Jack Roslovic’s Role Is Growing in Edmonton - But What’s That Worth?
As the Edmonton Oilers hit the Olympic break, they’re looking more and more like a team built for a deep playoff run. With Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard leading the charge, and a veteran core featuring Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mattias Ekholm, and Darnell Nurse providing stability, the pieces are there. But every contender needs glue guys - players who can move up and down the lineup, fill multiple roles, and produce in key moments.
Enter Jack Roslovic.
Signed on the first night of the regular season, Roslovic has quietly carved out a meaningful role in Edmonton’s lineup. He’s on a team-friendly one-year deal at $1.5 million, with a limited no-trade clause that’s unlikely to come into play. And while he wasn’t brought in with major expectations, his versatility and scoring touch have turned heads.
So now the question becomes: is Roslovic part of the long-term puzzle in Edmonton?
A Swiss Army Knife with Speed
Roslovic’s game is built on his skating - NHL Edge data backs that up - and he’s got a sneaky-good shot to go with it. He’s also an underrated passer, averaging 24 assists per 82 games over his career. That combination makes him a natural fit in a lineup that values speed, skill, and adaptability.
But like many depth scorers, Roslovic can be streaky. He came out of the gates hot, putting up 18 points in 23 games through October and November.
Since December 1, though, he’s cooled off significantly, managing just six points in 22 games. That kind of inconsistency is part of the reason why he’s bounced around the lineup - and why projecting his future role isn’t so straightforward.
Still, there’s real value in what he brings. On a team like Edmonton, where Nugent-Hopkins is often asked to be in two places at once, having another player who can jump between wing and center is huge. If Roslovic can mirror that flexibility - playing top-line wing one night and anchoring the third line the next - he becomes a key chess piece for head coach Kris Knoblauch.
Measuring Up Against the Best
One way to gauge a player’s impact is by looking at how they perform against different levels of competition. According to Puck IQ, Roslovic has spent a significant chunk of the season going head-to-head with elite opponents. Among Edmonton forwards, only McDavid, Draisaitl, Vasily Podkolzin, and Nugent-Hopkins have logged more minutes against top-tier competition.
That’s partly because Roslovic has spent about 150 of those minutes alongside McDavid or Draisaitl, meaning he’s often been elevated when the Oilers need more speed or skill on the top lines. But even when he’s been away from the stars - playing against mid- and lower-tier competition - his possession numbers have hovered around 50 percent.
The issue? His lines haven’t consistently outscored opponents.
If Roslovic wants to lock down the third-line center role long-term, that scoring rate needs to improve. Edmonton’s bottom six has struggled to generate offense this season, and while Roslovic has been better than most in that group, the bar for a playoff-caliber third line is higher.
Chemistry Check: Who Does He Work With?
Drilling down into his five-on-five performance with different linemates gives us a clearer picture. Roslovic has had mixed results depending on who’s riding shotgun.
One notable outlier: his limited time with both McDavid and Draisaitl hasn’t produced much, though that’s likely more of a sample-size issue than a red flag. More encouraging are his earlier minutes with Draisaitl and Podkolzin, a trio that clicked and could be revisited down the stretch.
But maybe the most intriguing development has been Roslovic’s work with young wingers Matt Savoie, Ike Howard, and Josh Samanski. That line showed real promise, and if Roslovic can take on a mentoring role while still driving play, he brings even more value - think Marty Reasoner-type utility, but with more offensive upside.
It’s a small sample, sure, but it’s the kind of sample that makes you wonder what a full season in that role might look like.
What’s the Right Price?
Now comes the tricky part: the contract.
GM Stan Bowman has a decision to make. There’s enough evidence to justify bringing Roslovic back, but Edmonton has a history of overcommitting to mid-tier players - both in term and dollars.
The Trent Frederic deal (eight years, $3.85 million AAV) looms large as a cautionary tale. Year one hasn’t gone well, and the Oilers can’t afford another contract that ages poorly.
Roslovic just turned 29, and while he’s not showing signs of decline, the performance cliff can sneak up quickly for players on the wrong side of 30. A three-year deal in the $3 to $3.5 million range feels like a fair middle ground - shorter than Frederic’s deal, similar AAV, and reflective of Roslovic’s more prominent role in the lineup.
His ability to fill in for Nugent-Hopkins, sub in for Hyman during injuries, and potentially help guide the next wave of talent all add to his case. But Edmonton has to be careful. They need to reward the player without tying their hands if the production doesn’t hold.
Final Thoughts
Roslovic has quietly become an important piece of the Oilers’ puzzle. He’s not a star, but he’s a complementary scorer who can skate, pass, and fill multiple roles - all while showing flashes of chemistry with both veterans and prospects.
He’s also been one of the few bright spots in a bottom six that hasn’t delivered much this season. Away from McDavid and Draisaitl, Roslovic is averaging 1.56 goals-for per 60 minutes at five-on-five with a 41% goal share. That may not jump off the page, but it’s better than the rest of Edmonton’s third and fourth lines, which are sitting at 1.44 GF/60 and a 33% goal share without the big guns or Roslovic on the ice.
Is that worth a long-term deal? Not yet.
But it’s worth keeping an eye on. Bowman would be wise to wait until after the playoffs to make a final call.
If Roslovic’s current slump turns out to be just that - a slump - and he finishes strong, he could be exactly the kind of versatile, value-driven player the Oilers need to lock in for the next phase of their Cup chase.