May 12, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) center Jack Roslovic (96) goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) celebrate their victory against the Washington Capitals in game four of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

It’s well-documented that one of the biggest reasons for the Nashville Predators’ lackluster performance in 2024-25 was lack of offense. They were next-to-last in total goals scored (212), far below their 266 from the season before.

While general manager Barry Trotz addressed the defense by adding Nick Perbix (free agent) and Nicolas Hague (acquired from Vegas), a gaping hole that still needs to be filled is at center.

Speaking of the Hague trade, that hole at center got even deeper when the Predators shipped Colton Sissons to the Golden Knights as part of the deal that also included blueliner Jeremy Lauzon.

Without Sissons, who recorded 21 points (7-14-21) last season, the Predators’ options at center are Ryan O’Reilly, Fedor Svechkov, Erik Haula and Michael McCarron.

O’Reilly, Svechkov and McCarron scored a combined 84 points last season. Haula, acquired from New Jersey in June, tallied 21 points in 69 regular-season games and one assist in five playoff games for the Devils.

The thin crop of centers in free agency got even weaker after Michael Granlund, Andrew Mangiapane and Pius Suter came off the board quickly. So who would be a viable option at this point?

Jack Roslovic could be an ideal fit for the Predators. He scored 39 points (22-17-39) in 81 regular-season games for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25, and four points (1-3-4) in nine post-season games. He had a 54.1 faceoff percentage and a shooting percentage of over 15%.

In the previous season spent between the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, Roslovic scored 31 points (9-22-31) in 59 regular-season games and eight points (2-6-8) in 16 playoff contests with the Rangers.

In 526 NHL games over nine seasons, Roslovic has totaled 260 points (102-158-260). He’s 28, younger than O’Reilly (34), Haula (34) and McCarron (30). He’s a 6-foot-1, 194-pound center/right winger who was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round (25th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft, so he also offers the Preds versatility.

As for salary, the Predators have the cap space for a center of Roslovic’s skill level ($10,116,039 according to PuckPedia). Signing him could take anywhere from $3 to $4 million.

This would not be a long-term fix, by any means. Roslovic is a third-line center at best, but could provide more scoring power for an offense that is in desperate need of it after last season.

Signing Roslovic would allow more time for prospects like Brady Martin and David Edstrom to get NHL-ready.

Nashville selected Martin fifth overall in the 2025 NHL draft, but he could return to Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL if he signs an entry-level contract. Having a player like Roslovic to keep the seat warm for Martin would buy a little more time for the 18-year-old.

Edstrom, 20, played with Frolunda HC in Sweden last season, scoring 19 points (7-12-19) in 39 regular-season games. He was called up to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League during the Calder Cup Playoffs but did not score a point in four games.

As Trotz attempts to get younger with his squad, Roslovic would be a nice insurance addition for at least one season with the Predators. He wouldn’t break the bank, offers versatility and would provide much-needed insurance at the anchor position for the upcoming season.

The Buffalo Sabres offseason has fizzled, after a flurry of trades around the NHL Draft moved out JJ Peterka, Connor Clifton, and Sam Lafferty, as the expectation of acquiring a top-six forward to replace Peterka in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram did not come to fruition when the restricted free agent signed a two-year, $12.5 million bridge deal last week. 

GM Kevyn Adams in the minds of many still has a lot of work to do and has not significantly improved the club that missed the playoffs by 12 points last season, but other than former Carolina winger Jack Roslovic, who scored 22 goals with the Hurricanes, the best scoring unrestricted free agent forward available is the familiar name of former Sabre Victor Olofsson.   

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The club’s most recent addition seems more aimed towards the Rochester Americans, as the Sabres announced earlier this week the signing of former NHLer Jake Leschyshyn to a one-year, two-way contract worth a league-minimum $775,000 and $350,000 at the AHL level. 

The 26-year-old was a draftee of the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural season of 2017, and spent five seasons with the Golden Knights organization until he was claimed off of waivers by the New York Rangers in 2023. Leschyshyn played only 14 games for New York and most of his 2 ½ seasons with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he scored 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 69 games.  

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