Oilers GM MacTavish: Derek Roy unlikely to be traded before deadline

Edmonton Oilers forward Derek Roy doesn't appear to be going anywhere prior to the trade deadline.

Roy is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, but general manager Craig MacTavish says the goal is to sign the veteran to a contract extension.

"It’s very unlikely that he will be moved because we have considerable interest in him longer term and he has meshed well with (Nail Yakupov) in his development," MacTavish told reporters Friday.

"That’s very important to us and the hockey club going forward.” 

Roy has earned praise lately for helping linemate Yakupov rediscover his scoring touch. Yakupov has four goals and three assists in his last six games.

Roy has a goal and two assists in his last three contests, and 12 points in 23 games since being acquired from the Nashville Predators in a trade for Mark Arcobello on Dec. 29.

MacTavish said the club has gone through some difficult stretches but he's optimistic about its direction now.

"My assessment of where our team is right now is we’ve developed a foundation over the last few year that I’m comfortable with,” he said. “There’s been tumultuous change (in the past) and I think now we’re at a stage where I’m comfortable with the foundation going forward."

The Oilers are dead last in the Western Conference with 44 points in 59 games. Only the Buffalo Sabres have a worse record (17-37-4) than the Oilers (17-32-10), but MacTavish isn't planning to blow up the roster.

“Next year, going into training camp there’s every expectation on my part that we’ll have 80 percent of the people back, which hasn’t been the case over the last couple of years,” he said.