The Canadiens returned forward Joshua Roy to AHL Laval on Wednesday, according to a team announcement.
Roy, 20, didn’t look entirely out of place in his first NHL call-up. A fifth-round pick of the team in 2021, Roy scored his first NHL goal in a 3-2 win over the Devils last Wednesday and added another assist in the span of six games. He averaged nearly 12 minutes per game and posted a 45.2% Corsi share at even strength. While that number doesn’t jump off the page, the Canadiens played a poor stretch of possession hockey during Roy’s call-up, resulting in the rookie posting a strong relative Corsi share of 4.1%.
It’s been a quick ascension for Roy, who now looks like one of the organization’s top prospects after slipping to the back half of the draft less than three years ago. He won back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Championship and was named to the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team in back-to-back years with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. In his first extended taste of pro hockey, Roy has excelled in Laval, tying for the team lead with 12 goals in 34 games while adding 18 assists for 30 points, earning Rookie of the Month honors in October.
After a promising first NHL stint, Roy will likely spend the rest of the season in the minors as he continues his development. He’ll be an outside candidate to crack Montreal’s opening night roster next season and should, barring an unforeseen bump in his development, be a full-time NHL player by the time his entry-level contract expires in 2026.
Engels already planning his next ‘Evolution of Joshua Roy’ snoozefest column for TSN.
As a habs fan my hope between now and start of next season is this. By the trade deadline for Savard, Monahan and a goalie to be traded for sure. Then the habs need to trade 1 of there young LS D for a good young forward, tgis has to happen but the start of next season. so they can have Hutson and Xhakj(jackeye) playing everyday along with Ghule and Matheson.
If they can get any kind of value for matheson they should get it before next season starts. Anyway Hutson plays as a 4/5 dman while also getting all ozone starts and lead PP QB. Matheson if still there is PP QB#2. Ghule and Xhakej get PK time and can handle PP aswell. The habs have a glut of #3-4 dmen right now on this team and some will end up as #2 while others a 4/5 they have to trade 1 to free up time for the others and get a young forward back in return. Is guess hutson or Xhakej play there offside during 5×5 so there 2 spots left for RHD we have kosavich who could either be traded or kept as the 7D. Then Reinbacher, Barron, Mallioux and Treadu as the only RD worth mentioning. Hiw do you guys see it olaying out
Who is going to play center? Is Lia’s Anderson getting called up?