Oilers the right fit for Roslovic Former Jet providing much-needed secondary offence for team led by McDavid and Draisaitl By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 6:27 PM CST Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 Last Modified: 9:01 PM CST Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 Updates

There was a distinct tone in Jack Roslovic’s voice when he addressed reporters on Monday morning. Several of those reporters were there when the young and occasionally brash version of him made his debut for the Winnipeg Jets late in the 2016-17 campaign.

It was a mature tone from a player whose talent was never in question when the Jets drafted him 25th overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft — a high-scoring forward whose linemates in the United States National Development Team Program regularly included Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk.

Roslovic hasn’t quite blossomed into the second-line centre Jets’ amateur scouts projected him to be, though he’s never scored fewer than nine goals in a full season and twice reached 22 markers through his 10 seasons.

That total includes the current season, one in which Roslovic has been flourishing as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Going into Monday’s matchup at Canada Life Centre, Roslovic had already racked up 10 goals and 18 points in 26 games — incredible numbers for someone who didn’t sign with the Oilers until Oct. 7 and didn’t make his season debut until Oct. 14.

Missing training camp isn’t easy, so it wasn’t surprising Roslovic had no goals and one assist in his first seven games with his new team.

Since that time, Roslovic has been producing at an outstanding rate and shown some chemistry with Leon Draisaitl.

Roslovic’s blazing speed and finishing ability have made him a great fit on an Oilers team that has has made it to the Stanley Cup final in each of the past two seasons.

“The one thing I always (talked about) in joining this team was the opportunity,” said Roslovic. “To be able to have some scoring weight off you, just with some other guys picking up slack, it’s just a chance to help a good team get a couple of inches better. That’s what I’m trying to do and just trying to be a good complement, as I always have. To help push a great group (forward).”

Roslovic has more than done his part on that front, displaying the consistency that has held him back at times stops with the Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes and the Jets.

A two-time 22-goal scorer, Roslovic is well on his way to reaching (and likely eclipsing) that mark again with the Oilers, who inked him to a one-year, show-me contract worth US$1.5 million.

That Roslovic had to wait until October to sign a contract was a head-scratcher, since he is only 28 years old and coming off a 22-goal, 39-point season with the Hurricanes.

Roslovic — who has long been known for his remarkable fitness — worked hard back home in Ohio and ended up finding a deal that made plenty of sense for both parties.

“It’s definitely not what you think it is when you’re 20 years old,” said Roslovic. “It’s definitely a process that can be fun sometimes and not so fun for others. I think I was right about in the middle.”

Fair enough, but wasn’t it tough to stay patient when most of the spots in this annual game of musical chairs was already spoken for?

“The games don’t start until October anyway. Would I like to be done by July 1? Of course, but you’re put in positions where that’s just the way life goes sometimes,” said Roslovic, noting he left most of the heavy lifting to his agent, Justin Duberman. “Obviously, it’s your career, it’s your life, it’s your job. You definitely think about it and you definitely play GM in your head. For better or for worse. It’s just one of those things where you want to go somewhere that will be a good fit. You can help every team, but to be a good fit, to have a similar playing style. That is why I ended up coming (to the Oilers).”

The chance to join a team with Stanley Cup aspirations was an obvious bonus and Roslovic wasn’t the least bit concerned when the Oilers got off to a sluggish start to the season.

“I’ve played in the East, I didn’t usually watch how the Edmonton Oilers did in October,” said Roslovic. “But I saw every June that they were still playing and that’s really all that matters.”

Roslovic showed flashes of his potential during his four seasons with the Jets, at one point replacing Patrik Laine on the top power-play unit and occasionally taking turns at centre — though he was used primarily on the wing.

A restricted free agent in 2020 when he was dealt to his hometown Blue Jackets, Roslovic wasn’t happy with his role or playing time under then-head coach Paul Maurice.

Since then, he’s bounced up and down the lineup, ranging from first-line duty to fourth-line minutes and a few healthy scratches along the way.

Roslovic always maintained belief and it looks like he’s found the best version of himself — even if it’s taken a bit longer than he originally hoped.

“It’s just finding your role, too, almost. I’ve played on teams where I’ve had different positions and it’s been really clear here, which has been nice,” said Roslovic. “You have a job, you have a thing that you have to do and you have to do better than anyone else. It’s really good role identification that we have on this team. Guys know what needs to be done. It’s a little bit easier if you can figure out what that is. Through the first however many games that I’ve played, I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that. I’ve been able to just play. Let my skill shine through.”

That skill was evident to Jets defenceman Neal Pionk in the NCAA when he was suiting up for the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Roslovic was a smooth-skating freshman with the Miami University RedHawks.

“Yeah, I saw back in college when I played against him,” said Pionk. “You can see the first-round talent that he has. He’s still one of the best skaters I’ve played with to this day and after signing the deal that he’s signed, I’m really happy he is off to the start that he is.”

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has been impressed with Roslovic’s ability to integrate into the group.

“Jack has been a great addition,” said Knoblauch. “Of course, when you miss training camp, it’s going to take a little bit of a while to get your legs under you and find your game — and it did take him some time, but actually not that much time.

“For him to score at the rate he has been is pretty remarkable. The fact he’s been able to score quite regularly, that’s something our team needed — secondary scoring. That’s been the biggest boost for our team that he’s provided.”

winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe