Roslovic is removed from lineup
Tortorella was displeased with center’s play in 3-2 loss Thursday in Tampa
PLANTATION, Fla. — The learning process for Jack Roslovic as a Blue Jackets center is a winding road.
Some of the things Roslovic has done in the offensive zone have provided a glimpse of the force he could become as a center for a top-six forward line. Other areas, often related to his play away from the puck, have baffled the coaching staff and provided a stark reminder that Roslovic, a 24-year-old hometown success story, still has work to do to become a two-way center.
The latest reminder arrived Saturday, when coach John Tortorella’s lineup was revealed for a game against the Florida Panthers and Roslovic’s name wasn’t in it. Roslovic, who has six goals, 16 assists and 22 points in 31 games, was slated to sit as a healthy scratch for the first time since joining the Blue Jackets in a Jan. 23 trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
Tortorella filled his spot in the lineup with defenseman Michael Del Zotto, opting to go with seven defensemen and just 11 forwards. Tortorella wasn’t happy with Roslovic’s play in a 3-2 loss Thursday against the Lightning in Tampa and issued a one-word response when asked Friday if his displeasure was related to effort level. “Everything,” Tortorella said. That doesn’t narrow it down, but a good place to start is probably the second of two late goals the Lightning scored in the third period.
The play that led to Brayden Point’s winning goal began behind the Tampa Bay net with Roslovic in the right corner, quickly transitioning into a 2-on-1 rush the other way.
Getting the puck in the neutral zone, Point and Tyler Johnson took advantage of what appeared to be Oliver Bjorkstrand’s uncertainty on a coverage assignment plus Roslovic’s lax skating behind the play.
Roslovic wound up with the best view of the goal after Point’s attempted backhand pass to Johnson deflected into the net off David Savard’s stick. It
was a biting goal to allow after the Jackets had controlled the action much of the final two periods.
“I didn’t like Jack’s line,” Tortorella said afterward. “I didn’t like Jack’s play. But I’m not going to criticize anybody. I shouldn’t. I thought 99% of this hockey club played their (butts) off tonight.”
That didn’t leave a lot of guesswork about which player or players comprised the other 1%. The focus now is on Roslovic and how responds to a situation that a number of his teammates have experienced with Tortorella.
“I’ve been in that situation plenty of times and it (stinks),” right wing Cam Atkinson said.
“Even though while you’re going through it it’s miserable, there is a reason for it and Jack’s the type of player that … he’ll come out on the other side
playing way better and he’ll take it as a positive. But we don’t have a lot of practices this year, so it’s a way for a guy to hit a reset button.”
Cannon fodder
Goalie Daniil Tarasov was expected to make his first appearance in the American Hockey League by starting for the Cleveland Monsters against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday night at Rocket Mortgage Arena. Tarasov, the Blue Jackets’ top goaltending prospect and third-round pick (No. 86) in 2017, joined the Monsters after recently completing his first full season with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the Kontinental Hockey League. bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger