Jack Roslovic
Jack Roslovic is a first-line right wing on Auston Matthews's line and the second power-play unit, but the Leafs have not settled who stays on that line, and last week's results were poor.
Role
Daily Faceoff's line page (fetched 19 October, last updated 14:47 UTC that day) shows Roslovic at right wing on the Nylander, Matthews, Roslovic line. The same page has him on the second power-play unit with Cowan, Lettieri, Blankenburg and Rielly. Marchenko, Nylander, McKenna, Raddysh and Matthews are on the first unit. The NHL.com projected lineup for the 17 October game against the Islanders had him at left wing, in front of Matthews and Nylander, so sources differ on which side he plays. Last season's line of 151 TOI over 9 GP is all we hold on his ice time. I found no reported minutes for this season. The beat writers I found do not name a direct challenger for the spot. John Tavares was reported week to week on 17 October, which left Easton Cowan, Nick Paul and Kirill Marchenko on the second line.
He is a fast, right-shot forward who carries the puck and finishes, and he has a long history with Matthews from their USA Hockey development program days. He scored 21 goals last season with Edmonton. He has also reached 20 goals in consecutive seasons. He scored on the power play in the preseason finale. He is playing with Matthews and Nylander, and the Leafs gave him a two-year, $8 million contract to add speed and secondary scoring.
One Maple Leafs Hot Stove preview calls him streaky, not very physical, and a player who has never consistently driven a line. It says he has never had a positive five-on-five goal differential in a season. TSN's Mark Masters wrote in training camp that he still needed to prove he could handle the tough matchups Matthews's line draws. After the loss to the Islanders, The Hockey News reported that the Roslovic, Matthews, Nylander line had about a 16.5 percent expected-goals share and no high-danger chances. Coach Jim Hiller has said he wants the line to create offensive-zone time and not just play off the rush.
Where analysts split
The open question is whether Roslovic can hold the Matthews line, with its tough matchups, or whether Hiller reshuffles it. Training-camp coverage described Hiller taking a wait-and-see approach and said Roslovic still had to secure the job. Knies was on that line in camp and the Sept. 22 lineup, and he is not on it in the lines I read. I did not find reporting that says why. I also found no analyst arguing for a specific replacement.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at C
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Monday, and checks your lineup on the days you play.
Connect your league: 14 days free