Maple Leafs trade Nicolas Roy to Avalanche for draft picks

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded forward Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a conditional 2027 first-round draft pick and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Nicolas Roy

The 2027 first-round pick is top-10 protected. If the pick does land in the top-10, it reverts to an unprotected 2028 first-round pick. Colorado has three fifth-round picks in 2026, they will send the lowest to Toronto.

Roy, 29, has five goals and 20 points in 59 games in his first season with the Maple Leafs. He was acquired last summer as part of the sign-and-trade deal that sent Mitch Marner to Vegas.

Roy has 73 goals and 186 points in 428 career games split between the Hurricanes, Golden Knights and Maple Leafs. He was a depth piece on Vegas’ Stanley Cup-winning team in 2023, recording three goals and 11 points in 22 playoff games.

The 6-foot-4 centre is signed until the end of next season at a $3 million cap hit.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are expected to sell off more pieces before Friday’s trade deadline.

Forwards Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton, as well as defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson were kept out of the lineup for Toronto’s game against New Jersey on Wednesday in anticipation of trades.

Colorado Avalanche

The move to add Roy makes sense for Colorado as they have been trying to find a third line centre behind Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson. Roy filling that hole allows the Avs to create a stronger fourth line centred by Jack Drury.

The Avalanche currently lead the NHL with 91 points, six ahead of second-place Dallas. Colorado is a +290 favourite to win the Stanley Cup and they are +170 to win the Western Conference.