Montreal Canadiens Forward Joshua Roy Belongs In The NHL

The Montreal Canadiens were in Carolina On Thursday night to face former Hab Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the Hurricanes.

It was far from the team’s best effort in the last two months, though it should be noted that the 4-1 loss did reveal one very important clue as to the team’s future roster construction.

Joshua Roy belongs in the NHL.

Let’s dive into those highlights!

Hard Work Pays Off

Roy opened the scoring for the Canadiens with a shot that Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen should have stopped, but we’re not about to bemoan a young player receiving a little bit of good luck, especially since Roy has produced great underlying numbers in his brief time with the Habs.

It was Roy’s third career NHL goal.

If anything, Roy has been unlucky not to have registered his name on the scoresheet with more frequency. Not only has he shown he belongs in the NHL thanks to his well-rounded skill set, but he’s also been the player driving the offence on his line despite having the least professional hockey experience in the lineup.

Roy led all Canadiens players in expected goals against the Hurricanes, closing in on 55 percent while the rest of the team was outplayed significantly throughout most of the game.

#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Montreal Canadiens on 2024-03-07:#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ezZ0D1xyPe

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) March 8, 2024

There’s been a lot of discussion centring on whether the Canadiens should ‘paper’ Roy to ensure he can participate in the AHL playoffs if the Laval Rocket were to secure a Calder Cup berth.

From a logistics standpoint, it makes sense.

But if the Habs are operating a meritocracy, as all rebuilding teams should, Roy will not end up back in the AHL. He’s proven that he’s ready to play NHL hockey, and giving him an ‘early’ summer off isn’t the worst idea for a young player who is yet to have a chance to adapt to the rigours of a complete professional hockey season.

Of course, it all comes down to how Roy feels once the season is over, but for now, he’s not just a part of the Canadiens lineup, he’s one of the better-performing players in the entire organization.

JOSHUA ROY IS ON FIRE, FOLKS.

1-0 #Habs pic.twitter.com/TPgVF6rZ5e

— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) March 8, 2024

Montembeault Shines

At the midway point of the game, Carolina held a 9-2 advantage when it came to generating quality scoring chances at 5v5. It’s the first time in a long time the Habs did not control the flow of the game, a sign that the team may be turning a corner when it comes to the rebuild.

Thankfully for Martin St-Louis, goaltender Samuel Montembeault was up to the task, keeping the Canadiens in the game long enough to allow them an opportunity to find their rhythm.

Montembeault finally allowed the second goal of the game with 24 seconds left in the second period, though you’d be hard-pressed to argue it was poor goaltending that led to the goal rather than questionable defensive positioning.

Hurricanes score with 24 seconds left to play in the second period. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/LuyfoSnSkM

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) March 8, 2024

Surging King

For a brief moment, it appeared that Roy had scored his second goal of the game after a very strong individual effort that involved him capitalizing on his own rebound.

The goal was called off due to goaltender interference by Alex Newhook, but it was yet another encouraging sign for a young player who is quickly establishing his identity in the NHL as a well-polished, two-way winger whose best years are yet to come.

It’s easy to forget, but Roy is just 18 games into his NHL career, and yet he’s playing with the confidence of a 10-year veteran.

Joshua Roy, so hot right now. His second goal of the game comes after a strong individual effort. pic.twitter.com/etkxFbLM7d

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) March 8, 2024

The Montreal Canadiens are back in action on Saturday night. They will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted. Via Natural Stat Trick.