Forward Nic Roy of the Colorado Avalanche has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury. Fans believed his acquisition by the Avs before the deadline could provide the needed element. That was until Nazem Kadri was traded to Colorado. But was has been stellar in his nine games for the Avalanche. So far he has tallied three goals (one on the power-play) and 17 shots on goal. His injury was only supposed to keep him out “a little bit,” and he appears to be working his way back for the Avs and could be close to a return.

What we saw

On Friday morning, while at practice, Roy took part in a red non-contact sweater. He started on his to begin practice, then joined the group during drills. I only saw him taking part in the penalty kill drills. Roy was in both groups, but did most of his work with the second unit. The former Maple Leaf still took no contact, but this is a step in the right direction. Usually, when a player does penalty kill drills, this is a sign that they will take contact soon. Based on what I have seen, I guess Roy could return to the lineup by the middle of next week.

What it does for the lineup

When Roy does return, it will give the Avalanche a lot more options to play with. Roy can play both center and wing, so the possibilities are endless. He could play on the third and fourth lines and will be an aggressive presence in front of the net. Roy could be an option on the penalty kill, giving players like Cale Makar some rest at the end of the season or in key moments of the game. His veteran presence is something that the Avalanche have been craving for the last few years as well. Roy won the Calder Cup in 2019 with the Charlotte Checkers (CAR at the time) and the Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023. He knows how to win, and the Avs need that right now.