If the New Jersey Devils make just one more addition this offseason, it should be a center, and it should be free agent Jack Roslovic.
Roslovic, 28, curiously remains available on the open market a week after the opening of free agency on July 1, even after matching his career-high 22 goals and scoring 39 points in his lone season with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The former first-round pick has two 40-point seasons and two 20-goal seasons under his belt, as well as 45 games of playoff experience. The caveat?
In an offseason where Sam Bennett was expected to be the most highly sought-after free agent, Roslovic has just three career postseason goals to his name, one of which came against the Washington Capitals in Round 2 this year.
At his best, though? Roslovic scored two goals, six assists, and eight points in 16 games with the New York Rangers in their playoff run last season. For a bit part middle-six center, that's not all that bad, truthfully.
The Devils have seen enough of Roslovic to know what he'd bring to their team and how he plays; the 28-year-old has played exclusively in the Metropolitan Division since the 2020-21 season.
Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils did some tidy work to re-sign center Cody Glass, even if it did come at the last minute following a desperate push in negotiations.
Fitzgerald should know, however, that his team's depth, especially after the NHL trade deadline in March, was not nearly good enough last season. The Devils GM's priority should be bolstering the forward positions to ensure there is quality in the reserves, offering some semblance of protection against injuries to star players like Jack Hughes.
Veterans like Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown have been solid additions so far, but both players are wingers. To complete the trifecta, Fitzgerald and the Devils must consider inviting Roslovic to the party.
The longer he's available, the less likely he is to command a sizeable raise on his $2.8 million cap hit, and it helps that Roslovic is represented by former Devils icon and Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux, who also happens to represent Timo Meier.
How Jack Roslovic fits the New Jersey Devils
According to NHL EDGE, the one-time Ranger and Hurricane ranked in the 79th percentile in top skating speed amongst forwards, the 80th percentile in 22+ MPH bursts, the 84th percentile in 20-22 MPH bursts, and the 78th percentile in 18-20 MPH bursts.
Additionally, nine of Roslovic's 22 goals came from the high slot, but none came from the blue paint. That's fine, though, as the Devils need more efficient distance shooters who can provide secondary offense at a moment's notice.
Ten of Roslovic's 22 goals came from the low slot and bottom of the circles, for reference. And it helps that his 15.8% shooting percentage ranked in the 76th percentile
The only question with the speedster is his consistency; Roslovic had a shooting percentage no higher than 8.9% in either of the two previous seasons, and his 54.1% faceoff percentage trumps his previous single-season career-high (47.3%) by nearly 7%.
Roslovic's 2024-25 campaign - 22 goals, 15.8% shooting percentage, 39 points, and 54.1% faceoff percentage - shows what he can do in a depth role at his best. Can he do the same for the Devils, playing 13:49 a night as he did last season?
For the Devils, the potential reward should greatly outweigh the risk, and especially outweigh the alternatives of either doing nothing or missing out.
And with suitable options at the center position all but depleted at this point, the Devils are forced to turn to Roslovic, unless they're willing to pay an even greater price on the trade market.