EDMONTON — There are two sides to each acquisition, and there are undoubtedly two sides — or extra — to the Nationwide Hockey League profession of Jack Roslovic.
He’s a gifted first-rounder whose NHL path — as he joins his fifth group in 9 NHL seasons — now shades in direction of journeyman standing.
He tied Sebastien Aho for the group lead in even power objectives (21) final season in Carolina, however come playoff time head coach Rod Brind’Amour made Roslovic a wholesome scratch for six of 15 post-season video games.
He completed third on the Canes in objectives (22) and sixth in factors (39), however Roslovic was additionally lifeless final in plus-minus at minus-10.
Roslovic, 28, skated with the Edmonton Oilers for the primary time at Friday’s apply, after signing a one-year, $1.5 million contract as a free agent this week. He’s anticipated to get into the lineup throughout subsequent week’s Jap street swing — however not Saturday night time versus the Vancouver Canucks.
“The theme of the day is alternative,” he advised the media upon his arrival. “A chance to win, a chance to play with nice gamers. I’ve been to the Convention Finals the final two years too. The hearth is in me too. I wish to win it.”
So we deliver you, Two Sides of a Signing — Jack Comes Again (To Western Canada).
• Roslovic was a primary spherical choose of the Winnipeg Jets for a motive: He’s quick, dedicated to health, has good dimension and has an above-average shot.
He has been described as a man who can choose up pace whereas not even striding, so clean is his gait. That slick stride has not taken him into the exhausting areas almost sufficient over a 526-game profession nevertheless, to persuade certainly one of his earlier 4 NHL groups to not transfer in a unique course sooner or later.
• Edmonton GM Stan Bowman referenced Roslovic’s worth as a five-on-five scorer, an space the place the Oilers can all the time use some assist. He had 21 even-strength tucks final season. As a comparable, Connor McDavid had 17.
In 9 playoff video games final spring, nevertheless, Roslovic had one purpose — on the ability play. In 16 video games through the Rangers playoff run two years in the past, Roslovic scored twice — each on the ability play.
So, in 45 NHL playoff video games, Roslovic has not scored an even-strength purpose.
Does his recreation vanish when the going will get powerful? The stats say “sure,” although the Oilers hope the reply is “no.”
• Ask round, and the scouting report on Roslovic is as said above — because the video games get tougher, his influence diminishes. The truth that Brind’Amour selected to switch Roslovic in his playoff lineup with the much-travelled Mark Jankowski — not often called a gritty participant himself — final spring is telling.
Roslovic bored with his lot in Winnipeg and was finally thrown in with Patrik Laine in a deal to his hometown Columbus Blue Jackets. Three seasons later the Jackets moved him to New York for a fourth-round choose.
The Rangers selected to let Roslovic stroll, and he signed as a free agent with Carolina. The Hurricanes got here to the identical conclusion as New York, and Roslovic ended up and not using a contract as the present NHL season started — 32 groups all taking a cross.
The excellent news? He couldn’t be extra extremely motivated to have an ideal season, on a one-year take care of Edmonton that features a no motion clause and a tiny four-team window of groups he could be traded to.
“The summer time is the summer time. We’re onwards and upwards,” mentioned Roslovic, who fired agent Claude Lemieux after going unsigned this summer time. “It’s an ideal to be in a spot the place you’re wished, the place they see a match.
“I’m conversant in Canada, conversant in the market, conversant in you (media) guys… To have a great probability to return right here and put our names on a trophy is large.”
