Team: U.S. National U18 Team
Date of Birth: 01/29/1997
Place of Birth: Columbus, Ohio
Ht: 6’ 1″ Wt: 183 lbs
Position: C/RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2015
NHL CS final rankings: 39 NA skaters
Jack Roslovic is just another good “product” of the USNTDP. He is a typical young American prospect showing good work ethic and the willingness to do whatever is needed to win. He brings tons of energy to the ice and plays with a lot of passion. The first central Ohio native ever invited to the program had a breakout season being one of the best scorers of his team.
Jack Roslovic – Columbus born and raised, and sure to be drafted in June – has had a breakout year w U.S. NTDP http://t.co/hVJhTKSbNM
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) April 10, 2015
He exploded especially in the second half of his season and had strong games at the U18 Worlds in Switzerland. He featured a line with 2016 draft eligible Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk which was probably the best in the entire tournament. They have created 38 points and Roslovic himself was found sixth overall in the tournaments scoring list. His strong performance was noticed by many scouts and it is believed that his stock is continuing to rise among teams. Central Scouting ranked him 52nd among NA skaters in their midseason rankings but in their final list he climbed to 39th.
Strengths:
Roslovic is an energetic forward who brings a lot of speed and impulses to the ice. The 18 year old is a very agile skater with explosive first steps and can go in different directions very fast while still handling the puck. He is able to dance through the offensive zone with good puck protection and fast turns. Roslovic is good in traffic areas and a decent puckhandler and possesses a solid own zone play. He takes his defensive responsibilities serious and backchecks well. He works very hard on the ice and is willing to battle in each shift. Shows great work ethic and can be found everywhere on the ice. He plays with a tremendous energy level in each and every shift. His good speed makes it possible for him to play a good dump and chase game. Roslovic is rather a playmaking forward than a shooter.
Areas for improvement:
He needs to work on his balance and sometimes tends to blind passes. He might try to do too much in some shifts and is not possessing high end scoring skills. But he makes it up with his mind-set and willingness to sacrifice his body to take one for the team.
NHL potential:
3rd line two-way forward who brings a lot of energy on the ice and plays effective in all three zones.
2015 NHL Draft projection:
At the beginning of the season, Roslovic was projected a third or fourth round pick. Forget about that! He won’t be available anymore after the second round. Expect him to be picked early in the second round or maybe even late in the first round. Because of his origin it is believed the Columbus Blue Jackets are very interested in the 18 year old forward. They hold two early second round picks which they could use for Roslovic if he really is on their wish list.
Future outlook:
Roslovic committed to Miami University Ohio for next season. He had a great breakout season but needs to continue to grow strength and add extra muscles. He could work on his shot and skating balance. However, he has all the tools to become a successful two-way forward at NHL level, maybe fitting in a role as a third liner. If he can develop his offensive skills he could even take on a bigger role.
NHL Player comparison:
He has the energy level of Jason Zucker
More on Jack Roslovic:
Roslovic among top 13 surging prospects