Former Oiler Jack Roslovic signs contract with rival Canadian team
Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jack Roslovic signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday for $4 million AAV.
The Leafs helped create that price tag.
Per Chris Johnston, Roslovic lands a two-year, $8 million deal - nearly tripling the $1.5 million he eventually accepted from Edmonton in October 2025, after going unsigned through the entire summer.
Twelve months ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were identified as the frontrunner to sign him, and they passed.
Roslovic went to Edmonton on a prove-it deal instead, posted 21 goals and 36 points in 69 games for the Oilers, and returned to free agency as a verified 20-goal scorer.
The Leafs now get the player they wanted - at the price his season in their division earned him.
The cost of waiting a year
Roslovic signed with Edmonton on October 8, the second day of the NHL season, after no team would commit at any price through the summer.
The Maple Leafs and multiple others evaluated him at length and held off, costing themselves roughly $2.5 million per season in real money.
GM John Chayka wanted right-shooting centre depth, and Roslovic fills that role on a left-heavy roster.
The concern is that his 21 goals came on a contract-year deal where every shift carried professional stakes that no longer exist.
What the Leafs actually need him to do
His HockeyViz defensive rating sat eight percent below league average in Edmonton, and he produced zero goals in six postseason games.
Those numbers matter for a Toronto team that needs the third line to hold up in April, not just October.
At $1.5 million, Roslovic was a bargain. At $4 million, he needs to be the player the Leafs chose not to sign last July.
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