‘The culture was really good’: Jack Roslovic reflects on Oilers tenure ahead of Maple Leafs matchup
When it comes to playing against his former teams, Jack Roslovic is running the gauntlet this week.
Now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, having inked a two-year, $4 million AAV contract this summer, he’s going through a revenge week of sorts.
On Tuesday, he scored a goal and three points against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with whom he played the most of his career, 246 games. On Thursday, he put up an assist against the New York Rangers, a team whom he played the least of his career before signing in Toronto, 19 games.
This evening, he faces the Edmonton Oilers, with whom he played in 69 games last season, scoring 21 goals and 36 points after signing with the team in the midst of its first game of the 2025-26 season.
“It’s obviously a good test to go up against your old teams, but I’m stacking up too many of them,” he said Friday with a smile.
The winger had signed in Edmonton after a summer of waiting around, changing agents as last season approached, before finally landing with the Oilers — an experience he lauded.
“I think it was a big learning process for me, the culture was really good,” he said. “I think it was the work ethic off the ice that was a big learning curve for me.
“I don’t want to say too many nice things, but I hope we beat them.”
Roslovic spent most of his time with the Oilers trying to find a regular spot in the lineup, but often found himself in Edmonton’s middle-six, most commonly with Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin. Playing just 130 of his 973 five-on-five minutes with Connor McDavid, Roslovic usually found himself on the bench when the Oilers superstar was on the ice, in awe of what Edmonton’s captain could do.
Consider him one of the many in the hockey world in awe of what McDavid’s doing this season, racking up 31 points through Edmonton’s first 10 games.
“Work ethic, God-gifted skill, mixture of the two is pretty deadly,” said Roslovic. “So as a player, fun to watch him play, but I think everyone who plays against him too, it’s an enjoyable challenge.
“You get to go against the best, so it’s fun to test yourself, it’s fun to hold yourself up to that.”
Roslovic has fit in well in Toronto, scoring four goals and 10 points in his first 10 games in the blue and white. He’s done so playing on the Maple Leafs’ top line, alongside Auston Matthews, where he’s slated to play later tonight.Zach Laing is the managing editor at Daily Faceoff Edmonton and news director at The Nation Network. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.Letters to the Editor
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