3 Frontrunners for Jack Roslovic, Other Contenders Still Looking

Training camp is closing in and some free agents that should be on NHL teams have yet to sign. Jack Roslovic is one of them and is the top free agent forward left available for teams to add a 20-goal scorer last minute.

There is plenty of interest in the 28-year-old forward who finished with 22 goals and 39 points last season, one of the best seasons of his career. Frank Seravalli reported that "you've got your contenders that are sort of looking to see if Jack Roslovic is willing to bet on himself and take a short-term, short money deal. I don't think the door is 100% closed in Carolina, (Maple) Leafs, Canucks."

Roslovic put up those numbers on the Carolina Hurricanes last season and the team has lots of money to spend as a contender, but they have since added Nikolaj Ehlers and kept the rest of the forwards, filling the roster. Bringing in Roslovic, even for one year, would kick William Carrier, Tyson Jost, or Mark Jankowski off the roster and put another barrier in front of young players trying to break into the lineup in Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, and Justin Robidas. The Hurricanes haven't found a better use for their cap space yet, so it's not a bad plan to bolster early.

The Toronto Maple Leafs still have a bit of cap space to spend, but not nearly as much as Carolina. They are another contender in the East, with Mitch Marner or not. The depth hasn't looked better and Roslovic could add to that. The small problem is that Calle Jarnkrok or David Kampf would likely have to be traded in order for it to ideally play out. Toronto has been trying and nothing has come of it yet, but Rolsovic would look good and fit in well on the third line.

The Vancouver Canucks re-signed a couple of important players so as to not fall into the bottom of the league, but they are still not in a good place, especially not at center. Unless the team can swing a trade and pay up, the center of the ice isn't going to get better any other way in the short term other than bringing in Roslovic, who can play down the middle and do it pretty well. He isn't a sure fire second line center and seen as more of a middle-6 talent, but it would give the Canucks another option that they sorely need if they are healthy and would desperately need if Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, or Teddy Blueger got injured during the season. They have the cap space after trading Dakota Joshua to the Maple Leafs.

Other contenders like the New York Rangers or Colorado Avalanche could use a forward like Roslovic too and there may be others who pop up in rumors if he remains unsigned any longer. One thing is certain, he will sign and play in the NHL this season with a team who should be headed to the playoffs.