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Jack Roslovic

Poll: Will Jack Roslovic Or Matt Grzelcyk Sign First?

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We’re closing in on a month before the start of informal rookie camps around the league. Of PHR’s Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents, 45 have already found new homes for the upcoming campaign – including 23 of the top 25 names.

The two missing from that group are three-position forward Jack Roslovic and left-shot defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. While Roslovic has had strong interest from multiple teams all summer long and appears to be playing the long game to drive up desperation as teams miss out on other forward options, Grzelcyk’s market hasn’t been as fervent.

In fact, there’s been essentially no firmly documented interest in Grzelcyk since July 1. That’s despite the 31-year-old entering the signing window with the most points among UFA defensemen last year, notching a career-best 1-39–40 scoring line with the Penguins.

There are some clear reasons for his smaller-than-expected market. He’s on the small side for a rearguard at 5’10” and 180 lbs, doesn’t play much of a physical game at all, and has something of an injury history. He played all 82 games last season for the first time, eclipsing the 70-game mark for the third time in nine years.

That being said, he has strong results in a complementary top-four role next to a more all-around dominant righty. The vast majority of his 527-game NHL career was spent with the Bruins alongside Charlie McAvoy, where he consistently put up 20 to 30 points per season and never had a negative rating.

Last year’s -6 mark on his one-year deal with the Pens isn’t much of a blemish, either. That came with more taxing minutes than he’s used to – averaging a career-high 20:37 per game – and he had better per-60 defensive results at even strength than Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang while also generating more offense than them on the power play.

Few teams would give Grzelcyk the top-unit PP deployment he had throughout the year in Pittsburgh, making another 40-point year unlikely. Still, there’s been an eerie silence around the market for someone who checks out as a highly serviceable No. 4/5 option on most teams who’s comfortable playing on any pairing.

Roslovic’s free agency has been covered more at length as a result of his more widespread interest. Last month, we published free agent profiles on both Grzelcyk and Roslovic.

He’s been connected most firmly to the Canucks and Maple Leafs over the past several weeks, but any team with at least $3MM to $4MM in cap space to accommodate him should be viewed as a legitimate contender for his services. Roslovic’s selling point is his versatility – he may not have the scoring consistency required of a bona fide top-six option. Still, few players could legitimately slot into any spot on any line and find a way to make things work like he can.

Like Grzelcyk, Roslovic is coming off something of a career year in his platform season, although his age advantage by three years strengthens his case for a multi-year deal. While he fell short of his career-high in points in 2024-25, he tied his mark in goals (22) in quite limited deployment with the Hurricanes, averaging under 14 minutes per game for the first time since 2018-19. He’s comfortably averaged 43 points per 82 games over the past three seasons and should be a solid bet to hit that mark again in 2025-26, especially if he sees a bump in minutes.

All that being said, who do you think will come off the UFA list first? Tell us what you think in the poll below and expand on your thoughts in the comments:

Who will sign first?
Jack Roslovic 74.58% (308 votes)
Matt Grzelcyk 25.42% (105 votes)
Total Votes: 413

Jack Roslovic Still Undecided On Next Team

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Though forward Jack Roslovic remains unsigned more than a month into free agency, it’s not for a lack of interest. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, the 20-goal scorer has multiple suitors, with over five teams reportedly vying for his services, and Roslovic is currently taking his time to evaluate his options.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed Roslovic to a one-year, $2.8 million deal for the 2024-25 season, and he delivered by tying his career-high of 22 goals—more than any other remaining free agent. However, Roslovic’s career has been marked by inconsistency, as evidenced by his slump in the second half of the season, where he managed just five goals.

Friedman believes that some remaining free agents are hesitant to sign contracts that could soon be viewed as too much of a bargain, and that might be where Roslovic currently stands in the process. With that said, Elliotte Friedman suggests there are upwards of six teams interested in him, including the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“He’s the best available player remaining. And, obviously, he hasn’t found anything he 100 percent likes. But there are definitely a few teams poking around there. I’ve heard five or six teams. So, he needs to get to something he feels comfortable with,” Friedman said.

A two-time 20-goal scorer, Roslovic is still just 28 years old and could provide valuable third-line production in the right system. In 526 career games across nine seasons, the forward has produced 260 points across stops with the Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, and Hurricanes. Before the start of free agency, ProHockeyRumors had Roslovic as the 20th-best option on the free agent market, with a projected three-year, $10.5MM contract ($3.5MM AAV). While those numbers are unlikely to be achieved this late in the process, Friedman’s report indicates that a deal is likely to materialize soon.

Free Agent Profile: Jack Roslovic

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After a disappointing end to his brief tenure with the New York Rangers, Jack Roslovic had to settle for a one-year prove-it deal with the Carolina Hurricanes last summer. Despite a solid rebound campaign, Roslovic is in a similar position to the one he was in last summer.

Even though plenty of teams are seeking additional center depth, Roslovic’s sporadic career may be why no team has prioritized him this offseason. After serving in a bottom-six role with the Winnipeg Jets to start his career, Roslovic became a key secondary contributor after joining his hometown Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of the 2020-21 NHL season.

Before his trade to the Rangers, Roslovic scored 51 goals and 146 points in 246 games as a Blue Jacket, averaging 15:50 of ice time per game. After the Rangers acquired Roslovic at the 2023-24 trade deadline, he concluded the season with three goals and eight points in 19 games, along with another two goals and eight points in 16 playoff matches.

The Hurricanes signed Roslovic to a one-year, $2.8MM deal for the 2024-25 season, and he rewarded them well. He finished the campaign with 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games, averaging 13:49 of ice time and being a flexible option. Carolina is the first team where Roslovic averaged over a 50.0% faceoff rate, although he primarily played on the wing.

Stats

2024-25: 81 GP, 22 G, 17 A, 39 PTS, -10, 10 PIMS, 139 shots, 13:49 ATOI, 57.9 CF%
Career: 526 GP, 102 G, 158 A, 260 PTS, -37, 80 PIMS, 825 shots, 14:12 ATOI, 59.0 CF%

Potential Suitors

Assuming that most teams view Roslovic as a reliable scoring winger rather than a center at this point in his career, he should have quite a few options to pick from. The Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals could all use additional depth on the right side of their forward core.

The Bruins and Maple Leafs don’t have a high amount of salary cap space left to work with. Still, it should be plenty to sign Roslovic at this point in the summer. Roslovic may have a desire to stay on the East Coast to remain close to Ohio, so the Avalanche and Kraken may be out of the question for the nine-year veteran.

Projected Contract

Before the start of free agency, ProHockeyRumors had Roslovic as the 20th-best option on the free agent market, with a projected three-year, $10.5MM contract ($3.5MM AAV). Unfortunately for our projections and more importantly, Roslovic’s earning power, he’s unlikely to receive a contract of that value this offseason.

Still, he’s not at a point where he has no leverage. As a recent 20-goal scorer, Roslovic is in a solid position to land a one-year deal in the $2MM to $3MM range. Assuming a one-year deal, he’ll enter next summer as a 29-year-old unrestricted free agent.

Photo courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.

Canucks Have Had Discussions With Jack Roslovic

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Earlier this week, it was reported that the Canucks had interest in some remaining free agents but lacked the cap space to sign any.  That changed on Thursday when Vancouver dealt forward Dakota Joshua to Toronto, freeing up an additional $3.25MM in flexibility, enough to take a run at someone still unsigned.

It appears that one of their targets might be forward Jack Roslovic.  Shortly following yesterday’s swap, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reported (Twitter link) that there have been talks between the Canucks and Roslovic’s camp.  Last month, Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma noted that Vancouver pursued the 28-year-old last summer so he’s someone they’ve had their eye on previously.  Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported recently that Toronto was another team interested in Roslovic although it’s unclear if the addition of Joshua takes them out of that market now.

Roslovic, of course, didn’t sign with them last summer, instead inking a one-year, $2.8MM with the Hurricanes on the heels of an up-and-down year between the Blue Jackets and Rangers that saw him notch nine goals and 22 assists in 59 games.  The hope was that a good showing in Carolina could bolster his value heading into the open market this time around.

To his credit, Roslovic was able to bounce back offensively, matching his career high in goals with 22 in 81 games while adding 17 assists.  However, his playing time dropped below 14 minutes a night while in the playoffs, he was a healthy scratch six times in Carolina’s run to the Eastern Conference Final which didn’t exactly give his value the boost he was hoping for.

Still, Roslovic has shown he can play both center and the wing, something of note for a Vancouver roster that lost center Pius Suter to St. Louis without finding another middleman to replace him.  With Filip Chytil currently pegged to be their second-line pivot, there is certainly a role that Roslovic could fill in the middle six for the Canucks.

As things stand, Vancouver has $3.27MM in cap space for next season, per PuckPedia.  That’s enough to afford Roslovic on a similar price to last season although that will once again have them very tight to the cap ceiling, hardly an ideal scenario when teams like to leave room for injury insurance.  But with the Canucks certainly looking to get back into the playoff picture, it seems likely that a good chunk of that freed-up cap space will be used; perhaps it will be spent to bring Roslovic into the fold.

Poll: Top Remaining Free Agent

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More than two weeks into NHL free agency, it’s no surprise that the top-tier players on the market have already secured deals. In fact, many secondary and depth signings have also been completed. According to PuckPedia, 244 contracts have been signed, totaling just over $1 billion.

Still, there are a few recognizable names left on the open market who could make positive contributions at the NHL level. Let’s take a look at the list and assess who’s most likely to succeed.

D Matt Grzelcyk – Believe it or not, Grzelcyk’s 40 points last season is tops among all remaining free agents. After spending eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, Grzelcyk signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins last offseason. After a slow start in Pittsburgh, Grzelcyk hit his stride and showcased his highest career point total despite scoring just one goal on the year. The 31-year-old left-shot defenseman should give a team a reliable option on a third pairing. In 527 career games, Grzelcyk has posted 175 points and a plus-131 rating. With a thinning market for blue liners remaining, he should find a new home soon.

F Jack Roslovic – Despite a 20-plus goal season last year, center Jack Roslovic is still searching for a new home. After signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes last offseason, Roslovic posted 22 goals and 39 points on the year, while adding one goal and four points in nine playoff games. While Roslovic showcased an incredible turnaround in the faceoff circle with a 54.1 percent win rate (compared to his career average of 44.4), his 13:49 average ice time per game was his lowest since 2018-19. He also had a career-high 63 giveaways last season. While the Maple Leafs expressed interest in Roslovic earlier in free agency, the forward remains unsigned.

F Victor Olofsson – While Olofsson struggled to stay healthy last season (a common theme for his career), the 29-year-old winger produced 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games for the Vegas Golden Knights. That put Olofsson on an 82-game pace of 22 goals and 42 points, which would have been the most he’s scored since notching his career-high 49 points in the 2021-22 season. He also chipped in two goals and four points in nine playoff games. Olofsson has produced three career 20-plus goal campaigns, including 28 with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2022-23 campaign. He could provide quality depth scoring, and perhaps even more if he stays healthy. The native of Sweden has played more than 72 games in a season just once (75 in 2022–23).

F Joel Kiviranta – While Kiviranta produced 16 goals in 79 games this season with the Colorado Avalanche, it far exceeded what he’s showcased throughout the rest of his NHL career. Last season, Kiviranta posted a 19 percent shooting percentage, nearly doubling his career average of 10.9 percent. With that said, he made the most of his career-high 12:31 average ice time, which included setting career highs in goals, assists, points, plus/minus rating, faceoff percentage, and blocked shots. However, the well dried up in the postseason, as Kiviranta went scoreless in seven games. In 298 career games, the 29-year-old Kiviranta has produced 35 goals and 60 points.

F Luke Kunin – The last remaining free agent who produced double digit goal scoring last season is Kunin, who lit the lamp 11 times in 63 games for the San Jose Sharks before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the deadline. While Kunin’s time in Colombus didn’t prove to be a good fit (zero points in 12 games), he has proven to be a quality physical presence throughout his eight-year career, and the 27-year-old has received interest from several teams during free agency.

F Robby Fabbri – When healthy, Fabbri has been a solid contributor throughout his nine-year NHL career. However, like Olofsson, Fabbri has struggled to stay on the ice. That was no different last season with the Anaheim Ducks, where Fabbri fought through knee surgery and a hand injury that took away nearly half his season. He ended up posting eight goals and 16 assists in 44 games. The 29-year-old does have four seasons of at least 15 goals under his belt but has never played more than 72 games in a season. In 442 career games, Fabbri has produced 106 goals and 216 points.

Let us know below which remaining free agent will make the most significant impact in the 2025-26 season.

Who Is The Best Remaining Free Agent?
Jack Roslovic 49.46% (876 votes)
Matt Grzelcyk 24.90% (441 votes)
Victor Olofsson 9.20% (163 votes)
Robby Fabbri 6.44% (114 votes)
Luke Kunin 3.90% (69 votes)
Other 3.50% (62 votes)
Joel Kiviranta 2.60% (46 votes)
Total Votes: 1,771

 

 

 

 

Maple Leafs Interested In Jack Roslovic

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Center Jack Roslovic is one of the top unrestricted free agent names available as we near the second week of the new league year. The Maple Leafs are among the clubs interested in adding him to their roster, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on Sunday’s 32 Thoughts podcast.

Toronto’s desire for another top-nine forward is apparent as they take a ’by committee’ approach to replacing Mitch Marner’s lost offense. They’ve been linked to other middle-six wingers like Andrew Mangiapane, but didn’t land him.

They’ve done reasonably well so far in building out their depth in the wake of his departure. Prime bounceback candidate Matias Maccelli was a buy-low pickup from the Mammoth, and they recouped strong two-way center Nicolas Roy in the Marner sign-and-trade with the Golden Knights. There’s still another name that’s needed in the mix, though – likely as a complementary winger on their first line with Auston Matthews or on their second with William Nylander and John Tavares.

That’s where Roslovic could come in, although his offensive ceiling isn’t as high as someone like Maccelli’s. The 28-year-old has been a consistent 30- to 40-point threat throughout the 2020s and is coming off a 22-goal showing with the Hurricanes in 2024-25, which tied his career high.

He would be a safe bet for added depth in a top-nine role and has a history of being a plays-where-needed forward. If possible, though, the Leafs would presumably want a piece with more upside.

That could still come via trade, an avenue multiple reports over the past week indicate the Leafs are open to, with nearly $5MM in cap room to leverage. They don’t need to match salaries exactly, but could look to offload a marginally overpaid fringe piece like Calle Jarnkrok or David Kampf in a deal for an impact piece.

The market has been mostly scoured at this stage, but there are a pair of wingers that former Toronto GM Kyle Dubas, now with the Penguins, is looking to cash in on in Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. If they can put together an appealing package, far from a guarantee after parting ways with most of their draft capital at the last few trade deadlines, that would be a more preferable top-six boost than inserting Roslovic there.

Metropolitan Notes: Grzelcyk, Roslovic, Smith, Pesce

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Matt Grzelcyk made a name for himself in the NHL while serving as Charlie McAvoy’s usual defense partner with the Bruins. The 30-year-old had great success in that role until last season, when his offensive production dipped to 11 points in 63 games, and his possession numbers were below average since the 2018-19 campaign.

Now looking to rediscover himself with the Penguins after inking a one-year, $2.75MM deal as an unrestricted free agent, Grzelcyk may get a similar top-pairing opportunity to open the season alongside Kris Letang, writes the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Seth Rorabaugh. The Massachusetts native has spent most of camp alongside the two-time Stanley Cup champ, who he called “such a great player.”

“I’m just trying to be a sponge around him,” Grzelcyk continued. “He has a ton of knowledge to give about the game and what he would expect from his partner. Just trying to learn here. And start to build chemistry.”

While cast as a stay-at-home partner for a more offensively well-rounded talent, Grzelcyk does have decent puck-moving skills in his own right. That was a common theme among the Penguins’ offseason additions, especially on defense, which also included former Islander Sebastian Aho.

There’s more from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Another free-agent signing looking to get a crack in a top-line complementary role is Jack Roslovic, who’s settling in on the Hurricanes’ first line alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, relays The Athletic’s Cory Lavalette. If it sticks, it would be quite the step up in responsibility for Roslovic, who’s been a middle-six fixture around the league for the past few seasons but has never held down a consistent top-line role. The 27-year-old signed a one-year, $2.75MM pact in Carolina in early July, and he’ll likely be used in different situations throughout the season as the Canes look to replace the offense lost by the departures of Jake Guentzel, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Stefan Noesen, and Teuvo Teräväinen.
  • The Athletic’s Arthur Staple is optimistic about Reilly Smith’s chances of clicking with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad as the Rangers’ top-line right wing. That’s been a revolving door for the past few years, with the aforementioned Roslovic getting a post-deadline crack at it last season. But Smith, 33, has a long history of success in complementary top-six roles – long enough to quell concerns about his underwhelming 13-goal, 40-point season with the Penguins last year, Staple opines.
  • The Devils will kick off their regular season without top offseason addition Brett Pesce. The defender didn’t make the trip to Prague for New Jersey’s Global Series games against the Sabres, the team’s Amanda Stein confirms. Pesce, 29, skated Friday for the first time in camp but is still listed as week-to-week while recovering from a fibula fracture he sustained in April while with the Hurricanes. He had 13 points and a +10 rating in 70 games with Carolina last year and signed a six-year, $33MM deal to serve as the Devils’ No. 2 right-shot option on defense behind Dougie Hamilton in free agency.

Hurricanes Sign Jack Roslovic

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July 4: It’s a one-year, $2.8MM deal for Roslovic, the Canes confirmed Thursday morning.

July 3: The Carolina Hurricanes are making strides in repairing their forward core as several players recently left the team on the free-agent market. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the organization will be signing forward Jack Roslovic although no financial terms of the deal have been confirmed.

The Columbus, OH native was originally brought to the NHL after being selected with the 25th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets organization. Roslovic spent one year at the Miami University (Ohio) before turning professional for the 2016-17 season. Roslovic broke into the organization with 13 goals and 48 points in 65 games as a rookie for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

After another impressive start to the season in the AHL, Roslovic became a full-time member of the Jets partway through the 2017-18 season. Over 180 games in Winnipeg, Roslovic scored 26 goals and 67 points while playing in a middle-six role before the team moved his signing rights to his hometown Columbus Blue Jackets in the deal that brought Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg.

Moving into a second-line role with the Blue Jackets, Roslovic experienced the most productivity in his career up to this point. In three and a half seasons for the Blue Jackets, Roslovic scored 51 goals and 146 points in 206 regular season games. The team failed to make the playoffs throughout his entire tenure in Columbus and decided to part ways with him this past year by shipping him to the New York Rangers in exchange for a conditional fourth-round selection in 2026.

Returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs after four years, Roslovic provided solid play for the Rangers as the team ended their season in the Eastern Conference Finals. While averaging 13:51 of ice time over 16 games, Roslovic scored two goals and eight points during New York’s postseason run. Due to the major loss of talent in Carolina over the last several days, Roslovic should find a spot in the team’s middle-six on the reported contract.

Rangers Acquire Jack Roslovic

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The Rangers have bolstered their forward depth by acquiring Jack Roslovic from the Blue Jackets, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. A 2026 conditional fourth-round pick is heading to Columbus in return; it upgrades to a third-round pick if the Rangers reach the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and Roslovic plays in more than half of their games, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports. The Blue Jackets will be retaining 50 percent of Roslovic’s $4MM cap hit, per Vince Mercogliano with USA Today.

Roslovic will move to the third team of his eight-year career, after spending four years with both the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s proven to be a gritty, middle-of-the-lineup centerman capable of putting up consistent scoring. He scored a career-high 22 goals and 45 points in 81 games during the 2021-22 season, following it up with 11 goals and 44 points last year. He’s maintained that scoring pace despite playing on a Blue Jackets roster that’s been marred with struggles all season long, with Roslovic scoring six goals and 23 points in 40 games this year – a pace of 47 points across 82 games.

Scoring isn’t the only consistent in Roslovic’s game, with the gritty forward continuing to make strong impacts on the defensive side of the puck and always carrying a faceoff percentage of around 45 percent. He will now look to carve out a role in New York, battling alongside newcomer Alexander Wennberg for the team’s third-line center role behind Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. With Roslovic’s cap hit reduced to $2MM, the Rangers still have $2.1MM in cap space for the rest of the season – plenty of room for call-ups and bonus pay.

Blue Jackets Place Zach Werenski On Injured Reserve, Activate Jack Roslovic

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The Blue Jackets placed defenseman Zach Werenski on injured reserve Friday, the NHL’s media site reflects. Head coach Pascal Vincent informed reporters yesterday that he’d be sidelined on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. A team release distributed later Friday reflects that Werenski sustained an ankle injury and that the team has also activated forward Jack Roslovic off injured reserve.

Werenski will miss a minimum of seven days, starting from Wednesday when he sustained the injury against the Devils, but he’ll likely be sidelined for much longer given the week-to-week designation. This continues a stretch of horrid injury luck for the Blue Jackets’ top defenseman, who missed two games early this season with a quadriceps contusion and nearly all of last season with a shoulder injury.

He may have just one goal through 34 games, but Werenski has racked up 24 assists for a 0.74 points per game rate that’s the highest of his career – and on the team this season. His two-way play is also at a peak, posting a team-high +1.5 expected rating while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game at even strength and additional time on both special teams units. Simply put, the 26-year-old has been the Blue Jackets’ best player this season by a decent margin.

His absence won’t affect the Blue Jackets’ outlook this season very much, as their 11-18-7 start to the campaign has them with just a 0.6% chance of making the playoffs, per Hockey Reference. However, it is another tough blow for one of the division’s top defensemen who, at 26 years old, is beginning his prime.

If the Blue Jackets can build a playoff contender out of this current group of developing prospects, Werenski will be the leader of the core. He has four seasons remaining after this at a $9.58MM cap hit.

Roslovic will return to the lineup tonight for the first time in over six weeks. He last played on November 12 against the Rangers before sustaining an ankle fracture, resulting in a 21-game absence.

Before getting injured, the 26-year-old had eight points through 14 games. He is expected to play wing on the team’s fourth line alongside Brendan Gaunce and Alexandre Texier in tonight’s game against the Maple Leafs, the teams’ third meeting of the season.

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