The Columbus Blue Jackets have gotten off to a solid start.
Their 7-3-0 record ties their best start in franchise history. The games have been entertaining, too, as we've seen stellar goaltending, team efforts, and individual scoring performances. A lot of people would take seven wins in the first 10 games to start the year, all while juggling lineups to find chemistry, like any good team must do.
While there hasn't been much to worry about so far, outside of Patrik Laine's oblique injury, there's one player that hasn't gotten off to the start he hoped for.
Jack Roslovic made quite the impression last season when the Columbus kid came home as part of the haul for Pierre-Luc Dubois. With 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) Roslovic finished tied for second (Cam Atkinson) on the team for points. That was without playing in the preseason, coupled with the early-season trade, and he did so while playing 48 of the 56 games in a COVID-shortened season.
The 12 goals tied his career-best, set the year before in 2019-20 in 71 games. Whatever the motivation or luck or reason behind the success last season, it's not clicking just yet on the scoresheet for the 24-year-old, as he only has three assists at the outset of 2021-22.
Last season's scoring success aside, one element of Roslovic's game that needed improvement was his defensive play. Particularly at the center position, and especially if he's going to play top-six minutes on a nightly basis against the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nicklas Backstrom, and so many other great talents in the Metropolitan Division.
The seeds were planted for Roslovic this past summer: Working on his defense and positioning with former Blue Jackets center and new assistant coach Mark Letestu in the offseason. There's also added familiarity with new Blue Jackets associate coach Pascal Vincent from their Winnipeg Jets days.
Despite the slow start, there have been positive underlying numbers to Roslovic's game.
His 51.3% face-off percentage is up from 39.1% last season, but that's while averaging 12:42 ice time, down from 16:54 last season. Roslovic's CF% (53.55) is second on the team behind Oliver Bjorkstrand (54.61) and he has an xGF of 4.17 per Natural Stat Trick.
Is he just not getting the opportunities thus far?
That's at last one indicator, per first-year coach Brad Larsen in The Athletic.
"We talk about the internal push," Larsen said. "Some guys have pushed really hard and taken some of his ice time at this point. With Jack, it’s not an effort thing. I think Jack’s trying, but some guys are maybe bringing a little bit more."
Is he pressing a bit offensively now that he's trying to overcorrect for his defensive tendencies?
Jarmo Kekalainen seemed to hint toward that.
"Jack has an opportunity to get a lot more done offensively," Kekalainen said. "He’s working hard on both sides of the puck to be responsible, be reliable, and sometimes that can take away from offense a little bit.
“He’s working on it. I’m not concerned.”
Line chemistry is a constant all good teams must tinker with. Atkinson was one of Roslovic's primary linemates from last season, and he's of course with the Philadelphia Flyers now. Though he hasn't skated a ton with Patrik Laine and Max Domi this season, both are veterans whom Roslovic has familiarity with, and are currently out of the lineup.
We talk about other players getting larger opportunities like Yegor Chinakhov, and perhaps his emergence opens an opportunity for Roslovic. Or perhaps like Chinakhov, Roslovic might find opportunity and success on a line very soon.
It's key to note that 10 games is a small sample size and there's no reason to think Roslovic won't turn it on soon. Maybe even Friday at home against the Washington Capitals, whom he has faced six times in his career but has just three points—all assists, which is the same as his 2021-22 stat line.
While Roslovic has been utilized more as a role player in the past, he came into this season with more expectations thrust upon him. Let's reassess over the next 10 games and see if Roslovic has turned a corner before starting to panic.
