Edmonton Oilers general manager has been one of the busiest bosses across the entire league since he took over at the helm last summer. He took over a team just off a Stanley Cup Finals defeat and has been tasked with putting the puzzle pieces back together to try and keep their contention window open.
He has had to sign multiple contract extensions with high end core players to keep the band together. He has also been tasked with upgrading the depth and navigating the cap space while making the Stanley Cup Finals once again.
Now, the expectations are even higher after to back-to-back seasons as runner ups.
Yet, again and again with these tall tasks in front of him, he has continued to knock it out of the park signing multiple bargain contracts and filling out the depth. The Oilers have even found ways to upgrade their prospect pool adding big names like Matt Savoie and Ike Howard via the trade market.
Now, even after he reportedly turned down an offer earlier this summer, the Oilers were able to add the remaining big fish in free agency, forward Jack Roslovic to their lineup.
Jack Roslovic solidifies their already deep lineup
Originally announced from NHL Sportsnet insider, Elliotte Friedman on X in the middle of the Oilers season opener against their bitter rival, the Calgary Flames. The Oilers had to wait to officially register the contract after making a move on their roster.
Something they did Thursday by placing newly extended defenceman Jake Walman on the injured reserve list.
The official contract for Roslovic is a one-year, $1.5 million deal. Given Roslovic is a consistent 40-point pace scorer, that is an absolute steal of a contract for Bowman and the Oilers. Last year, he scored a career high 22 goals in 81 games, adding 17 assists for 39 total points.
Despite the goal scoring last year, the 28 year old is mostly a pass-first playmaker who can chip in some decent secondary offence. Also, last year he played mostly on the wing. So, he likely slots in along the right wing for the Oilers, most likely playing somewhere in their middle-six on the third or second line.
However, he adds a level of versatility as well, being able to slot in down the middle if need be. This gives the Oilers multiple different configurations and lineup possibilities, something that will be useful should they face injuries or play related struggles down the stretch.
Signing Roslovic complicates the Oilers' salary cap situation
There is no denying that the addition of Roslovic helps to provide the Oilers with affordable depth up front. But, adding $1.5 million onto the team's payroll also further complicates their salary cap structure (puckpedia.com).
Currently, injured forward Zach Hyman is on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) which allows the cap flexibility for their current configuration. Since the team placed both Mattias Janmark and Walman on the regular IR, the team technically is carrying 25 players in total (15 forwards, eight defencemen, and two goaltenders).
However, the team only has just under $950,000 in available cap space with Hyman on LTIR but when he is healthy again, which is expected to be November, the team will have to move cap. Luckily, due to the way everything is structured, they will not be forced to make trades but will be forced to put key depth pieces on waivers.
Most likely, the team will demote Janmark and Curtis Lazar from their forward group and Alec Regula and Troy Stecher from the defence. This will give them a 22-man roster with 14 forwards as well as six defencemen and two goalies. It will also leave them with roughly $140,000 in available cap space.
This is not ideal but the only other way for the team to open up more room is to send down more expensive players like David Tomasek, Ty Emberson, Savoie, or Howard. The alternative to that would be to make a trade.
We will have to wait and see but for now the team is in a good cap situation either way and in a good position for the future.