Second center: Jack Roslovic’s intriguing candidacy

At the Canadiens, there’s more of a feeling that management has completed its summer work and is already looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, rather than the off-season.

Especially since we’re running out of places (if everyone’s healthy)

Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky
Bolduc – Dach – Demidov
Gallagher – Evans – Anderson
Laine – Veleno – Newhook
Blais – Kapanen

Guhle – Dobson
Hutson – Struble
Matheson – Carrier
Xhekaj

Montembeault
Dobes or Kahkonen

Maybe Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes can find a way to complete a 1 v. 1deal before the season opens..

But as far as the free agent market is concerned, I really think the shopping is over. In any case, it’s not as if there are many interesting options left on the market..

The nine unrestricted free agents still without a contract are as follows:

Maybe if we stretched the rubber band, we could see Pat Maroon or Jack Roslovic fill unfulfilled needs (toughness and top-nine center), but we’d be talking about D or E options here . Not sure the Habs would want to spend on such options..

But then, Pat Maroon let it be known last winter that the 2024-25 season would be his last in the NHL. He didn’t even make the Blackhawks’ last road trip. I don’t think a one-year offer from the Habs would change his mind. #Retirement

As for Jack Roslovic, his case is intriguing.

He collected 39 points (including 22 goals) in 81 games last year in Carolina, all while playing virtually no powerplay. Roslovic scored only two of his 39 points on the power play in 2024-25.

He also won 54.1% of his face-offs, a career-high.

All this while playing less than 14 minutes per game..

Why is he still free as a bird? Why has he made three teams in two years? The fact that he’s only given away 14 body checks in 81 games probably has something to do with it. Only 16 forwards gave up fewer hits per 60 minutes than Roslovic in the entire NHL in 2024-25!

What’s more, Roslovic is right-handed and the Habs are looking for a left-handed center. We already have Suzuki, Dach and Evans on the right.

Conclusion: the second-center position probably won’t be filled externally this summer. We may once again have to go with Newhook, Dach, Evans and some depth guys to try to survive.

Let’s hope Nick “Iron Man” Suzuki doesn’t get injured..