Jack Roslovic is making the kind of impact in Toronto the Rangers once hoped they were buying.
A few seasons after his short, forgettable run in New York, the 30-year-old has found a much better fit with the Maple Leafs. Toronto signed Roslovic to a two-year, $8 million deal in July after he put together back-to-back 20-goal seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Through 15 games this season, he’s been one of the League’s nicest surprises.
The setup is simple enough: Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller has parked Roslovic next to captain Auston Matthews on the top line, and the chemistry has taken off. Hiller pointed to their shared background with USA Hockey’s national development team as a major reason the pairing clicked so quickly.
“I think in large part the relationship he has with Auston - I think that’s a really important part of it.”
That bond goes back to their National Team Development Program days, when Roslovic and Matthews played together for two seasons. In 2013-14, Roslovic, Matthews, and Matthew Tkachuk called themselves the “Superman Line”, borrowing the idea from quarterback Cam Newton’s touchdown celebration with the Carolina Panthers.
Now, the reunion is paying off in a much bigger setting. Matthews is fourth among all NHL skaters with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists), a strong start after last season’s career-low 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists). Roslovic has done his part, too.
He ranks third on the Maple Leafs with six goals and 15 assists, trailing only Matthews and William Nylander in both categories. He’s also on pace for 33 goals and 84 points, which would blow past his previous highs of 22 goals and 45 points.
Most of that damage has come recently. Roslovic had a goal and two assists in the Oct. 20 game against the Blue Jackets, and that kicked off a five-game point streak in which he’s produced three goals and nine points.
He also picked up added responsibility when Kirill Marchenko went week to week with a lower-body injury Monday. Roslovic moved onto Toronto’s top power-play unit in Marchenko’s place Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken and added a secondary assist on Gavin McKenna’s power-play goal in the second period.
The numbers back up what Toronto is seeing on the ice. Roslovic, Matthews, and Marchenko posted a team-best 72.3 percent expected-goal share in more than 61 minutes together, according to Money Puck. Hiller has also used McKenna, the 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick, and 2023 first-rounder Easton Cowan with Roslovic and Matthews, and both trios finished above a 55 percent expected-goal share.
Hiller said Roslovic has moved beyond being just a talented forward who pops up now and then.
“A few nights ago in Columbus, I said that was the best game I’ve ever seen him play,” Hiller said Saturday after a 7-2 win over the Oilers. “I’ve watched him play in the League many nights, and he’s been good, and some nights I didn’t notice him as much.
He’s really turned into an everyday player, every night. It’s just great to see.”
For the Maple Leafs, that kind of production matters. Toronto ranks fifth in the League at 3.73 goals per game, and while a stacked Atlantic Division will make life difficult, general manager John Chayka has plenty to like about his first offseason in Toronto - including the much improved version of Roslovic that the Rangers never got.
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