Montreal Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy has had an incredible season. The QMJHL star was drafted in the 5th round of the 2021 NHL Draft, but has already proven he is going to be a steal of a pick at that round.
Since then, he has exploded offensively at the QMJHL level. Roy played the 2021-22 season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix and was on a line with Xavier Parent and Julien Anctil. They were expected to be a good trio, but they were completely unstoppable.
Roy dropped to the fifth round of the draft because of questions around work ethic and nothing to do with his skill. He showed this season he has the work ethic required to be a top prospect and also has even more skill than anyone previously believed.
The 18 year old winger scored 51 goals and finished first in the QMJHL in points with 119 in 66 games. He was just as good in the postseason, scoring 23 points in just 11 playoff games, helping the Phoenix make it to the Eastern Conference Final before bowing out to the Charlottetown Islanders.
The Phoenix played their last game on Monday, May 30th, and Roy was called up to the AHL’s Laval Rocket the following day. They were on a hiatus between rounds, but when the AHL’s Conference Final began, Roy was a healthy scratch. He sat out the first two games of the series, but won’t be watching tonight’s Game 3.
The series between the Laval Rocket and Springfield Thunderbirds is tied at one apiece as it shifts to Laval for the next three games. Gabriel Bourque is out of the lineup with injury and it is Joshua Roy who will step in to fill the void.
Joshua Roy effectuera ses débuts professionnels ce soir à la Place Bell 🚀
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) June 8, 2022
Joshua Roy will make his professional debut tonight at Place Bell 🚀#GoRocket pic.twitter.com/IikveDRF55
The Saint-Georges de Beauce native will make his pro debut and looks to be on a line with Cedric Paquette and Joel Teasdale. At least that is where he was at practice yesterday, but we will have to wait and see how the lines are formed once the game begins.
At 18 years of age, it will be a big step for Roy, who isn’t even old enough to play in the AHL next season until his QMJHL season ends. However, after scoring nearly two points per game all year in Junior, he should be ready for the challenge.
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