One of the main themes at this year’s NHL trade deadline has been contenders overpaying for depth pieces.
The trend started with the Minnesota Wild sending a second-round pick for Michael McCarron. Then, the Golden Knights went nuts with Cole Smith, sending a third-rounder and a prospect.
These were depth pieces that should not have cost more than a late-round pick or an AHL-level player. Yet, the Wild and Golden Knights were willing to surrender useful pieces.
The Avalanche had actually managed to sidestep that trend by sending a fifth-rounder to the Nashville Predators for Nick Blankenburg. That was a solid move, and it didn’t cost the Avalanche that much.
But Thursday’s trade for Nic Roy was really tough to chew on. The Avs sent a 2027 first-rounder and a 2026 fifth-rounder for a third-line center.
Now, it’s worth mentioning that Roy is a very good 3C. He has been decent all season for the disappointing Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s been a trooper, killing penalties and doing part of Craig Berube’s dirty work.
In fact, the only reason he ended up in Toronto was because the Leafs managed to twist the Golden Knights’ arm in sending him back in the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade deal. To Vegas, it seemed, Nic Roy was worth the eighth year of Marner’s contract.
That said, Roy should not have cost more than the fifth-rounder. I could have even seen the Avalanche send a mid-tier prospect like, say, Daniil Guschin.
But a first-rounder? Oh boy, that’s what inflation does to the market. What once cost pennies on the dollar now makes your eyes water.
Will the Avalanche be better off with Roy? Absolutely.
If Colorado wins this year’s Stanley Cup, it won’t make a difference. A first-round pick for a Stanley Cup is something Avalanche fans will take any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
It’s worth pointing out that the 2027 first-rounder is top-10 protected. So, if for some reason that pick ends up in the top 10, the Maple Leafs will get the Avs’ 2028 first-round unprotected.
From the Maple Leafs’ perspective, this was a banging deal. They basically turned Mitch Marner into a first-round pick.
As it stands, the Avalanche solved their 3C issues. Chris MacFarland can push back from the table and call it a day. He did his job. Now, it’s up to the Avalanche to do theirs on the ice.