On May 12, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, Carolina Hurricanes players—defenseman Jac Slavin (74), center Jack Roslovich (96), goaltenders Frederick Andersen (31), and center Sebastian Ajo (20)—were seen celebrating their win over the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Nashville Predators’ underwhelming performance throughout the 2024-25 season has been largely attributed to their weak offense, as they scored only 212 goals compared to 266 the prior year. General Manager Barry Trotz has focused on bolstering the defense by bringing in free agent Nick Purvics and acquiring Nicholas Hague from Vegas, but significant gaps remain at center. The center position was further weakened after trading Colton Sisson, who notched 21 points last season, to the Golden Knights along with Jeremy Lauzon.
Currently, the Predators’ center options include Ryan O’Reilly, Fedel Svechkov, Eric Haura, and Michael McCarron. Together, O’Reilly, Svechkov, and McCarron tallied just 84 points last season, while Haura, acquired from New Jersey in June, contributed 21 points over 69 regular-season games and made one assist in five playoff contests. The free-agent market for centers has also been thin, losing prospects like Michael Granland, Andrew Mangearpan, and Pius Starr quickly.
Jack Roslovich emerges as a promising candidate for Nashville. In the 2024-25 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, Roslovich scored 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 81 games, including four points in nine playoff games. He demonstrated a strong faceoff win rate of 54.1% and a shooting percentage over 15%. The previous season, Roslovich split time between the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, scoring 31 points in 59 games and 8 points in 16 playoff games. Over nine NHL seasons and 526 games, he has accumulated 260 points and, at 28 years old, is younger than Predators’ current centers O’Reilly, Haula, and McCarron. Roslovich’s versatility as a 6-foot-1, 194-pound center/right winger who was a first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft adds to his appeal.
From a financial perspective, the Predators have sufficient salary cap space to offer Roslovich a contract in the $3 million to $4 million range, based on his current estimated cap hit of $10,116,039. While Roslovich is not a long-term solution and likely fits best as a third-line center, he could inject much-needed offensive strength. His signing would also allow young prospects like Brady Martin and David Edstrom more time to develop before making an NHL impact. Martin, the Predators’ fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is still playing in the OHL, and having Roslovich on the roster would buy more time for the 18-year-old to mature. Edstrom, 20, played in Sweden last season and briefly appeared in the AHL playoffs without scoring.
As Trotz aims to build a younger roster, Roslovich offers at least one season of valuable depth and insurance for the Predators without commanding a hefty salary, providing versatility in crucial positions.
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Fan Take: This potential signing is a key move for the Predators as they strive to reignite their offense and remain competitive. Hockey fans should watch closely because Roslovich’s presence could stabilize the team’s center position while giving rising stars the breathing room they need to grow.
