The Montreal Canadiens’ fifth-round pick of Joshua Roy in 2021 looks like real flight in broad daylight. However, the team shared the same fears as almost everyone else about the Beauceron, and it was ultimately the persistence of Serge Boisvert and Donald Audette at the draft table that made the difference.
• Also read: Four points for Joshua Roy on his return
• Also read: A magic pass
The two recruiters in charge of Quebec territory on behalf of the Habs had seen and heard the same things about Roy as everyone else during the 2020-2021 season. After a respectable start to the season, which included 17 points in 15 games with the Saint-Jean Sea Dogs, the first overall pick of the 2019 QMJHL draft dropped a small bombshell in the junior hockey world on his return home for the Holidays and mentioned that he had no intention of reporting to the Sea Dogs and asked for a trade.
The reasons for this request have been leaked and many of them are still unknown.
However, we later learned that Roy felt the coaching offered by the New Brunswick team did not meet his needs and that he was a transformed player following a trade that landed him at the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
Despite the last two good months in Estri, doubts remained.
“We felt that his commitment wasn’t always 100%. Also, he had asked to be traded, and if you do, something is wrong. On the other hand, we could see that he wasn’t well looked after at Saint-Jean and was replaced by Stéphane Julien at Sherbrooke,” Boisvert recalled during a phone interview with Le Journal.
NOTHING TO LOSE
In this year’s repechage, Canadian put Roy on his final list, but he was among the last-third hopes. In the first round, the team starts with the controversial selection of Logan Mailloux, the next day it selects Riley Kidney and Oliver Kapanen in the second round. She continues in the third round with defender Dmitri Kostenko, then in the fourth round with William Trudeau.
“Once we passed the fourth round and took William Trudeau, Donald and I went to see Trevor [Timmins] and Martin Lapointe. We told them we couldn’t do without a talent like Joshua Roy in the fifth round. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain. »
Still, in 142nd place, the Habs announce the selection of another Russian defender, Daniil Sobolev, in round five.
But the wishes of the two Quebec recruiters were granted eight picks later: With the 150th pick overall, Roy went into the ownership of the Montreal Canadiens.
“I was sure he would have gone in that rank. I thought other teams would bet on him,” admits the Quebec recruit.
TRANSFORMATION
Without taking into account the context at the time, the Canadian is now considered a genius with the selection of Roy.
In the season following his draft, Roy ranked first in the QMJHL with 119 points, including 51 goals in 66 games, before being selected to represent Junior Team Canada for the resumption of the World Championships in Edmonton last August.
His eight points in seven games helped Canada win gold, then did it again a few weeks ago and played a key role in ECJ’s second straight gold medal win in Halifax, notably scoring the crucial pass to Dylan Guenther’s winning goal in overtime, against the Czech Republic in the grand final.
PHOENIX CREDIT
For Boisvert, much of the credit goes to Stéphane Julien and the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
“What convinced us to take him into the fifth round was knowing he was trading in a good environment and that he was in good hands. He later proved this well, losing between 20 and 25 pounds and taking his desire to be a hockey player more seriously. If we look back to see what he’s giving us right now, he’s playing like a first or second round pick, there’s no denying that. »
While the Canadian’s organization has often been criticized in recent years for not capitalizing enough on Quebec talent, Boisvert acknowledges Roy’s progress makes him feel a little velvety when he sees it. But for all this he does not claim victory.
“It’s flattering, but the day we’re going to get a really good smack in the back, Donald and I, is the day he’s going to play in the NHL, and we’re not there yet. He’s a long way from that and everything will depend on him. »
A TOTAL EXPLOSION
Photo courtesy of Sherbrooke Phoenix
Statistics since its draft in 2021
Season 2021-2022
66 games
- 51 goals
- 68 templates
- 119 points
Series 2021-2022
11 games
- 8 goals
- 15 passes
- 23 points
World Juniors 2022
7 games
- 3 goals
- 5 passes
- 8 points
Season 2022-2023
27 games
- 19 goals
- 28 templates
- 47 points
World Juniors 2023
7 games
- 5 goals
- 6 passes
- 11 points
In total
118 games
- 86 goals
- 122 templates
- 208 points
THE DECISIONS OF CH IN 2021
Logan Mailloux
1st round (31st)
Riley kidney
2nd round (62nd)
Oliver Kapanen
2nd round (63rd)
Dmitri Kostenko
3rd round (87th)
William Trudeau
4th round (113th)
Daniel Sobolev
5th round (142nd)
Joshua Roy
5th round (150th)
Xavier Simoneau
6th round (191st)
Joe Vrbetic
7th round (214th)
“He played NHL style”
Rob Ramage, Director of Player Development, was delighted with the play of the wingers at World Juniors
Photo archive, Agency QMI
Joshua Roy had a huge impact on Canada’s conquest at World Juniors.
Rob Ramage already knew that Joshua Roy had above average offensive ability. However, what he saw of him at the last World Junior Hockey Championships confirmed one thing: the Beauceron forward is serious about his plan to develop a professional playing style.
And the order he envisioned was impressive: in the semi-final against the USA, Roy alone spent many seconds on American territory while the latter tried by all means necessary to get the puck out and continue their power play. The Quebecer had returned to the bench to applause from the crowd.
“Watching that effort in the sequence, as well as the reaction of the crowd and his teammates to his return to the bench, I felt like I was reliving the Guy Carbonneau years! laughs the Director of Player Development for the Habs on the phone.
Photo archive, Pierre-Paul Poulin
Rob Ramage
CH Director of Player Development
To be clear, he’s not comparing Roy to Carbonneau. However, those few tens of seconds were a good example of how the fifth-round pick has progressed since it was drafted in 2021.
“He played in all situations. He killed penalties in an extraordinary way. Seeing a player like him, who is known for his attacking talent, add that dimension to his game can only help him going forward. In that tournament he played NHL style. »
THE SUZUKI EXAMPLE
The most important thing for Roy now will be to implement that playstyle with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in the second half of the season, notes Ramage. A challenge for players of his caliber who don’t necessarily need to be on the gas all the time to be successful, he adds.
“For a player like Josh who has above-average feel and skill, the juniors game can be easy. These high-level players are so used that they can sometimes rest during the game. It’s not going to happen once in the pros where you have to be there a maximum of 35 or 40 seconds before going back to the bench. You will never get two full minutes on the ice and sometimes some junior players find it difficult to adapt as they progress. However, I don’t think that will be the case. »
Ramage also has a specific example of what he’s pushing forward, and that example now bears the “C” with the big club.
“We saw him in his last junior year with Nick Suzuki. Sometimes it felt like it was too easy for him. However, when he was traded to Guelph, he literally took the team on his shoulders. »
” HE IS HUNGRY “
Aside from his skills, progression and increasing work at the gym, there’s one thing Joshua Roy excels at in Ramage’s eyes.
Last but not least.
He’s hungry. He’s a Quebecer drafted and signed by the Montreal Canadiens and he wants to wear that jersey one day. He’s a pleasure to work with and when we talk to him, he listens too. He’s a very intellectual youngster on the ice and I have to admit I envy him that. He’s very intelligent.”