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Aug 02, 2023

Canadiens: Joshua Roy's Toolkit Could Help Habs Now

MONTREAL, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 26: Joshua Roy #97 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at Centre Bell on September 26, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

MONTREAL, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 26: Joshua Roy #97 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at Centre Bell on September 26, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

When the Montreal Canadiens selected Joshua Roy in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, he was very much an afterthought. His selection wasn’t really analyzed, as the likeliness of him making any sort of impact wasn’t all that likely. So, as you would expect his offensive explosion and continued positive growth have been a pleasant surprise.

Roy played his draft-plus-one season in the QMJHL with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, and he was a revelation in what was his third junior campaign. He scored 119 points (51 goals and 68 assists) in 66 games. His ascension to 119 points, saw the St-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec., native increase his point production by 84.

The driver of his offensive game is his incredible vision, and uncanny ability to make difficult passes to linemates, seemingly out of nowhere. Paired with his laser shot, which is deadly accurate, Roy gives the opposing goaltender fits, as he can freeze them due to his dual-threat offensive zone abilities. A smart stick, and unrelenting pursuit of the puck on the forecheck round out the left winger’s toolkit on offense.

Viewed as a one-dimensional player, who only made efforts on offence, many teams passed on Roy, due to his perceived defensive inefficiencies. However, he has worked on his play away from the puck, and shown great strides, using the same smart offensive stick in the defensive zone. He has a knack for stripping the opposition of the puck and forcing turnovers routinely.

His efforts have put him in his coach’s good graces in the Quebec league, and they also earned him a spot on the World Junior’s roster. He played valuable minutes on both special team’s units, and he assisted on Canada’s gold medal-winning goal during the rescheduled tournament in the summer of 2022. Roy has shown an uncanniness for being in the right place at the right time and making smart plays to consistently benefit his team.

With NHL training camp approaching, Roy has a big opportunity ahead of himself, and as one of the Canadiens most improved prospects he could force his way on the roster. His only weaknesses are his skating, while he is fast, his skating lacks a layer of dynamism, which he could benefit from offensively if he improved upon it. Another knock is that his puck skills aren’t a strong suit, as he is more likely to make a quick pass and work the give-and-go, rather than trying to deke one-on-one.

Ultimately, Roy has a polished toolkit, and I believe if he can make the opening night roster, he could fill a need. A left-shot sniper, that is responsible with the puck, and a very deceptive playmaker could benefit any line that he plays on. A third fiddle on an offensive line, or on a shutdown line could be very real options for the 20-year-old.

Should he crack the Habs roster, I could see him playing on one of the top two lines. While it would be too high of an expectation right away, he could certainly work his way up and give the Habs a nice option on the top line. His two-way play would also earn him ample time on special teams, and make him a goalscoring threat from his off-wing on the powerplay.

Training camp will ultimately answer all the questions. Playing in the American league, on one of the top two lines would certainly help his development also, and it is a very viable option. But at the very least, I could see a nine-game, show us what you got stint, before making a final decision, as the Habs have a plethora of forwards battling for a spot.