While many of the significant unrestricted free agents in the NHL have already signed contracts, there are still several players seeking teams for the upcoming season.
Among the top unsigned forwards is Jack Roslovic. It appears multiple teams are interested in the 28-year-old, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to recent reports.
Sources indicate the connection makes sense due to Roslovic`s past history with Auston Matthews, as they played together on the U.S. national development team. Roslovic is also a right-handed shot and a veteran player, which could appeal to Toronto.
Roslovic is coming off a productive season with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he scored 22 goals and totaled 39 points over 81 games.
However, he struggled to maintain a consistent spot in the Hurricanes` lineup during the playoffs, which may have affected his value heading into free agency.
Toronto possesses the necessary salary cap space to sign Roslovic, particularly if he is open to a contract similar to the one-year, $2.8 million deal he had with Carolina last season.
Nevertheless, one potential obstacle is slowing down the Maple Leafs` ability to add a player like Roslovic. This same issue reportedly influenced Andrew Mangiapane`s decision to sign with the Edmonton Oilers despite Toronto`s interest.
Reports suggest the Maple Leafs indicated they needed to move some players to create space, and Mangiapane wasn`t willing to wait. So far, it seems Roslovic is patiently waiting. Potential players Toronto might look to trade include David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok.
Other teams reportedly showing interest in the Columbus native Roslovic include the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, and Buffalo Sabres.
Oilers Faced Pressure to Sign Bouchard
Shifting focus, the Edmonton Oilers knew that signing defenseman Evan Bouchard was a key off-season priority. However, it appears their timeline for getting a deal done was accelerated.
According to reports, the threat of an offer sheet from another team pushed general manager Stan Bowman to quickly finalize a four-year contract with the 25-year-old defenseman, valued at $10.5 million per season.
It`s been indicated that the Carolina Hurricanes were the team considering an offer sheet for Bouchard. While expectations were that Bouchard`s contract might land around four years and $9.5 million annually, his arbitration case could have potentially resulted in a $10 million figure. The Hurricanes` perceived interest likely drove the final contract value up to $10.5 million per season.
After missing out on Bouchard, Carolina reportedly pivoted their attention to K`Andre Miller of the New York Rangers. The Rangers were aware of Carolina`s interest and subsequently secured a deal with Miller that was structured quite similarly to what an offer sheet might have presented.