Recalled/Assigned: Joshua Roy recalled from the Laval Rocket

Miller Time

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Sep 16, 2004
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Very smart player, makes a lot of savvy little plays with the puck and in puck recovery...

If he keeps focused on improving his strength and skating each offseason, he could have a very long and steep development curve... Kind of athlete that really hits his stride by his mid 20s as he tops out his physical peak
 

ChesterNimitz

governed by the principle of calculated risk
Jul 4, 2002
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He had some good moments, but I don't think he's done enough to stay once Laine is cleared to play.
The game is still a bit too fast for him. Roy has to catch up quickly, because there are a host of young, promising forwards that will soon be challenging him (and others) for roster spots. His window of opportunity is closing rapidly.
 
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Leon Lucius Black

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Nov 5, 2007
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He's still only 21 so nothing wrong with sending him back down to the AHL, it'll be more beneficial for him than playing 10-11 minutes a night in the NHL.

Let him put up points and call him back up later in the year when we'll likely have some guys moved out and injuries will more than likely happen.
 

schwang26

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Mar 15, 2022
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He's still only 21 so nothing wrong with sending him back down to the AHL, it'll be more beneficial for him than playing 10-11 minutes a night in the NHL.

Let him put up points and call him back up later in the year when we'll likely have some guys moved out and injuries will more than likely happen.
Which is exactly why I questioned why he was recalled in the first place. Really useless move.

I think his career will be as a tweener, too good for the AHL, not good enough to stick in the NHL.
I don’t think he’s ever done well in a bottom 6 roll. He has to play with good players if you want production out of him, but that’s probably not happening in the nhl. Heineman seems to be fitting into that roll much better. More speed, better shot and loves to hit.
 

morhilane

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Feb 28, 2021
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Which is exactly why I questioned why he was recalled in the first place. Really useless move.
Because RHP needed more conditioning in the AHL and the Habs wanted Dach to go back to center, someone who could slot in the top 6 at wing was needed until Laine is cleared to play.
 

dackelljuneaubulis02

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Oct 13, 2012
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It's hard to believe that people were ready to give him a top-six spot; he isn't that noticeable out there.
I was a big supporter. He has the raw upside to be a top 6er.

All these little signs of non-effort and being underwhelming are starting to add up. He still has time but he can’t afford to not playing a 100%. I know much if it is style but he needs to be better.

My gut’s telling me he doesn’t have a future with us but he’s too talented to give up on. I think he has more value to us than in a trade.
 

BLONG7

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Oct 30, 2002
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It's hard to believe that people were ready to give him a top-six spot; he isn't that noticeable out there.
Pretty much invisible..............his lack of foot speed is on full display. Has some hockey IQ but seems too slow at the NHL level.
Back to Laval to keep working on it..............haven't given up on him yet but the clock is ticking.
 

Rapala

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Mar 29, 2013
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I think his career will be as a tweener, too good for the AHL, not good enough to stick in the NHL.
I think after seeing Roy play both leagues we have a situational player here.
Some of what I liked last season was he didn't end up hurting us too much.
He's good to very good in and around the net he's also a sneaky good board player without actually being super physical.
Not a great transition player but if he gets Ozone starts and we can control the puck he can do some damage.
He's good in specific zones when he can get there but he has to rely almost solely on his play making ability to move the puck.
 

badfish

Habs fan in ON
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Nov 12, 2005
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What holds Roy back is his lack of top-end speed - a long standing criticism of his game. While he has shown improvements in this area, he is still in the bottom half of the league for every skating metric on NHL Edge. Comparisons to Tyler Toffoli are often made, but NHL Edge stats reveal a significant gap exists between the two. For example, Roy's top end speed is about 5% slower than Toffoli's, and even after adjusting for time on ice, Roy has about half as many bursts in the 32-35 kph range per 60 minutes than Toffoli. Toffoli, notably, is one of the slower top-6 forwards in the NHL, which may explain why he's had a journeyman career despite his offensive production.

The difference between an NHL player and an AHL player often comes down to the slimmest margins. I remember an analyst illustrating this using goalie save percentage (back when goalies still had higher save percentages in the mid-2010s): a .900 save percentage is enough to secure an NHL job, but an .890 save percentage probably relegates a goalie to a third-stringer or AHL starter role. A 1% difference between an NHL career and an AHL career.

Apply this line of thinking to NHL skating, the question is whether Roy's skating ability falls within the margin of effectiveness for the NHL - or just below it. The gap between him and a player like Toffoli, while narrow, could be enough to determine whether Roy can consistently succeed at the highest level. I think there's a lot of other NHL-level tools there so I am really pulling for him, but you have to wonder if there is enough runway left for Roy to make a big step change in his skating at 21. I would hypothesize there are relatively few examples of players taking 5,10,15% improvements in skating after 21, but I am open to being corrected on that.
 

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