Nicolas Roy is becoming a very important player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his impact is being felt all over the ice.

Roy has turned it on of late and is doing his best to ensure the bottom-six of the Leafs is making an impact throughout the team’s current road trip. Roy not only has been hitting the scoresheet, but he’s also been a major part of the penalty kill for Toronto, which has been absolutely dominant the past couple of weeks.

The big centre has found himself alongside Dakota Joshua and Bobby McMann, and the chemistry is starting to ooze through the seams. Roy brings a strong faceoff presence, smart defensive instincts, speed, and underrated hands around the net. Joshua is a big body, can win battles along the wall with his strength, and isn’t afraid to go to the front of the net, meanwhile, McMann has blazing speed, loves to bang and crash, and has complementary offensive instincts. The three veteran forwards have given the Maple Leafs exactly what they need out of a third line, they’ve been getting rewarded for their strong play throughout the current road trip, and there’s been a couple of nights recently where they were the most dominant trio dressed in blue and white.

Roy’s an interesting x-factor for the Maple Leafs, based on the fact he plays on both sides of special teams, and is the only right-handed option in the faceoff circle. While it took him a month to adjust to Craig Berube’s structure, and find some chemistry on the ice, as the Leafs head to Carolina to cap off a six-game road trip, Berube should be happy that he’s finally found a strong combination for his third line.

Roy’s ability to use his speed, see the ice, keep things simple, and play a north-south style of game is a major part of the line’s success. And, exactly how this team needs to play if they want to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and then make some noise. For weeks, Berube had Matias Maccelli attached to Roy’s hip, and frankly, the two have zero chemistry and play polar opposite styles. Berube needs to stick to what’s working, and give more run to his current third line, as they could quickly become the Leafs most important line. A line, our very own Jay Rosehill wanted to see thrown together months ago.

Toronto has won three of their last four games, and it would have been four in a row without the last period collapse in Washington. Roy is doing his part to make an impact in all three zones, and it feels like this is the most confident this hockey club has been all season long, which is wild, considering it’s December. Against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, Roy showed exactly what he can bring to the table, and exactly what Brad Treliving was hoping for when he landed him from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Mitch Marner trade.

Strong in the faceoff dot, Roy went 12-for-15 against the Panthers. Generate some offense, Roy’s line had four points, which really should have been five, as it looked like Roy got a stick on Troy Stecher’s goal. Making his presence known in all situations, Roy played close to three minutes on the second power-play unit, and was a one of Toronto’s best penalty killers. A jack of all trades, and a little pep in his step of late.

The Maple Leafs have something in Nicolas Roy. He’s making his presence felt, he’s carving out a role for himself, and is quickly becoming one of Toronto’s most important players.

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