Nicolas Roy is headed back to the NHL's Western Conference. The Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] traded the forward to the Colorado Avalanche just after noon ET on Wednesday, in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2027 and a conditional fifth-rounder in 2026. Toronto highlighted the conditions of the two picks [https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-complete-trade-with-colorado] in their press release: "In the event Colorado’s 2027 first-round selection is in the top-10 of the 2027 NHL Draft, Colorado will send its unprotected 2028 first-round pick to Toronto. Colorado currently holds three fifth-round selections in the 2026 NHL Draft; the lowest of those three picks will be transferred to Toronto as part of the transaction." Roy joined the Maple Leafs this summer after Toronto signed and then traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. The 29-year-old has one year left in his contract — which expires at the end of next season — with an annual average value of $3 million. The Amos, Quebec native appeared in 59 games with the Maple Leafs this season, primarily as the team's third-line center. In that span, Roy scored five goals and 20 points, which was the 11th-most on the team. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving does solid work here, recovering a first-round pick in 2027 after he traded it away to the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/scott-laughton-traded-to-maple-leafs-1] for Scott Laughton at the trade deadline last year. Toronto now has two fifth-round picks in this year's draft. Despite sitting Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for "roster management" reasons [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/breaking-toronto-maple-leafs-scratch-bobby-mcmann-scott-laughton-oliver-ekman-larsson-for-roster-management-ahead-of-nhl-trade-deadline], Roy was in the Maple Leafs' lineup on Wednesday night in the club's 4-3 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils. He now joins a dangerous Avalanche team that's looking to push for the Stanley Cup Finals again this year, after winning hockey's ultimate prize in 2022. Roy won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. "Yeah, in that sense, obviously, I have a lot of playoff experience playing in Vegas for a while," Roy said [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-heard-like-everybody-else-nicolas-roy-addresses-oilers-trade-rumors-focus-remains-with-maple-leafs] when discussing his name in trade rumors on Wednesday morning. "But I’m just trying to focus on tonight. I’m playing for the Leafs now and I want to be here."
