ANAHEIM — This Colorado Avalanche team has its new No. 3 center.
The Avs traded a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 fifth-rounder on Thursday to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nicolas Roy, a 6-foot-4 center who has five goals and 20 points in 59 games this season.
Roy, 29, went to Toronto last offseason from the Vegas Golden Knights in the deal that sent Mitch Marner to Vegas. He won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023. Roy had between 13 and 15 goals and between 31 and 41 points each of the previous four seasons with Vegas.
The third center position has been a need for the Avalanche this season, after Charlie Coyle was traded to Columbus in June. Jack Drury, Ross Colton and Parker Kelly have all spent time there over the past two seasons, but coach Jared Bednar prefers Colton and Kelly on the wing and Drury as the No. 4 center.
The first-round pick is top-10 protected. If it somehow fell in the top 10 next year, it would become an unprotected 2028 first-round pick. Colorado has three picks in the fifth round this year — Toronto will receive the lowest of those three once the draft order is set.
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