On Tuesday, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic signed a two-year contract through 2023-24.
The Columbus native, 25, impressed in the second half of the 2021-22 season after Boone Jenner went down with an injury. Roslovic surged, flashing his potential and posting 14-11-25 in the final 32 games of the regular season, including 12-7-19 in 24 games after Jenner's injury.
It's possible that this small stretch of hockey allowed Roslovic to sign this contract, which will pay him $4M per season. Before that hot-streak, the pending RFA would have likely been a candidate for a qualifying offer, which could have meant a murkier future with the club.
Jack Roslovic, signed 2x$4M by CBJ, is a middle-six scoring forward who loves to carry the puck in transition and trade chances off the rush. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/UZJcHmJ4by
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 7, 2022
Instead, both the Blue Jackets and Roslovic are happy to sign a deal that, paradoxically, expires with him set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
#CBJ GM Jarmo Kekalainen, explaining the two-year term on Jack Roslovics contract extension, which takes him right up to free agency in 2024. pic.twitter.com/cJAcjyNCFJ
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) June 7, 2022
For the Blue Jackets, committing long-term to a player that has still struggled with consistency didn't make sense. Maintaining long-term cap flexibility was paramount, and the Blue Jackets remain one of the few teams in the NHL who truly lack a regrettable contract on their roster. From an on-ice standpoint, while Roslovic was great down the stretch, there are still genuine questions about the player. On a playoff-contending team, is he a center? If so, is he a top-six center? Remember, this is a player who has scored 0-5-5 in 20 career playoff games.
For Roslovic, the other side of the coin applies, too. Why lock yourself into a long-term contract if the best is yet to come? When Roslovic does hit UFA, he'll be a 27-year-old, in his prime player that could ring the bell on a contract that pays well over the current $4M AAV. Obviously, that's a gamble for him, but it's a reasonable argument. If the last half of the 2021-22 season is a sign of things to come, a $4M AAV is less than he would be able to earn at his best.
Jack Roslovic: "I think Im getting into the prime of my playing career and obviously I want to keep on growing. Its definitely not going to stop here. Its definitely encouraging, and its a great feeling to have knowing that I havent reached any sort of peak yet." #CBJ
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) June 7, 2022
This signing gives plenty of flexibility to both player and team alike. If the Blue Jackets have a surplus of forwards, which is certainly in the realm of possibility, they would be able to theoretically move on from Roslovic's reasonable (in terms of both cap hit and length) salary. If Roslovic plays himself into a new contract with the Blue Jackets, it's because he will have earned it, which bodes well for both him and the prospects of the organization. And if Rosloivc simply is on the verged of getting pushed out of the lineup in lieu of players like Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, Kirill Marchenko, and/or whoever they select with the upcoming #6/#12 picks in the NHL Draft, the Blue Jackets can simply let him walk in free agency.
A smart contract for the Blue Jackets, and a sensible bet for Roslovic.
