Joshua Roy is the first to admit he didn’t perform up to his standards at the Canadiens’ training camp.
So, while being demoted to Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval was a bitter pill to swallow, Roy said he wasn’t surprised to receive the news. The 21-year-old right-winger has vowed to do everything in his power to return to the NHL as quickly as possible.
“I just didn’t create a lot of offensive plays like I’m supposed to do,” Roy told The Gazette Thursday morning at Place Bell, after Rocket players trained off-ice prior to Friday night’s regular-season home opener against Syracuse. “My style of play is as an offensive player. I’m supposed to create a lot of offence. I don’t think I had a lot of touches. That’s the main thing I could have been better at.
“I just need to bring more pace to my game. Just forecheck, backcheck in every zone.”
Roy, 6-feet and 192 pounds, was given every opportunity to make the Canadiens, put on a line with veterans Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson. If that wasn’t enough, another potential opening was created at forward when Patrik Laine, scheduled to play on Montreal’s second line with Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach, suffered a sprained knee in an exhibition game against Toronto.
But Roy, whose work ethic has been questioned in the past, appeared to play like someone who thought his spot was guaranteed. He might have sealed his fate in the Canadiens’ final exhibition game, at Ottawa, when he was a minus-2, generated only one shot and had a turnover that led to a Senators goal.
“Everybody’s fighting for their posts at training camp,” the Saint-George-de-Beauce native said. “You have nothing guaranteed, even if you have a contract. You have to earn your spot. I think I didn’t earn my spot. Now I have to prove I can play in the (NHL).
“It was hard when I heard the news,” Roy added. “Everybody wants to play in the NHL. I was pretty close to making the lineup, I think. I just have to prove that I can have my spot. I just need to earn it. We have a good group here (in Laval). I think this is good for me. I’ll work on getting my confidence back.”
Although he was only selected in the fifth round (150th overall) in 2021, the talented Roy brings an offensive flair to any team he plays for. Roy had 119- and 99-point seasons to conclude his junior career, before scoring 13 goals and 32 points in 41 games with the Rocket last season. But he also was a team-worst minus-17.
When the Canadiens were hit hard by injuries, Roy was recalled in mid-January. He scored his first NHL goal in his third game, at New Jersey, and had four goals and nine points in 23 games before suffering a fractured hand in March. He recovered in time to join Laval late, but the team failed to make the playoffs.
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has never hidden his affinity for Roy’s talent, but admitted the prospect squandered an opportunity and must become more consistent. St. Louis believes Roy hasn’t reached his ceiling and can become a regular in the NHL.
Pascal Vincent, Laval’s new head coach, said he’ll do his best to push Roy back to Montreal while expanding his ability.
“We’re trying to develop what they’re doing really well right now and establish their foundation, and then grow from there,” Vincent explained. “For Josh, I know the perception is one thing, but he’s still a young guy. He’s played (only) 23 games in the NHL, but has those expectations. I don’t know where they’re coming from.
“It’s not a failure if he doesn’t meet those expectations. He’s a young player with tremendous upside and skills. His intentions are good. Now we need to find and develop from his foundation up. He’s still developing as a young player. The fact he created that perception says a lot about what he did in the past. His attitude is off the chart and really good. He wants to get better.”
Vincent has Roy playing on the top line, with recently demoted Alex Barré-Boulet and Brandon Gignac. Roy also plays on Laval’s top power-play unit. While Roy has yet to register a point through two games, he had nine total shots but also is a minus-3.