The Toronto Maple Leafs executed a flurry of signings on July 1, the date that marks the beginning of the NHL free agency period. Headlining the moves was the signing of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year deal with the Leafs, and Nick Paul, who was acquired via trade in exchange for Dennis Hildeby and picks.

The first signing of the day was forward Jack Roslovic. The 29-year-old forward is coming off two straight 20-plus goal seasons and tallied 36 points in 69 games with the Edmonton Oilers last year. Roslovic is a longtime friend of Leafs captain Auston Matthews, as the two played together in the U.S. National Team Development Program prior to getting drafted.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Roslovic spoke about joining the Leafs organization again, and more specifically, getting to play on the same team as Auston Matthews again.

“Stoked. It’s going to be awesome,” Roslovic said when asked about his excitement level about reuniting with Matthews. “Really familiar with his game, really familiar with the person and who he is as a guy and a leader. I’ve seen him grow in a lot of ways and I’ve been able to be on his journey a little bit from the outside. Every time we get the chance to talk, it’s always been super easy. Just feels like we left off where we started.”

The Leafs are expected to try and return to their roots in 2026-27, playing a high-octane offensive system rather than the dump-and-chase system Craig Berube implemented over the past two years. While it’s not known exactly what kind of system Jim Hiller will be running with in Toronto, he made a point to mention that the players would have fun playing in it.

Roslovic believes that his game is tailored to the style of game the Leafs will be playing.

“I think the team plays a highly offensive game,” Roslovic said. “I think they play a complete game. I think, on top of that, the reason why I said high offence is the skill. The skill is there. You know, the talent is there. And the ability to put the puck in the net is definitely there. So, for me, it’s about complementing these guys, being able to find a role and a home.”

The Maple Leafs added Roslovic to the fold on July 1 along with a plethora of other forwards, including Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime.