If any player was ever forced into a multi-year contract, it is the striker. Jack Roslovic. The 29-year-old has had to sign one-year ‘prove it’ deals in successive summers and is hoping this summer is the summer he will finally land a lucrative multi-year deal as a free agent. No one will feel sorry for Roslovic as he has made $14.7 million (per PuckPedia) over the past five seasons, and they won’t feel sorry for him when he hits this market, which is absolutely a market for rising-cap players with so few free agents. Roslovic may hit the UFA market at just the right time, having regained his value after betting on himself again.
We have already seen this film. However, after a strong season last summer, he was unable to find a long-term deal to his liking and agreed to a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers in October. His overall numbers dropped this season, but he played in just 69 games, scoring 21 goals and 15 assists while also having solid numbers. Roslovic isn’t much of a power play player and hasn’t been a regular penalty killer in several seasons, but his speed and puck control, along with his age (29), make him an intriguing player in free agency. He’s clearly not a star, but he’s a useful middle-six forward who could be a good replacement for a top-six player and can comfortably play on a striking third line.
On the other hand, the team needs to protect Roslovic from time to time, giving him the opportunity to start in the offensive zone, although he can use his speed to recover on defense when necessary. There’s also a knock against Roslovic: his year-to-year inconsistency. But after a 36-point season this year and a very productive season in Carolina in 2024-25 (22 goals and 39 points in 81 games), those concerns should be put aside. Roslovic also has multiple 20-plus goal seasons, which may be enough offensive output for general managers to look past his shortcomings if they need help in the middle six, especially for teams looking for speed.
In terms of contract, Roslovic’s three- or four-year deal will see him through to the end of his prime seasons, minimizing the risk for any interested parties. But it’s fair to wonder why he hasn’t received such a big contract as a free agent yet. The tools are there and some numbers back it up, but for some reason Roslovic has bounced around four teams in four seasons and hasn’t found a permanent home. This is certainly a concern for teams, along with the financial commitment of a player approaching 30 who has warts in his game.
Roslovic can fill any number of roles on an NHL team, and the league often rewards players who consistently do so, even if they never become stars. This adds another strange dynamic to Roslovic’s story, but for now it appears that Roslovic has reached the point in his career where he will finally get paid. After betting on himself twice with short-term deals, Roslovic may finally be able to cash in on the multi-year deal that has remained elusive until now. Much of this is not due to any incredible level of play, but rather to market forces related to the salary cap and the lack of successful UFAs. The rapidly rising salary cap has changed the market, and giving a guy like Roslovic $4 million or more per year isn’t as much of a hurdle as it was a few years ago.
So, what exactly can you expect from Roslovic? AFP Analytics is offering him a three-year contract worth $4.7 million per year, which seems plausible given the deals currently in place between pending UFAs and RFAs. Jack Drury just received five years and $4.5 million from the Nashville Predators as an RFA, and it’s not crazy to think Roslovic can surpass that amount in AAV. Drury is more of a defensive forward who has never scored 27 points in any NHL season, while Roslovic is more aggressive and has some goal-scoring ability.
AFP’s forecast could be close to correct, but it could also fall short, depending on how desperate NHL teams are for forward help. Many contracts have already been finalized at this point, and many have significantly exceeded AFP projections, including Drury’s contract, which was approximately $1.6 million above projections for the season. Whatever it takes Tony DeAngelo a few days ago I doubled my forecast, and forward Pavel Dorofeyev was projected to be $9 million per year and ended with a contract with the New York Rangers for $11 million per year. That doesn’t mean Roslovic will magically make $7 million or more per year, but it’s entirely possible he’ll beat AFP’s projection, making all the gambles made the previous summer worthwhile.