Canucks 2025 NHL free agency target: Jack Roslovic

When it comes to publishing these sorts of articles, you may have noticed that we’re putting out a lot more Trade Targets than Free Agency Targets. That’s not without reason. While a great many players may or may not be available on the trade market this upcoming summer, we know for a fact that the UFA pool is a shallow one.

Not only is the pool shallow, but with the cap ceiling skyrocketing, one could say that the ‘water supply’ has been cranked up to firehose levels. The small handful of quality UFAs is about to get paid, and paid big, is what we’re saying, and that makes identifying reasonable targets for the not-exactly-cap-flush Vancouver Canucks all the more difficult.

There are no perfect solutions to be found in the Free Agent Frenzy for the Canucks. However, there are useful players to be found all the same, including one that the Vancouver front office has reportedly had their eyes on for some time: Jack Roslovic.

We first heard tell of the Canucks’ interest in Roslovic back when he was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were thought to be in pursuit of JT Miller, though nothing concrete ever materialized there.

Roslovic hit unrestricted free agency last summer, but the Canucks allocated most of their spending to Jake DeBrusk, which didn’t leave much left over to pursue Roslovic, even if they’d wanted to. Ultimately, he signed a one-year, $2.8 million deal with Carolina.

Then his name popped up throughout 2024/25 as talks between the Hurricanes and Canucks reportedly occurred over players like Miller, Elias Pettersson, and then, later, Brock Boeser.

Suffice it to say that there’s been enough smoke around Roslovic and the Canucks by now to suggest that there’s some genuine interest there. And with Vancouver in need of forwards and in possession of more cap space in this, Roslovic’s second consecutive summer of free agency, maybe it’s time to finally land him.

The Player

Usually, we start with the basic biographic stuff because that just makes sense. But with Roslovic, it’s also a list of his best features, at least as far as the Canucks are concerned.

He’s 28, stands 6’0” and 200 pounds, shoots right, and can play any forward position, including centre.

That’s more or less everything the Canucks are looking for in a forward acquisition this offseason.

And while Roslovic has never delivered any eye-popping offensive totals, what he does bring to the table is incredibly consistent offence.

For the past five seasons, Roslovic has either scored or been on pace for between 40 and 45 points. Some might see that as either ‘middle-six’ or perhaps ‘bottom-end second line’ production, but it’s production that can be counted on. Roslovic also has a penchant for delivering goals and assists in roughly equal measure, scoring as many as 22 goals in a single season, including in 2024/25. It should also be noted that only one of those goals, and two of his points, came on the power play, with the rest coming at even strength. Roslovic’s 21 even-strength goals tied Sebastian Aho for the team lead and ranked 42^nd in the NHL overall last year.

That consistent production even extends to the playoffs, where Roslovic has 12 points in 25 games over the past two postseasons.

Defensively speaking, Roslovic has a bit of a mixed reputation. His days in Columbus featured up-and-down results, but his analytic stats since coming to New York and then Carolina suggest that may have had more to do with the team around him.

With the Rangers and Hurricanes, Roslovic maintained a Corsi as high as 57.55% and controlled as many as 54.55% of the on-ice scoring chances. He didn’t kill penalties for the Hurricanes last year, but it’s something he’s done before. If he can’t be called a true two-way player, he’s at the very least proven he’s not a defensive liability.

The scouts say that Roslovic’s game runs through his quick skating and acceleration, traits that the Canucks have tended to look for in recent forward acquisitions. Occasionally, he’s drawn criticism for not using that speed to drive play, especially when he’s slotted into the centre position. It’s less of an issue when he’s on the wing.

One critique of Roslovic used to be that he was a little too ‘pass first,’ but those 21 even-strength goals suggest that’s something he’s gotten over since.

He may have also recently figured out faceoffs. After having never come close to a 50% rating, he ended up at 54.1% in 2024/25 – though, again, he did spend the majority of the season on the wing.

The Cost

Roslovic isn’t exactly a top-tier UFA, but in this market, anyone has the chance to be paid like one. The Canucks will hope to strike a deal with him that’s at least swallowable, even if a little sticker shock is inevitable.

The folks at AFP Analytics have projected a three-year, $4.094 million AAV contract for Roslovic. If that’s all it takes, it’s hard to imagine the Canucks having an issue with the price. That sounds like a contract that will essentially be league-average by the time the puck drops on the 2025/26 season. It also sounds like a lot less than, say, Pius Suter will sign for, and that’s who Roslovic would ostensibly be replacing on the Canucks roster.

That being said, we would not be at all surprised to see the bidding grow well beyond those numbers. The supply of UFAs is limited, Roslovic has size, skating, and a right shot on his side, and he’s coming off a great goal-scoring season. Those factors generally add up to a salary boost, and that’s to say nothing of the bidding wars that are expected to ensue with cap space abundant league-wide.

Here, the Canucks will need to set reasonable limits on what Roslovic is worth to them, and then try to stick to those guns. Keeping either the term or the salary under ‘five’ sounds like a worthy goal, whether it’s a realistic one or not.

The Fit

The Canucks need offence, and with Boeser departing, they specifically need goals. Even if the bidding on him gets a little out of whack, Roslovic seems to be one of the most cost-effective sources of goal-scoring available right now.

His ability to play all forward positions is definitely of specific interest to the Canucks, too. There’s been talk of moving Filip Chytil to the wing, so having a fellow wing/centre hybrid to platoon with him could be of benefit. Conversely, if the Canucks were to acquire a more definitive centre, then it’s easy enough to put Roslovic back on the wing – and maybe nice to have him there as backup to a smaller centre like, for example, Marco Rossi.

Heck, it’s maybe not even a bad idea to put someone on the wing of Elias Pettersson who can help him take faceoffs on his off-side.

In other words, there are fits all over the place for Roslovic throughout the Canucks’ potential top-nine. That says as much about the versatile Roslovic as it does the Canucks, and it may help explain why their interest in him has been so consistent over the years.

Almost as consistent as Jack Roslovic himself.