(Laval) If “Dr Shot” did David Pastrnak a favor, why not allow him to meet Joshua Roy? Especially if it can help the young Laval Rocket striker get out of a lethargy that increasingly resembles crossing a desert.
Real name Glen Tucker, “Dr Shot” is a penalty shootout specialist. In addition to Pastrnak, he has advised other major NHL stars, including Patrice Bergeron and Jack Eichel, according to what can be read on the website “Shoot to score”, the name, also, of a program he created in 1993.
On Tuesday, Tucker was in Brossard to work with Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle and Christian Dvorak of the Canadiens. On Thursday, he headed to Laval, where he spent about 90 minutes on the ice at Place Bell with Roy and Riley Kidney.
Before meeting him after the Rocket’s practice Thursday morning, Roy didn’t know Tucker.
He introduced himself, he told us that he coached Pastrnak and players who have good shots in the NHL. It’s certain that when a guy like that tells you things, you want to listen to him and you want to put that in your baggage.
Joshua Roy
The young striker from Saint-Georges-de-Beauce described the experience as “really interesting”.
“We focused on the little flick of the wrist when making the shot. This is the first time I’ve worked on something like this. For sure I’m going to bring that into my game, work on that and improve my shooting. »
The void for seven games
For Roy, any advice is probably welcome at this time.
After a great start in which he collected five goals and 11 points in his first five career regular season outings in the American League, the 20-year-old forward was limited to two goals and five assists in the next 16 games.
Roy hasn’t found the back of the net since November 13 in Winnipeg. Since this meeting against the Manitoba Moose, Roy has only collected two assists, and Wednesday night, in the Rocket’s 5-2 defeat against the Belleville Senators at Place Bell, he was held in check in a seventh part straight away.
Roy doesn’t remember experiencing such a long offensive drought, and he says he tries not to think about it too much. However, he is aware that he can give more to his team.
“I know I am capable of much better. I think I need to keep things simple, go back to basics. I had success early in the year because I kept things simple, I was confident. I have enough talent, if I work, to be successful,” he said.
Head coach Jean-François Houle, who works with Roy on a daily basis, does not sense any worry or panic in his young attacker.
He knows he has to go to the net a little more. He’s trying to get out of it. He’s still young and he’s going to find a way to get through this.
Jean-François Houle, head coach of the Rocket
That said, Houle has no difficulty admitting that Roy is going through a trying period.
“The other teams know who he is, the defenders play very physical on him every time he touches the puck,” noted Houle.
“Of course it’s not an easy period, but it’s a period that is perhaps necessary for his development as a young professional player. When you find ways to get out of it, you know you’ve been there before and you know what to expect, that’s part of learning as a young player,” Houle also explained.
Modified plans
If Houle wants to see Roy regain his offensive touch from the beginning of the season, he no doubt hopes that his entire group offers a much better effort Friday and Saturday against the Hartford Wolf Pack than Wednesday night against Belleville.
This is also the reason why Houle invited all his players to a full training session which lasted about an hour on Thursday morning, while originally the team was to hold an optional session.
“It wasn’t super long, but it was just to send a little message that we need to work,” Houle said.
“I think it was important to go on the ice today, do four or five sets of drills to let them know that if you want to have a chance of winning, you have to work. »