Nicolas Roy Shares the Truth Behind a Surprisingly Long Connection to the Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton - Imagn Images
Despite being a native of Quebec, Leafs forward Nicolas Roy was not a fan of the Canadiens and reveals who he actually rooted for when he was growing up.
Despite being from Amos, Quebec, which is about 630 KM or 7 hours of travel away from Montreal, Nicolas Roy grew up cheering for a different team, and one that has a shockingly fierce rivalry with the 'Blue, Blanc, et Rouge'.
During his recent interview with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on 'Leafs Morning Take', Roy was asked who he rooted for growing up under the assumption that it was the Canadiens.
However, when he spoke on the matter, fans were shocked to hear that his answer was actually the Toronto Maple Leafs, due to his immense admiration for Mats Sundin.
"I was a Leafs fan, which is pretty crazy for a guy from Quebec. I was a Mats Sundin fan, but I think I was about 11 or 12 when he signed in Vancouver, so I switched. I was kind of mad a little bit about it. I went back to Montreal at that point, but growing up when I was younger, it was Toronto for sure."
Roy does admit that his fandom and allegiance changed to Montreal after Sundin signed with the Canucks in the summer of 2008. However, his admiration for the franchise legend kept him away from the Montreal Canadiens for a lot of his childhood.
Acquired in the sign-and-trade that moved Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, Roy can now embrace the old stomping grounds of Sundin, who skated in what was formerly known as the Air Canada Centre, between 1999-2008.
The 28-year-old is openly excited about the opportunity to play in Toronto and won't be shying away from what makes playing in such a large market so enjoyable - and at times really tough and demanding.
His defensive acumen, two-way play, and ability to play down the middle for 14-16 minutes a night will come in handy for a Maple Leafs team that went through a lot of changes this summer. Expect big things from the Quebec native as he dons the jersey that he grew up idolizing for so many years.
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