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Nicolas Roy reshaping his future on the ice

By Christopher Lyke

Apr 1, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy (10) during a game against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy (10) during a game against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports /
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Since joining the Golden Knights organization in 2019, Nicolas Roy has proven to be a very valuable asset throughout the line-up. After being traded from Carolina, he bounced between the Chicago Wolves of the AHL and the Golden Knights more than a few times. Fast forward to the 2021-22 season, Roy appeared in 78 of the team’s 82 regular season games and ended up having what would be a career year. HIs play would result in 39 points with 15 goals and 24 assists.

After helping Team Canada to the a silver medal in the 2022 IIHF World Championship alongside fellow teammates Zach Whitecloud and Logan Thompson, the Amos, Quebec native would sign off on his second contract extension with the Golden Knights. The new extension will keep him under contract with the club through the 2026-27 season with an average of $3 million per season.

This is a part of a series of profile features on the complete Golden Knights roster heading into the 2022-23 season.

The Nicolas Roy File
6’4 | 207 | Shoots: Right  | Right Wing/Center
Hometown: Amos, Quebec | DOB: 02/05/97
Draft Status: 96th Overall | 4th Round (2015) – Carolina Hurricanes
How Acquired: Trade | Under Contract Through: 2026-27
’22-’23: $3M | ’23-’24: $3M | ’24-’25: $3M | ’25-26: $3M | ’26-’27: $3M

What to look for with Nicolas Roy in 2023

Now that Roy has had a career year, which led up to his multi-year contract extension, the expectations are out there for the former Guy Carbonneau Trophy winner to improve. The expectations are rightfully warranted. Given what the roster has and where Roy has been playing in the line-up, obtaining those numbers might be on a bit of a ceiling. With the squad continuously getting bombarded with the injury bug, Roy saw his opportunities increase.

The nice thing about Roy’s abilities is the fact that he is not confined to just being a center. He can and will see playing time at right wing. Most likely, he will be more of a platoon and fill in where he is needed on a night to night basis. The more versatile he can prove to be under Bruce Cassidy’s system, the more of an impact player he will be. There is also a chance, we could see him move up in the lines if the chemistry is right to Cassidy’s liking.

In terms of point production, if Roy can make those adjustments, there is no reason to expect that he will not only approach the career high numbers of last season, he will surpass them easily. In the ultimate reality, seeing a total point value of 30-35 points is the most realistic target. This puts him just under his career highs. The one thing that is a given, he will be one of the hardest working players on the entire roster.

Nicolas Roy
Apr 1, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy (10) during a game against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports /

Player Statistics

2017-18 | CAR | 1 GP | (0 G, 0 A) 0 pts, 0 PIM
2018-19 | CAR | 6 GP | (0 G, 0 A) 0 pts, 2 PIM
2019-20 | VGK | 28 GP | (5 G, 5 A) 10 pts, 8 PIM
2020-21 | VGK | 50 GP | (6 G, 9 A) 15 pts, 14 PIM
2021-22 | VGK | 78 GP | (15 G, 24 A) 39 pts, 51 PIM

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