-up, and why hasn’t one of these teams signed him to a deal?

Roslovic Doesn’t Want to “Be a Bargain” Signing

Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Roslovic may be holding out for a deal that doesn’t feel like a bargain for teams. Before free agency opened, he was projected to land a three-year deal worth around $3.5 million annually. That number is likely out of reach now, but he’s still expected to find a fit soon.

Toronto is one of the interested clubs, but cap constraints are an issue. With just under $2 million in cap space, the Leafs would need to move out a contract—possibly David Kämpf ($2.4M) or Calle Järnkrok ($2.1M)—to make room. They’ve been unable to find a taker on a trade so far. Kämpf was a healthy scratch during the playoffs, while Järnkrok returned from injury late in the year and played a depth role.

Even with recent additions like Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli, Toronto could still see Roslovic as a useful third-line scoring option. It’s not that the Leafs don’t want to sign the player, but with Roslovic uneasy about being seen as a discount addition and the Maple Leafs not in a position to spend without another move, things are on hold.

As for what other teams make up the five or six Friedman referred to, Vancouver was believed to have checked on him at one point. They have around $3.3 million in space.

Two teams to keep an eye on might be Anaheim and Nashville. The Ducks moved Trevor Zegras and have a mix of centers who can play wing. They are at 21 of 23 contracts signed and have plenty of cap space. The Predators are also at 21 of 23 contracts and have Fedor Svechkov slotted in as their third-line center. He’s got only eight NHL games on his resume.

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