Joshua Roy’s success in the American League earned him his first NHL audition.
The Montreal Canadiens announced late Friday evening that they had recalled the 20-year-old winger, who will join the team Saturday morning. We do not know, at this point, if he will make his official debut with the big club on Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Fifth round pick (150e in total) in the 2021 draft, Roy is having a sensational debut with the Laval Rocket. In his first professional season, he has already collected 30 points, including 12 goals, in 34 games, second on the team, behind Brandon Gignac. This production places him at 17e rank of circuit markers, and at 3e rank among recruits.
Former Quebec minor hockey glory, this native of Saint-Georges-de-Beauce was selected first overall by the Saint-Jean Sea Dogs in the 2019 QMJHL draft. A checkered start to his junior career however, caused him to fall for the NHL draft. However, he exploded in his final two campaigns with the Sherbrooke Phœnix, obtaining a total of 218 points in 121 season games, in addition to 47 points in 25 playoff games. He also won the gold medal at the World Junior Championship twice with the Canadian team.
In Montreal, he will join a team in difficulty. Martin St-Louis’ men have only won two of their last eight matches, and even then, these two victories were close. The two most recent defeats, suffered against the Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks, were particularly painful.
After 41 games, the Habs are at 25e rank in the general classification of the NHL, 7 points from the last place giving access to the playoffs in the Eastern Association.
Roy is the fifth skater, and the third forward, to join the Canadian after starting the 2023-2024 campaign with the Rocket. The last one to get his chance, Emil Heineman, was demoted after Thursday night’s game.