Doesn't sound like Jack Roslovic will land a contract with Vancouver Canucks

It doesn’t sound like the Vancouver Canucks will be signing free-agent Jack Roslovic.

Despite being the best free-agent centre on the board for over a month, Roslovic continues to remain without a contract. The 28-year-old forward scored 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season.

The Canucks seemed to be one of the teams leading the charge to sign Roslovic, as they’re in need of a centre. While Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Teddy Blueger are all locks to crack the roster, there is one centre position that remains up for grabs — on the second or third line. That seemingly made Roslovic a good option, though according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic, the Canucks have “cooled significantly” on signing him.

According to Drance, the Canucks don’t view Roslovic, or anyone remaining on the free-agent market for that matter, as the answer when it comes to addressing their centre depth. It sounds as though the Canucks may be interested in instead addressing the issue via trade, though Drance notes that they may “have to wait until closer to Canadian Thanksgiving.”

It seems that at this time, the Canucks are banking on prospect Aatu Räty to step up and become a regular down the middle this coming season. The 22-year-old took a big step in the AHL in 2024-25, scoring 17 goals and 40 points in just 43 games. He also suited up for 33 games with the Canucks, where he managed seven goals and 11 points.

There’s no denying Roslovic’s offensive talent, but some view him as a better winger than a centre. You could still make the argument that he would work as a stopgap for the next year or two, though. Without Roslovic, the Canucks are not only hoping Räty can make the jump, but are banking on Chytil staying healthy. Chytil, 25, has a well-documented history of concussion issues.

While it remains to be seen whether or not the Canucks can find a trading partner ahead of the 2025-26 season, it appears as though they will not be looking to solve their centre issue via free agency.

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