Avalanche get Nicolas Roy, Golden Knights acquire Nic Dowd ahead of the NHL trade deadline

Two of the top Stanley Cup contenders in the Western Conference are not waiting until trade deadline day to make significant additions down the middle.

The NHL-best Colorado Avalanche acquired center Nicolas Roy from Toronto on Thursday for a conditional fifth-round pick this year and a conditional first-rounder in 2027. The Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights got center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick, a 2029 second-rounder and young goaltender Jesper Vikman.

Minnesota, which also is in the mix among the best in the West, made a defensive depth addition by getting Jeff Petry from back-to-back defending champion Florida for a conditional seventh-round pick in the draft this year. It becomes a fifth-rounder if the Wild win two playoff series and Petry plays in 50% or more of their games during those rounds.

Roy fills a major void for Colorado with significant size at 6-foot-4. Now 29, he helped Vegas win the Cup in 2023, when depth played a major role in that title run.

The condition on the 2027 first-rounder is that if it's in the top 10, Colorado will send its unprotected first in 2028 instead. The fifth will be the lowest of the three Colorado currently has this year.

There had been some speculation about the Avalanche reacquiring Nazem Kadri, who was part of their championship team in 2022, but the three years remaining on his contract with Calgary and pricey $7 million salary cap hit made that a tougher puzzle piece to fit in.

Roy should slide in perfectly as the No. 3 center behind leading scorer (at 100 points in 59 games) Nathan MacKinnon and 30-goal scorer Brock Nelson. The position was seen as the biggest need for a group that has been atop the standings since October.

Colorado previously added on the blue line with Brett Kulak and Nick Blankenburg.

Vegas jumped the line in January, before the Olympic break, to pick up defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Flames. Now general manager Kelly McCrimmon bolstered the roster up front.

Dowd, 35, gives the Golden Knights a penalty killer and shutdown defender down the middle who can also chip in some offense. He has 16 points and 43 blocked shots in 55 games this season.

An Alabama native, Dowd is under contract through '26-27 at a reasonable cap hit of $3 million.

The Golden Knights could still target a goaltender. While the Avalanche have the best team save percentage in the league at .916, Vegas is second-worst at .880 between Adin Hill, Carter Hart, Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom.

Buffalo and St. Louis had agreed to a deal that would send Colton Parayko to the Sabres, pending the defenseman waiving his no-trade clause.

Parayko on Thursday informed them that he was not waiving it, therefore negating the trade, a person familiar with discussions told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

As part of the eight-year, $52 million contract he signed Sept. 1, 2021, Parayko received full no-trade protection through 2028. He is signed through 2030.

Trading Dowd signals the Capitals' intention to at least in part be sellers, sitting four points back of the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference but having played three more games than Boston, which is in that position. Pending unrestricted free agent forward Brandon Duhaime and defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk are also trade candidates for Washington.

With roughly 26 hours to go before the deadline, plenty of other teams who declared they're open for business are awaiting more deals. Vincent Trocheck remains with the New York Rangers, and coach Mike Sullivan was noncommittal about whether the center whose name is atop many trade boards would play Thursday night against Toronto.

Roy played Wednesday night at New Jersey for the Maple Leafs, who are all but certain to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. They sat three other players for roster management reasons as trade talk heats up: Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, all of whom could have new homes by 3 p.m. EST Friday.

AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) tries to get the puck past Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals' Nic Dowd (26) tries to face wash Montreal Canadiens' Kirby Dach (77) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — This is a rematch nearly 11 years in the making and one that seemed unlikely to occur after the first meeting was such a dud that even the winner took little joy in it.

Max Holloway emerged with the victory that night after Charles Oliveira suffered a freak esophagus injury not even two minutes after the bout began.

Now they meet again, the headline match Saturday night at UFC 326 between two established lightweights going against each other for Holloway's BMF belt.

“The first fight was a letdown, I’m not going to lie about it,” Holloway said. "I think a lot of people were disappointed. It’s on the record. It is what it is. We get to right that wrong, and I’m excited for it.”

Holloway (27-8) is a substantial favorite to retain the title, listed at BetMGM Sportsbook at -235.

The UFC first handed out the BMF belt on Nov. 2, 2019, a designation that doesn't rely on a weight class and goes to the fighter who most exemplifies the ferocity and electricity that helps define the sport. Its name, unprintable by the standards of The Associated Press and most media outlets, underscores what the belt is all about.

Holloway, a 34-year-old from Honolulu, spoke respectfully of the challenge he has in front of him against the 36-year-old Oliveira (36-11), who is from Brazil.

“A lot of people are making this fight to be a striker versus grappler,” Holloway said. "They’ve got it all wrong. Even he said it. He was a Jiu-Jitsu guy before. Now he’s an MMA guy. A lot of his submission wins have been coming from striking first. He’s hurting these guys on their feet and then submitting them. That’s a pretty BMF thing to do.”

Oliveira's family will be in attendance for the first time to see him fight in the United States, so he is more than motivated to put on a show for them.

“This is about a legacy," Oliveira said through an interpreter. "Years from now, I’m going to have the opportunity to say, ‘See this thing. That’s what it represents to be a BMF.’”

Most of the crowd likely will be on Holloway's side, who said fighting in Las Vegas carries about the same home advantage that Hawaii would bring. This city often is referred to as the Ninth Island because of the high number of Hawaiian residents and visitors.

“You’re going to see the Hawaiian flags flying up there,” Holloway said. “It’s going to be insane. It sucks I couldn’t fight in Hawaii, but the next best thing is Las Vegas. There are a bunch of locals here. Every corner you go around here, there’s a Hawaii barbecue spot, so we’re not far from home.”

There also are a decent number of Brazilian steakhouses in Las Vegas, and Oliveira has his mind set on feasting in a different kind of way.

The previous meeting didn't go the way either fighter wanted, but they both have come far since that night.

“The first fight between us, let’s kill that one," Oliveira said. "He won that one. That’s it. It’s two great fighters, two legends, two guys that put on a show. We’re going to put on a great show on Saturday.”

AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

FILE - Brazil's Charles Oliveira reacts after defeating Michael Chandler in a UFC 309 mixed martial arts lightweight title bout, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)