What If There’s More to the Maple Leafs Jack Roslovic?

Some things in hockey seem to become accepted as fact before anyone has actually tested them. Jack Roslovic isn’t a top-six forward. At least, that was the argument made in a post by Maple Leafs Hot Stove today. The point wasn’t that Roslovic wasn’t talented, but that he couldn’t sustain his production. That’s why he’s been moved around NHL teams over the past while.

Okay. Maybe the analyst is right. I’m not saying I’m any smarter about Roslovic than he is. But what if he’s wrong?

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There Are Reasons Maple Leafs Coach Jim Hiller Has Matthews and Roslovic Together

The Maple Leafs’ line choices make sense when you look at the familiarity. Matthews has played with Roslovic before, and Knies already knows what it’s like to skate beside Matthews. Tavares and Nylander have built chemistry over the years, and McKenna gets a talented duo without being thrown into the top line right away.

There’s some logic there. But, beyond the logic, I still wonder if Toronto is playing it a little too safe by assuming we already know exactly what Roslovic is. He hasn’t played a regular-season shift on Toronto’s top line this season.

Maybe Toronto Is the Right Place for Roslovic

Roslovic has played for six teams before turning 30, so it’s not as though the league hasn’t had plenty of chances to figure him out. And there are reasons for the uncertainty. There are nights when you see the speed, skill and creativity. Then there are stretches when he seems to disappear. His five-on-five impact hasn’t always been consistent.

But here’s where my mind went. Michael Bunting. When Bunting arrived in Toronto for his rookie season, nobody knew exactly what he’d become. He had to make himself useful. And he did.

He went to the net. He battled for loose pucks. He drew penalties. He created space. He made life a little easier for the stars playing beside him. Bunting didn’t have to be the best player on the line. He just had to make the line better.

Roslovic isn’t Bunting. He doesn’t play the same game, and I don’t think anybody should expect him to suddenly turn into that player. But maybe that’s not the point. What if Roslovic can use his speed, make quick plays, support Matthews and stay engaged without the puck? What if playing with Matthews gives him the confidence and consistency he hasn’t found elsewhere?

That’s the experiment I’d like to see.

Maybe We Shouldn’t Decide Too Quickly on a Line’s Production

There is a legitimate concern about Toronto’s top six. There is plenty of skill there, but playoff hockey isn’t played on a skill-only spreadsheet. Somebody has to forecheck. Somebody has to win a battle along the boards. Somebody has to get the puck back.

Maybe that’s where Nick Paul or Easton Cowan eventually becomes interesting. But for now, I’d let Roslovic have his chance. We already know the argument against him. We’ve heard it. I’m more interested in finding out whether it is actually true.

Maybe Roslovic isn’t a top-six forward. Or maybe Toronto has finally found the right situation for him to become one. Sometimes the player isn’t different. Sometimes the situation is.

Related: Maple Leafs Need Matthews and Bobrovsky to Make Each Other Better