Recalled/Assigned: Joshua Roy recalled from the Laval Rocket

[teamfirst]

is this just a bad season?

Could be

Or is this a portend of the future?

Could be

Only time will tell

 

[Miller Time]

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

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The issue is: is this just a bad season? Or is this a portend of the future?

Don’t know.

But us not using him as our second line center right now isn’t good. If he’s supposed to be our 2nd line center for the future then why is he on the wing?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Did he just float around the rest of the game ?

 

[morhilane]

Did he just float around the rest of the game ?

He had some good moments, but I don't think he's done enough to stay once Laine is cleared to play.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

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.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

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.

 

[OldCraig71]

It's hard to believe that people were ready to give him a top-six spot; he isn't that noticeable out there.

 

[Tyson]

It's hard to believe that people were ready to give him a top-six spot; he isn't that noticeable out there.

I think his career will be as a tweener, too good for the AHL, not good enough to stick in the NHL.

 

[schwang26]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[OldCraig71]

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.

When I look at him I see Drouin, lots of skill but is not a guy that will outwork anyone in a puck battle which is basically every play in the NHL.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

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.

With Roy and other fringe players currently on the Canadiens roster, its all a numbers game as there is host of promising forward prospects on the team’s depth chart: Demidov, Hage, Beck, Tuch, Harris, Mesar, Florian Xhekaj, etc. who will soon be pushing for roster spots. In addition, you have those three first rounders and 4 second rounders that Hughes has accumulated to use over the next two drafts. That’s a lot of internal competition for a speed challenged largely one dimensional, offensive forward. Then there’s the additional threat of the Canadiens being active in free agency with the Cap going up.

If I was Roy’s agent, I would be whispering into his ear that he should be playing each shift like it was his last shift in the NHL. Because it may will be.

 

[schwang26]

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.

Ya but he played on the 4th. They have Pezz who hasn’t played in a month. Or just keep Condotta for another couple weeks until Laine is back. Not to mention if the plan is to recall RHP, they’re on crack if they think he’s an nhl player.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Terrible game Tuesday but he was good yesterday

 

[Habby4Life]

It's hard to believe that people were ready to give him a top-six spot; he isn't that noticeable out there.

He isn’t anything special. Just another slow lazy player. If he is in the top 6, the top 6 sucks.

They should move him, just don’t see him in top 6 and he isn’t the kind of guy who is a good fit for bottom 6.

 

[Habano]

When I look at him I see Drouin, lots of skill but is not a guy that will outwork anyone in a puck battle which is basically every play in the NHL.

Agreed, with one major exception. Drouin can skate like the wind and and has the ability to dangle and still, I consider him to be at best an average NHLer.

You need to be able to skate to be in this league. The Toffolis of the NHL are few and far between and are the exceptions to the rule .

I would love for Roy to become a Toffoli but I just can't see it happening. Time will tell.