Another Top Montreal Canadiens Prospect To Join Laval Rocket

The Laval Rocket will receive even more reinforcements, as one of their top offensive prospects is reportedly set to join the Montreal Canadiens’ farm team in their AHL Playoffs run.

91.9 FM’s Laval Rocket announcer, Anthony Marcotte, confirms that the top Canadiens prospect will be joining the Laval Rocket on their current playoff run.

Je peux confirmer que Joshua Roy rejoindra le @RocketLaval dans les prochaines heures. Il vient de connaître une saison de 119 points avec le Phoenix de Sherbrooke et a été éliminé hier contre Charlottetown.

— Anthony Marcotte (@anthonymarcotte) May 31, 2022

After his Sherbrooke Phoenix were eliminated last night in the QMJHL playoffs, Joshua Roy was vocal about not wanting his season to end just yet.

“If the opportunity presents itself to go join the Rocket in Laval, it would be a great experience,” said Roy. “I’ll wait to see how things play out.”

The leading scorer in the QMJHL has had an exceptional year, powering his team to the playoffs when most had the Phoenix projected to finish near the bottom of the QMJHL standings at the start of the season. In what was one of the most productive seasons in the last 20 years for an 18-year-old in the QMJHL, Roy put up a staggering 51 goals and 68 assists for 119 points in just 66 games. He continued his torrid pace in the QMJHL playoffs, potting eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in only 11 games. Roy seemingly isn’t ready for his season to end just yet and seems ready to sign a Professional Try-Out (PTO) to join the Laval Rocket.

L'espoir des Canadiens Joshua Roy fera-t-il ses valises pour Laval dans les prochaines heures?
Le principal intéressé ne serait pas contre l'idée! 👀 pic.twitter.com/RLa2cWvZSA

— RDS (@RDSca) May 31, 2022

AHL Playoff Eligibility

Despite being 18 years old, Roy is indeed eligible to join the Laval Rocket on their current playoff running by signing a PTO at this stage of the year. There is usually a rule which inhibits players from Canadian Major Junior (WHL, OHL and QMJHL) from playing in the AHL at 18 or 19 years of age, but, when the junior clubs of these youngsters are eliminated, they are free to play in the AHL if they sign a PTO. The Montreal Canadiens chose a similar route for fellow 2021 NHL Draft selection Riley Kidney, who signed his PTO earlier this month and has been with the Rocket for a week now.

Although Roy is not eligible to play in the AHL next season, as he’ll be 19 years old, this would be a great experience for him to take and learn from to better prepare him for the next step in his hockey career. Should Laval Rocket head coach J-F Houle feel he needs some more firepower up front, he would then have two of the top QMJHL scorers in Roy and Kidney to call upon to add some energy into their lineup.