It's a new month, but the same two names have continued to circle the Vancouver Canucks. Unrestricted free agent Jack Roslovic and Minnesota's as-yet-unsigned Marco Rossi have the Canucks' attention, and aren't all that subtle about it. Getting either one will be a challenge, but neither option has been shut down yet.
Before the Vancouver Canucks moved Dakota Joshua, the question about either possible acquisition came down to money. Having too many players on the roster is never a problem - the waiver wire exists for a reason - but paying for them is. The increased salary cap allowed teams to retain their own free agents because, ultimately, no manager wants to take risks. Sucks, but there it is.
The Canucks know full well what their weakness is. The centre depth isn't there, even if Elias Pettersson does bounce back and Filip Chytil stays healthy. Frankly, Chytil's health is a bigger concern than Pettersson's skill. But if both of those pull through, then any pressure Vancouver at centre feels is immediately dispelled. But until then? We just don't know.
Roslovic being an unrestricted free agent should make it simpler to sign him, right? Kind of. He only played 59 games in 2023-24, moving between Columbus and the Rangers. It wasn't a great season, even with increased ice time and expectations. He still took a haircut on what was a $4 million per season deal to sign on with Carolina for one year at $2.8 million last season.
He had a minor bounce-back with Manhattan and will undoubtedly want to push his salary back up to its former high. No way the Canucks could fit anything like that into their budget before Joshua's trade. And now they have the money.
Rossi has far more to bring to Vancouver if they can get him. A lot younger, more skilled, and has played in a top-six role without losing the spot, unlike Roslovic. Until the playoffs, that is. Rossi played seven minutes a game less than he did in the regular season. Roslovic kept his ice with Carolina, but that was on the third line anyway.
Rossi is no doubt looking for a lot more money than Roslovic. For good reason, given his skillset. He has already turned down 5 years at $5 million from Minnesota, as well as a shorter deal for less. A four-year deal might do it, but teams aren't big fans of walking players right to free agency. Vancouver only has $3.27 million in cap space, so expect another player moving out if that happens.
The Canucks need to add some skill to the roster, ideally before the season gets going. The preseason isn't exactly an important deadline, but you still want to know who your teammates are, give or take one or two. Rossi's still under the Wild's control, and they will use all the time they have to get his name on a contract. They don't want to lose him, and he won't come cheaply. By all reports, the Canucks offered the 2025 15th overall pick, and that wasn't enough.
Roslovic only has to be talked into coming to Vancouver. No trade needed, no loss of assets, and no negotiations with other teams. Will he play for $3,25 million per season? Maybe. That's not a bad price for a middle-six centre who can fit the role well. If he's pulling 14 minutes a night, and he can add 40 points per, then the Canucks will be happy to pay that.
The tricky thing about that is it may not be what he wants. If he expects to play a second-line role, then he's going to ask for more. And he might not be able to do that. Last season, he didn't get much ice time with Carolina, but they had more depth than Vancouver does now, assuming Chytil is out for any time.
But that doesn't tell what Roslovic is capable of. He has played a large role on both the power play and shorthanded in his career, and that versatility is never a bad thing. If he does find himself unable to break free of the bottom six, he can still get increased ice time on special teams.
Decent size (6'1", 200 lbs) and decent finish (twice hitting 22 goals in a season) combine with good speed to possibly give the Canucks an all-around useful player at a price they can afford. The problem with that is that they have options in the bottom six, and lots of them. Aatu Räty, Teddy Blueger, and Linus Karlsson are all there and waiting.
If the Canucks pick up Roslovic, he'll get his chance in a classic middle-six role. But he won't be adding much to the top of the lineup.
The talk around Vancouver needing a centre usually focuses on one thing: size. Pettersson only scoring 45 points isn't a real fear, but whether Chytil can play behind him is. Chytil has good size and loads of skill, but has yet to break through. He's also only 25 years old, so if he's going to reach his potential, it'll be soon. He's also 6'3" and 210 pounds, and that's always a selling point for coaches.
Pettersson is 6'2", but still a slender 185 pounds. He's improved his strength over the years, but physics still dictates who gets bounced when two players meet. And a mark against Rossi is his 5'9" height. On the other hand, he weighs a solid 195 pounds and has no fear of the front of the net.
Rossi also scored 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games last year. The year before, he made the All-Rookie team with 21 goals and 40 points. With those numbers, there will be a lot that a team can overlook, including being five inches shorter than they might want. Fair to say that he's recovered completely from the COVID attack that saw him fail his physical the first time he tried to enter the NHL.
If the five-year deal didn't convince him to sign with Minnesota, what can the Canucks offer? The cap space they currently have isn't enough, obviously. A player is going to have to go before they can give him an offer he'll agree to. That means Nils Höglander, as he's the only one who doesn't have trade restrictions or a new contract. Maybe a different player moves, but it's hard to see who else fits the bill.
It would be the most convenient deal if Minnesota took a suitable player along with the draft picks or prospects or whatever completes the trade. But they've already turned down that first-round pick, and who knows where Vancouver will finish this season. Will the pick work for the much-hyped 2026 draft, compared to the weaker 2025 one? And do the Canucks want to risk that cost?
If it's an option, Vancouver should bring in Rossi. He's young, talented, and apparently durable, having played every game in the past two seasons. He is a very good skater, has a high hockey IQ, can score, can pass, and works the front of the net. He's a centre as well, though left-handed instead of right.
Vancouver has plenty of talent at the bottom of the lineup. There are players pushing for space coming up from Abbotsford, and the depth there can pay off. But they aren't getting anywhere near the top line, and they won't get many chances at the top six. If they want to meaningfully improve, it will need to be from someone coming in at the top of the lineup, pushing players down.
Roslovic wouldn't be a bad addition, but getting him keeps the Canucks hopeful that someone can rise to the occasion. If they manage to sign him, it may even work. But it's not exactly the big swing the team and the fans want.
