Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
As training camp opens in September, both Joshua Roy and the Montreal Canadiens had plenty of reason to hope the 21-year-old forward could make a run for a full-time NHL roster spot.
Roy has spent the final two months of the 2023-24 season in Montreal, playing in 23 games, registering nine points (four goals, five assists), and averaging 12:08 of ice time per game. And with the Rockets before that promotion, he had put up 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in just 41 AHL games, helping Laval get back into playoff contention following the team’s rough start.
Roy looked at his NHL opponents and took quick action that strengthened the challenge ahead.
“They’re very nice, and very smart,” Roy said.
Still, he can go into the summer excited about his first pro season and get down to his offseason training. Roy, a native of Saint-Georges, Que., stayed in Montreal to train with teammates who could provide a high pro-level.
However, the camp did not go Roy’s way. He appeared in five preseason games with the Canadiens and picked up two assists. Was it a poor training camp? No. But a player trying to nail down an NHL roster spot has to do more than that, especially with a group of other prospects trying to push for that same opportunity. He was part of the final team cut from Laval before the start of the new season.
“I didn’t have the camp I wanted,” Roy admitted, “and I think everyone knows it. I just want to prove that I’m better than that.”
Back in Laval, Roy knows he has a job to do. He still has a lot to learn, and so does the Rockets’ new coach Pascal Vincent he can be a good teacher. Vincent, who spent three seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets (including last season as head coach), returned to the AHL for an extensive coaching career spanning three decades. That breadth of experience includes eight seasons in various NHL coaching roles and five more campaigns with the Manitoba Moose, along with coach of the year honors in the AHL and QMJHL.
As a junior, the trade from Saint John to Sherbrooke for the 2020-21 season made his career difficult. Roy improved his stamina, which is necessary for anyone who wants to advance to the pro level, and worked to clean up his defensive game and become a more reliable player. Those efforts paid off, offensively included, as Roy racked up 97 goals in his final 121 regular season games. Along the way, the Habs made him a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, and he won gold medals for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship. He even earned a spot on the line with the 2023 NHL first overall pick Connor Bedard.
Another issue is consistency, which is something most young players must do if they want to land a full-time NHL job. Roy might be loud one night and quiet the next. The games are coming fast.
“I have to be sharp in every game,” admitted Roy. “Stay sharp every night and bring my game to the next level.”
Roy’s work is paying off early in the season. He leads the Laval club with seven goals and 12 points in 10 games, including his second hat trick in his first game Saturday against Providence. Roy managed to create chances with 35 shots on goal.
After falling short last season, the Rockets are off to a fast start in 2024-25. They earned their eighth straight win with a 4-3 shootout decision at Belleville on Friday night, improving to 9-1-0-0 (.900) in the league.
The offensive production is there for Roy, but building consistency and reliability is what will bring him back to the NHL. For now, he’s able to get enough ice time alongside a growing group of Canadiens who may one day skate with the Habs.
Last season provided plenty of lessons. It will be the same this season. It’s already there.
“You have to know that nothing is guaranteed,” said Roy. “You have to find your place every day.”
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
