Maple Leafs Miss Out on Jack Roslovic to Western Conference Rival
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs could have certainly used Jack Roslovic for their top-six but will need to move on after the veteran signed a deal with the Edmonton Oilers.
It was revealed during the second intermission between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, that the Edmonton Oilers were in the process of getting a deal done with free agent forward Jack Roslovic.
Well only a few short hours after that comment from Friedman did the team come back with an official announcement: Jack Roslovic is now an Edmonton Oiler.
The forward signed a one-year, $1.5-million deal, which is a far cry from the multi-year deal he was looking for earlier, and at $3-million at least per season.
It's also interesting to note that Roslovic earlier rejected a contract from the Oilers, but with his back essentially against the wall and still desiring an NHL job this season, he relented and signed with Edmonton.
However it could work out great for him, as they are a perennial contender, with Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm recently locked up, and if he can pull off a Jeff Skinner-esque performance; it's money well spent.
Roslovic, 28, scored 22 goals and had 39 points in 81 games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season; he was drafted 25th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2015.
For his career, Roslovic has 260 points in 526 games (102 goals, 158 assists) as well as a modest 17 points in 45 playoff games (3 goals, 14 assists).
What Jack Roslovic's Decision Means for the Maple Leafs' Forward Search
For the Toronto Maple Leafs however, it finally puts an end to the 'will he, won't he' debate regarding Roslovic.
The team was heavily linked to the forward and all seemed to go in their favor, but weeks of silence and the team moving on seemed to end that potential union.
But now their focus shifts towards getting someone else, and could have the perfect targets out in sunny California, where the San Jose Sharks are looking to dump off some players after acquiring a ton of dead cap in the offseason.
Guys like Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Skinner could provide a solid presence up front at a reasonable cost, and the two teams have been known to do a lot of business together in recent times.
There's already a logjam with Toronto's forwards, however there's no doubt that Roslovic would have fit in somewhere.
For now though, they'll have to look elsewhere as Connor McDavid earned himself another offensive weapon to deploy as he looks to get Edmonton past their Stanley Cup Finals demons.
Third time's the charm, right?
