Auston Matthews' latest gesture speaks volumes about what's coming next

Jack Roslovic says he's already leaning on Auston Matthews as he settles into the Toronto Maple Leafs' locker room.

The comments surfaced Monday, and they read like a guy who already feels at home before he's played a single game for his new team.

Roslovic told LMTake he's talked to Matthews a lot, and not just about hockey.

Matthews has helped him find a place to live, pointed him toward things to do around town, and introduced him to the staff running the operation.

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Imagine showing up at a new job and your old college buddy already has your desk set up and your parking spot marked off. That's Roslovic's summer right now.

Roslovic put up 21 goals and 36 points in 69 games this past season, numbers that look even better next to his 1,500,000 dollar cap hit.

He also chipped in five game-winning goals, the kind of clutch scoring a roster still finding its identity can use.

Roslovic's bargain price makes this move look smarter by the week

Matthews, for his part, put together 53 points in 60 games, including 27 goals, even though his plus-minus dipped to minus-4 over the stretch.

He's still the centerpiece up front, and now he's doubling as a recruiter, easing Roslovic into a room he calls already strong.

Roslovic says the group has been chatting in text threads and getting familiar with each other before a single practice has even happened.

Toronto finished last season 32-36-14, good for 78 points, and closed things out on a seven-game losing streak while getting outscored 299-253 on the year.

Adding a scorer who costs 1,500,000 dollars and produces like Roslovic did isn't a luxury for a group that just lived through that stretch. It's necessary.

Whether that chemistry with Matthews actually shows up on the scoresheet once games start counting is the only question that matters now.