Most awkward moment yet amid intense Leafs trade rumours

You don’t see this very often.

After adding defenseman Connor Murphy earlier this week, the Edmonton Oilers have reportedly continued their search for a third-line center and Nicolas Roy’s name has been firmly linked to them.

Following Wednesday morning’s skate ahead of Toronto’s matchup against the New Jersey Devils, Roy was directly asked about the rumours tying him to Edmonton. With under 50 hours until the trade deadline.

“I saw the rumour like everybody else. But, I mean, rumours, until they come true … really, nothing happened,” Roy told reporters.

“I wasn’t expecting to be traded last summer and never heard any rumours. And then it happened. And sometimes you hear rumours, and it doesn’t happen. So, yeah, I heard, like everybody else.

“But I’m playing for the Leafs now, and I want to be here.”

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the belief around the league is Roy will be moved before Friday’s deadline. The former Stanley Cup champion carries a $3 million cap hit through 2026-27 and brings exactly what contenders crave: defensive reliability, elite faceoff ability, and playoff experience.

Pierre LeBrun added on Insider Trading that Edmonton covets Roy’s attributes but has not yet made a formal offer. The Oilers would first need to move Andrew Mangiapane’s contract to create flexibility.

Roy is one of several Leafs, including Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, whose names continue to circulate.

Roy now has to deal with the rumours until Friday or until the trigger gets pulled.