Adding two big pieces -- a first-line winger who has averaged 38 goals per 82 games in his NHL career and a homegrown center whose best days in the NHL are likely still ahead of him -- was seen as a coup in Tortorella's eyes, and the hope is the pair will help a team that finished 27th in the NHL in scoring a year ago and had scored just 10 goals in its first five games this season.
The offensive abilities of Laine need little introduction as exploits of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft -- one spot ahead of Dubois -- are known throughout the league. Laine burst onto the scene as a rookie with 36 goals in 2016-17 then added a career-high 44 a year later. The 22-year-old is coming off a 28-35-63 line posted in 68 games last year, and one of the league's top snipers has 140 goals and 250 points in 306 career NHL games, including 52 power-play tallies.
Roslovic, meanwhile, was born in Columbus, came up through the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets junior program and played his college hockey at Miami University. The first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2015 NHL draft has a 26-41-67 line in 180 career games including career highs of 12 goals, 17 assists and 29 points a year ago. The thought is with more consistent playing time, those numbers could blossom even more for the 23-year-old.
"I think both of those guys bring offense to our team," Kekalainen said. "Jack Roslovic, I think he had (29) points last year. His ice time increased a little bit, but Winnipeg has a lot of skilled forwards, so I think he's going to get a more offensive role with our team. Obviously, he's going to have to earn that.
"Patrik Laine is just a pure goal scorer. He scored 36 goals when he was 18 years old in the National Hockey League. I think his best year was 44 goals. I've known him since he was 16 years old, watching him play in Finland. He won a championship there, being one of the top scorers and MVP of the World Juniors when they won gold, and he came into the National Hockey League and has done what he's done so far. He's still very young. Those are all very exciting things."
Roslovic was a restricted free agent this past offseason and did not report to Winnipeg, so he is yet to play a game this year. He has been staying sharp in Columbus and quickly signed a two-year contract with the Blue Jackets, so he has already entered the team's COVID protocol program and hopes to be able to join the team this week.
Laine, meanwhile, had two goals and an assist in the one game he has played this year but has missed recent games with an upper-body injury he says he does not consider serious. Before he can report to Columbus, the native of Finland must obtain a work visa and get everything with COVID protocols squared away, so his first day on the ice remains to be seen.
Both said they're excited to see what they can bring to the Columbus team when they do suit up.
"It's awesome to be part of the Blue Jackets organization right now, and I'm happy that they wanted me on board," Laine said. "I couldn't be more excited. It's always a new chapter, and going to a new place, meeting new guys, I'm kind of scared but it'll be fine. There's a bunch of guys that I know and a couple of Finnish guys, too, and I'm just super excited to meet everybody and get things going."
Added Roslovic: "I'm just really excited about the opportunity. It just makes it that much better too that it's in Columbus. I'm super happy to be here. Obviously I grew up living here, watching the team play, and it's definitely just an extra cherry on top."