The NHL offseason might be entering its dog days, but the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t backing down in their pursuit of a key teammate for Auston Matthews. However, the Vancouver Canucks appear to be targeting the same player to support Elias Pettersson.
The 2025 unrestricted free agency was one with a relatively small demand. However, several franchises in the NHL showed interest in one name, who is still available.
After a strong year with the Carolina Hurricanes, forward Jack Roslovic emerged as one of the most sought-after talents in free agency. Still, the 28-year-old has taken his time before committing to a new organization. Now, as every team starts focusing on the 2025-26 NHL season, the Maple Leafs and Canucks look like the highest bidders to Roslovic. On that note, both organizations have recently learned what Roslovic and his camp are after in the skater’s next contract.
“[Roslovic’s] camp is looking for ideally a three year deal,” insider Cam Robinson reported during an appearance on the Sekeres and Price podcast. Whether such terms in his deal steer the Canucks or Leafs away remains to be seen.
Jack Roslovic #96 of the Carolina Hurricanes warms up prior to the game against the Ottawa Senators at Lenovo Center on December 13, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Taking a while
The length to which Roslovic’s UFA status has extended is surprising, though not entirely unexpected. As Robinson hinted, the former first-round selection imagined a new deal could take some time to be finished.
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“[Roslovic] was expecting this to take a while,” Robinson added about the UFA’s situation. “I’m not even 100% sure that [the Canucks have] put a solid offer in front of him yet.”
Close out the deal
The Canucks have reportedly led the race for Roslovic all summer, yet the organization in Vancity has yet to finalize a deal. As a result, Pettersson and the rest of the team are left anxiously waiting. Whether Vancouver is having second thoughts or is simply waiting to see how the rest of the market evolves remains unclear.
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Regardless of the reason behind the delay, the Canucks must stay alert, as Matthews’ Leafs could emerge from the shadows to pounce on their main offseason target. Moreover, there may be more potential suitors for Roslovic than just Toronto. If Vancouver has learned anything, it’s to never take other organizations for granted.
