Derek Roy takes a break this morning. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Derek Roy wanted to stay with Sabres, happy with Blues

BUFFALO – Derek Roy wasn’t happy after the Sabres dished him to Dallas in July 2012. The sometimes-slick center had just told former general manager Darcy Regier he wanted to stay in town.

The 30-year-old, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the St. Louis Blues during free agency, felt he had some unfinished business here.

“I thought we had a great team,” Roy said this morning inside the First Niagara Center prior to his first game back here. “Then a couple weeks later I got traded. It was tough. I wanted to stay here. I had a lot of good friends on the team and around the city. It’s a great place to place to play and a great place to live.”

Roy has been living all over since.

The Stars traded Roy, whose contract was expiring, to Vancouver after only 30 games. He played 16 total games as a rental with the Canucks.

“It was tough early on,” Roy said. “I think right away with being here so long and knowing all the players and knowing all the city, it was different to go to a city where I don’t know anybody.”

Now, Roy believes he’s “found my place here in St. Louis.”

“I wanted to go to a team where I thought I had the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup,” Roy said.

Roy said he’ll experience “mixed emotions” tonight.

“There are so many good memories in this arena,” he said.

Check back later for a full story on Roy!

One thought on “Derek Roy wanted to stay with Sabres, happy with Blues”

  1. Playing on the 4th line with a good team. Just about where he always belonged. If his ego gets lowered just as much he might actually turn in to a productive teammate.

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