Playoff Victory for the Carolina Hurricanes
Date: May 12, 2025
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
The Carolina Hurricanes secured a significant playoff victory over the Washington Capitals in game four of the Stanley Cup’s second round, highlighted by a collective celebration from players including defenseman Jaccob Slavin and forwards Jack Roslovic, Sebastian Aho, and goaltender Frederik Andersen.
Challenges for the Nashville Predators
In contrast, the Nashville Predators faced considerable challenges during the 2024-25 season, largely attributed to a severe lack of offensive production. The team found themselves near the bottom of the league, recording just 212 goals, a stark decline from the previous season’s tally of 266.
Predators General Manager Barry Trotz took steps to bolster the defense by signing free agent Nick Perbix and trading for Nicolas Hague from the Vegas Golden Knights, but the team remains in dire need of centers following the departure of Colton Sissons to Vegas as part of the Hague trade.
Searching for Center Options
With Sissons contributing 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists) last season, his absence has left Nashville searching for viable center options. Currently, the team has Ryan O’Reilly, Fedor Svechkov, Erik Haula, and Michael McCarron to fill the gap. Together, O’Reilly, Svechkov, and McCarron managed to score a total of 84 points during the last season, while Haula, who joined the team from New Jersey, achieved 21 points over the regular season and had one assist in five playoff games.
Potential Acquisition: Jack Roslovic
As the free-agent market diminishes—with players like Michael Granlund, Andrew Mangiapane, and Pius Suter quickly signed—attention turns to potential targets like Jack Roslovic, currently with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Roslovic’s career performance has been commendable. In the 2024-25 season, he registered 39 points (22 goals and 17 assists) in 81 games, alongside four (1-3-4) points across nine playoff matches.
He boasts a remarkable faceoff win percentage of 54.1% and a shooting percentage exceeding 15%. The prior season, split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers, he recorded 31 points (9 goals, 22 assists) in 59 games and eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) during 16 playoff appearances with New York.
Over his nine-year career in the NHL, Roslovic has accumulated 260 points (102 goals, 158 assists) from 526 games. At 28 years of age, he is younger than O’Reilly, Haula, and McCarron, and with a height of 6 feet and 1 inch and weighing 194 pounds, he offers flexibility as both a center and right winger. Having been picked 25th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2015 NHL Draft, he could fill a crucial role for Nashville.
Financial Considerations
Financially, the Predators have the capacity to accommodate a player of Roslovic’s caliber, with an estimated cap space of $10,116,039 available according to PuckPedia. A contract for Roslovic could range between $3 to $4 million. This acquisition would not be a definitive solution, as Roslovic typically operates as a third-line center, but he can significantly boost a struggling offense that needs revitalizing after last season.
Future Prospects
Bringing Roslovic into the fold would also allow Nashville to afford its younger prospects time to mature, particularly Brady Martin and David Edstrom. Martin, drafted fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, may return to Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL if he signs an entry-level contract. Meanwhile, Edstrom, who scored 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 39 games for Frolunda HC in Sweden last season, has already been called up to the Milwaukee Admirals but didn’t manage to score during his four playoff games with them.
As Trotz moves to infuse younger talent into the team, Roslovic could serve as an effective stop-gap solution for Nashville. He would not be an expensive investment but would provide valuable depth at the center position as the club navigates the upcoming season.
