Jack Roslovic has been in this position for a while.
To be exact, it’s been six years since he appeared in the second round of the playoffs as a rookie with the Winnipeg Jets, and he was young enough to believe it was an annual occurrence.
In retrospect, the Winnipeg team that made it to the Western Conference Finals had a lot of Rangers in its DNA.
Jacob Trouba was there.
So were Blake Wheeler, Roslovic and Andrew Kopp, all of whom were key players in New York’s run to the Eastern Finals two seasons ago.
Roslovic returned to the playoffs for the next two seasons with the Jets, but Winnipeg only made it past the first round after moving to Columbus in 2021 to sign Pierre-Luc Dubois.
“Four years in Columbus, we never had success,” Roslovic said Saturday before the Rangers played Carolina in their second-round opener. “I always looked back a lot on my time in Winnipeg. When we were able to get it done, you learned so much. About your team, how the team operates. I learned so much about myself and myself.
“I think that’s my preparation or what I realized more than anything. It’s fun to be here, it’s a great opportunity, and I’m just trying to seize this moment.”
Preparation became the motif of Roslovic’s post-practice session with reporters.
Since the postseason started, he has started to participate a little more in practices and on his days off.
And it showed in the first-round sweep against Washington, where the 27-year-old has played better hockey since becoming a Ranger on a loan deal with the Blue Jackets.
“He was great in the first round,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “The speed of his game, the puck on his stick, his ability to shift and create, especially with the guys he’s playing with.” [Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad] It was very good. It was very noticeable in the first round. ”
Roslovic scored almost as many goals (two goals) in four games against Washington as he had in 19 regular season games with the Blueshirts (three goals).
But it wasn’t just scoring that improved his game. Roslovic was a little harder against the puck, winning more battles and showing more chemistry with Kreider and Zibanejad.
When asked if his play has been a little more noticeable in recent weeks, he didn’t dispute the idea.
“We’re probably just getting back into playoff action,” Roslovic said. “Maybe it brings out a part of me that I don’t show. Maybe something like that.”
