The Maple Leafs have made a significant trade as the NHL deadline approaches.
On Thursday, Toronto traded centre Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a conditional first-round draft pick for 2027, along with a fifth-round pick in June.
Should the first-round pick fall within the top 10 selections, the Avalanche will instead send the Maple Leafs their unprotected first-round pick for 2028. As part of this deal, Toronto will also receive the lowest of Colorado’s three fifth-round selections in the 2026 draft.
This transaction marks the beginning of a series of anticipated moves by the Maple Leafs, who have struggled this season and face an uphill battle to secure a playoff spot after nine consecutive postseason appearances.
Roy recorded five goals and 20 points over 59 games with the Maple Leafs after he joined the team through a sign-and-trade agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights during the off-season.
The 29-year-old from Amos, Quebec, carries a salary cap hit of $3 million USD through the end of the 2026-27 season. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 73 goals and 186 points across 428 NHL regular-season games with the Carolina Hurricanes, Golden Knights, and Maple Leafs.
Drafted 96th overall in 2015, Roy was part of the Vegas team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023, contributing 10 goals and 32 points in 79 playoff games.
Golden Knights bolster centre position
In other news, the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights acquired centre Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals. The deal included a 2027 third-round pick, a 2029 second-round pick, and young goaltender Jesper Vikman.
Earlier in January, prior to the Olympic break, Vegas made a move to acquire defenceman Rasmus Andersson from the Flames, and now general manager Kelly McCrimmon has strengthened the forward lineup.
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Dowd, aged 35, provides the Golden Knights with a capable penalty killer and a strong defensive presence in the centre position, while also contributing offensively. This season, he has recorded 16 points and blocked 43 shots in 55 games.
Hailing from Alabama, Dowd is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season with a manageable salary cap hit of $3 million.
The Golden Knights might still seek a goaltender, as they currently rank second-worst in the league with a team save percentage of .880, while the Avalanche lead with a .916 save percentage, despite having Adin Hill, Carter Hart, Akira Schmid, and Carl Lindbom on their roster.
Flames score big with Weegar trade
The Utah Mammoth acquired defenceman MacKenzie Weegar from Calgary in exchange for three second-round picks in this year’s draft, Olli Maatta, and unsigned prospect Jonathan Castagna.
Weegar, 32, adds veteran experience to the Mammoth as they aim for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. He agreed to waive his full no-trade clause to facilitate the trade, committing to Utah as a long-term destination, as he remains under contract through 2031 with an annual cap hit of $6.25 million.
“MacKenzie is an elite defenceman with the leadership qualities and work ethic we desire in a top-four blue liner,” stated Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong. “Bringing MacKenzie on board strengthens our defensive lineup as we strive for the playoffs, and he will be an excellent asset to our team both on and off the ice.”
Parayko to remain with Blues: reports
A trade was reportedly in place between Buffalo and St. Louis that would send Colton Parayko to the Sabres, contingent upon the defenceman waiving his no-trade clause.
However, Parayko informed them on Thursday that he would not be waiving it, effectively nullifying the trade, according to a source familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the private nature of the talks.
Under the terms of an eight-year, $52 million contract he signed on September 1, 2021, Parayko has full no-trade protection until 2028 and is signed through 2030.
What other trades may occur?
The trade of Dowd indicates the Capitals’ strategy to potentially sell, as they sit four points behind the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, having played three more games than the team currently holding that position, Boston. Other trade candidates for Washington include pending unrestricted free agent forward Brandon Duhaime and defenceman Trevor van Riemsdyk.
With about 26 hours remaining before the deadline, numerous other teams that have expressed a willingness to make deals are on standby. Vincent Trocheck remains with the New York Rangers, and head coach Mike Sullivan was noncommittal regarding whether the centre, who is prominent on many trade boards, would participate in Thursday night’s game against Toronto.
Other trades from Tuesday:
- Ottawa acquired forward Warren Foegele from Los Angeles, sending a second-round pick to the Kings. The teams also exchanged third-round picks. Foegele tallied seven goals and two assists in 47 games for the Kings this season, his second with the franchise.
- After three consecutive appearances in the Western Conference final, the Dallas Stars traded Mason Marchment to Seattle to alter their roster. On Thursday, they utilized the third-round pick received from the Kraken in that trade to acquire Michael Bunting, 30, who has been traded at the deadline for the past three years.
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