Derek Roy was told this week that he would not receive a contract extension from the Dallas Stars, meaning that he had one skate out the door at the trade deadline with unrestricted free agency pending this summer.

The Vancouver Canucks were long-rumored as a destination, needing help up the middle and having previously talked trade with the Stars at the 2012 deadline for Steve Ott.

Now they have the center that was traded for Ott. The circle is complete.

Roy was traded to the Canucks for a second-round draft pick and Kevin Connauton, a 23-year-old defenseman for the Chicago Wolves and a power-play specialist.

In Roy, the Canucks get a player tailormade for the second-line center role and one that’s had an strong season for the Dallas Stars – in, let’s remember, a contract year. He has 22 points in 30 games, although only four of them are goals. After a strong year on draws on 2011-12, Roy is back to being around a 46-percenter in the circle.

Jeff Angus of Defending Big D had a good take on Roy’s season in Dallas, and how he was utilized.

Vancouver was seen as a team “one proven center short,” so naturally they traded for a short proven center. (/rim shot).

Does this mean Ryan Kesler shifts to the wing when he’s back from (another) injury?

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