Maple Leafs addition Nicolas Roy says he's ready for ‘pressure of the moment'

New York Times

01-07-2025

TORONTO — When Nicolas Roy walks into the Maple Leafs dressing room for the first time, he'll be able to talk about an experience few members of the team have enjoyed: a Stanley Cup win.
That victory came with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Roy was one of nine Golden Knights forwards to play all 22 of the team's playoff games en route to winning the Cup. The 28-year-old centre could bring what he learned on and off the ice through that run to the Leafs this season.
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And if he does, it could make the Leafs' trade for him in exchange for Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade that much more crucial.
'The pressure of the moment, that's really what I enjoy,' Roy told reporters during his first media availability as a Leaf. 'I really like to play in those big moments. I think that's what we play for as hockey players. So obviously I'm bringing the Stanley Cup experience that I've got with me, but I've got a lot of experience in the playoffs as well.'
The 6-foot-4, 201-pound centre's addition is meaningful in what he brings on the ice. Roy seems like a player who could quickly earn the trust of Leafs coach Craig Berube, who demands defensive support and effort. Roy is known for defensive stability, an innate ability to get pucks out of tricky areas in his own zone, and can provide some sneaky offence, too. Roy has put up between 13 and 15 goals in each of his last four seasons.
Still, it's off the ice where Roy hopes to bring exactly what the Leafs lack: experience in a deep, Stanley Cup-winning playoff run.
'Every time you win with a team, you know what it takes,' Roy said of his Stanley Cup win. 'There's always going to be ups and downs.'
On a Leafs team known for perpetual early playoff exits, Roy's fit on paper is excellent. He has 369 games of NHL regular season experience — but it's his 79 playoff games that bolster his resume. Among Leafs likely to be on next year's full-time roster, only Calle Järnkrok and Brandon Carlo have more playoff experience.
Roy has two more years on his five-year contract with a $3 million AAV. He will likely fill a bottom-six role up the middle of the ice or on the wing if necessary. He can also kill penalties. In 2022-23 when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup, Roy had the fourth-highest penalty kill ATOI among forwards.
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General manager Brad Treliving said he expects Roy's role with the Leafs to be similar to his role in Las Vegas.
'He's a guy that can match up,' Treliving said. 'One thing he probably doesn't get enough credit for is there's some sneaky skill with him. He's got good hands, he can play in tight, kill penalties, gives you a right shot option on the faceoff circle. (Roy) can play against good players, can play with good players. So there's versatility to the player. We think he can be an important player for us.'
It's a role Roy sounds happy to fill. He's done it before, after all, and he's seen what happens when every player is accepting of, and willing to put their best foot forward in that role.
'Everybody's got to accept their role, whatever it is,' Roy said when asked what was critical for a team to win a Stanley Cup. 'Obviously, you've got your skilled players. You've got the guys that are going to play eight to 10 minutes and you've got to be willing to play those physical minutes.'
If Roy doesn't end up playing centre, his face-off numbers could be a reason for the change. He won just 47.7 percent of his face-offs last season. That number isn't an outlier, either: he has never won more than 50 percent of his face-offs in a full NHL season and has a career 47.7 face-off win percentage over his 369 NHL games, too.
Does that mean Roy won't line up in the middle of the ice for Toronto? Not necessarily. Pontus Holmberg isn't coming back. Max Domi has struggled at centre through his two seasons in Toronto. And while Scott Laughton was ostensibly acquired at last year's trade deadline to fill the third-line centre role, his audition in the position under Berube was short. Laughton was quicky moved to the wing for the playoffs.
Enter Roy, who is likely at this point to be given the opportunity to centre an energetic and defensively-minded third line to start the season.
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Any change feels like it will be welcomed by Roy, who comes across as coachable.
'Wherever you are in the lineup, or even if you're not in the lineup, you've got to be ready to jump in when you're getting asked,' Roy added of what he learned in Vegas. 'So I think I would say it's probably the biggest thing. Be there for your teammates and be ready to play any roles you're asked to play.'
Roy said he is excited to come to Toronto because he wants 'to be part of a team that's winning.'
'Obviously watching just the playoffs last year, I think the (Florida) Panthers are their biggest challenge. I think this group's ready to win right now and that's why I want to be a part of the team like that,' Roy said.
Getting more energy and experience out of a team that collapsed in Games 5 and 7 of the second round against the Panthers will be crucial for Berube. The Leafs head coach sounded bewildered at his team's mentality in those games.
In Roy, the Leafs appear to be adding a no-nonsense player. His experience could be one part of the culture change Treliving is after.
Whether that experience ends up benefitting the Leafs remains to be seen. But, for now, Roy sounds up for the challenge ahead of him.
The Amos, Que., native admitted to growing up a Leafs fan until he was 12 or so. As an ardent Mats Sundin fan, he only followed the Leafs until Sundin signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks in his final season.
At that point?
'I switched to Montreal,' he said with a grin. 'But I guess we don't have to think about that part.'