The Maple Leafs have an early contender for their best win of the season. Down 3-1 to the Predators with 14 minutes left in the second period, the Leafs rallied and stole a 5-4 overtime win. Auston Matthews scored the game-winner and added three assists, while William Nylander notched a goal and two assists. But what made the comeback truly special was that first-overall pick Gavin McKenna notched his first NHL goal.
However, Jack Roslovic's play got lost in all of this. He arguably had the second-most important goal of the game when he snapped a wrist shot from in front of the crease past Juuse Saros to knot the game at four midway through the third period. Not only did this tie the game, but it was Roslovic’s first goal of as a member of the Leafs. He also earned a secondary assist on McKenna's goal. A multi-point game is a nice introduction to your new team.
But scoring was not the only way Roslovic contributed to the Leafs' win. He was very noticeable on the ice all day. He showed off a lot of speed, which helped him and the Leafs make plays. He also forced a turnover while not giving up the puck. That is exactly what you want for someone playing on your top six. He looked very comfortable on his new line and can be a key contributor to the Leafs if he can continue to have these types of performances.
This type of performance could earn Jack Roslovic a permanent spot on the top six
When Roslovic was first listed on the first line, many Leafs fans thought it was temporary. They thought Roslovic would only be a first-line player until one of the young forwards stepped up and was ready to take that next step. After that, he would be relegated to a middle-six or bottom-six role. But if he keeps playing like this, he will force the Leafs to keep him on the top line. To get him on the ice as much as possible.
Roslovic is averaging nearly a point per game so far. Sure, it's a short sample size, but his metrics suggest that he should be able to keep this up. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has a 59.09 CF%, a 72.97 SCF%, and a 69.72 xGF%. Sure, these numbers are a bit inflated by the short sample size, but it does demonstrate that he's been putting in strong performances this season. That he is not just getting lucky and has been an effective player.
This is the exact type of player that you want on your top line. Someone who is generating a lot of offense and is not careless with the puck. His play will improve the line overall. Playing next to someone as good as Roslovic will only elevate the play of Matthews and Kirill Marchenko. That will turn them from great players into the best in the league. That will only make the Leafs that much more of a threat to make the playoffs.
It may have only been a few games, but Jack Roslovic has been very impressive during his time as a Leaf. It could be the piece that helps the Leafs turn things around.
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