The Edmonton Oilers lost in a shootout to the Calgary Flames in the first game of their season. Reinforcements for the Oilers are already coming, though, as the team has signed Jack Roslovic to a one-year deal. This should be a pact that pleases the Oilers fan base and helps the team.
The Oilers are coming off back-to-back losses in the Stanley Cup Final and look to lift the Cup this year. Regardless, they lost some pieces from last season. Corey Perry signed with the Los Angeles Kings, while Jeff Skinner is now a San Jose Shark. Skinner was joined by John Klingberg in San Jose, and Connor Brown signed with the New Jersey Devils. The team still has role players to fill. One of those will be Roslovic.
He was the No. 25 overall selection in the 2015 NHL draft by the Winnipeg Jets. After a year playing in the college ranks at Miami (OH), Roslovic joined the franchise in 2016-17, primarily playing with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. He did get into an NHL game that year.
Roslovic played with the Jets through the 2019-20 season before moving to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 2023-24, he played 40 games with the Jackets before they traded him to the New York Rangers. After that, as a free agent, he signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 2024-25 season.
Jack Roslovic contract grade
Roslovic has bounced around the league, rarely having sustained success. He had two solid seasons with the Blue Jackets. In 2021-22, he played in 81 games, finding the back of the net 22 times with 23 assists. That gave him a career high of 45 points. The next season, he played in 77 games, beating the goaltender 11 times and adding 33 helpers for 44 points.
Still, after being traded from the Blue Jackets to the Rangers, Roslovic signed as a free agent with the Hurricanes. He was great with the Canes. In 81 games, he found the back of the net 22 times while adding 17 assists. This led to the expectation that Roslovic could find a long-term contract somewhere.
Roslovic was speculated to go to multiple places, but the contract never came. It has been rumored that the forward was looking for a long-term contract and one that paid him well. Roslovic has previously signed a two-year deal worth $4 million in AAV with Columbus and then a $2.8 million contract for one year with the Hurricanes. He did not get nearly that money on this deal, and now he is on a contract that requires him to prove his worth with the Oilers.
The former first-round pick took a pay cut, did not get a long-term deal, and now has to prove he commands a larger salary. He did sign with a contender, but this was still a miss for his camp.
Jack Roslovic contract grade: C-
Edmonton Oilers contract grade
While Roslovic did not get what he wanted, the Oilers may have gotten a steal. For comparison, the New Jersey Devils just signed former Oiler Connor Brown to a four-year deal with a $3 million AAV. While the Devils got a longer deal for Brown, it was at double the price. The former Oiler played two seasons in Edmonton. In the first year, he totaled just 12 points but rebounded to 30 points in his second season.
Meanwhile, Roslovic has compiled 30 or more points in five straight campaigns. He is getting paid just above the amount of Kasperi Kapanen, who has not put together a 30-point campaign since the 2021-22 season.
The forward is currently expected to fill a bottom-six role for the Oilers but is also expected to compete for a top-six position with Zach Hyman still out of the lineup. Regardless, his comparative play this year would suggest a bottom-six forward.
There is one concern for the Oilers, though. The Hurricanes played in 15 postseason games in 2024-25. Still, the team dressed Roslovic for just nine of them. He accumulated one goal and three assists in those nine games but did not play in the final games of the series with the Florida Panthers.
This may have been a coaching decision, and potentially an incorrect one. For an Oilers team looking to win the Cup this year, they need playoff performers. Roslovic has yet to show he can be that, scoring just 17 points in 45 playoff games in his career. If he can surprise the team in the playoffs, this will be a steal. If not, this should still be a solid contract that carries very little risk.
Edmonton Oilers contract grade: B+
