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Montreal Canadiens forward Joshua Roy – (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Clock is Ticking on Joshua Roy Finding a Canadiens’ Roster Spot

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By William Bourget | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 1:10 PM ET

The Montreal Canadiens are building for the future with a clear focus on youth, but that commitment to player development has blocked the way for some players, especially Joshua Roy. The former fifth-round pick has climbed the ranks quickly since his draft year, but the organization’s increasing depth might soon leave him behind.

General manager Kent Hughes’ offseason moves have further complicated Roy’s path to the NHL. Hughes acquired 22-year-old Zachary Bolduc, a former first-rounder with top-six potential, from the New York Islanders for Logan Mailloux and used a high second-round pick to select dynamic Russian forward Alexander Zharovsky. Meanwhile, 2024 first-round pick Michael Hage has skyrocketed up the depth chart and is considered by many to be ahead of Roy.

Combine that with an already young and established top six that includes Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and new star Ivan Demidov, and the window of opportunity is closing fast in Montreal. Next season could be a make-or-break moment for Roy’s future with the team.

AHL Production and NHL Flashes

It’s not like Roy hasn’t produced. Over the last two seasons with the Laval Rocket, he has scored 33 goals and 67 points in 89 games for above-average numbers at that level. His hockey IQ, release, and vision have helped him stand out, and when injuries hit the Habs last season, Roy got a real shot with the big club.

Notifications

He’s appeared in 35 NHL games over the last two seasons, tallying 6 goals and 11 points. His most promising stretch came when he was slotted alongside Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook on the second line in 2024-25. Though he wasn’t consistent enough to stick in that role, he showed flashes of what made him a standout junior player: a smart, positionally aware winger with a finishing touch and good instincts in the offensive zone.

The Clock is Ticking on Roy’s Future

Roy is only 21 years old, but time is not on his side. The Canadiens’ forward group is rapidly taking shape, and it’s increasingly difficult to envision where he fits long-term. Montreal is also grooming a group of bottom-six options that include Owen Beck and Oliver Kapanen, players with strong defensive habits and penalty-killing upside.

Those are the roles Roy may need to claim if he wants a spot in the NHL next season, but adapting to them won’t be easy, although he’s shown in the past that he can do it with two World Junior Championship gold medals (2022 and 2023).

This upcoming season will feel like his final audition. The Habs won’t wait forever. With each passing year, younger prospects join the system, and Roy’s status as a former late-round steal becomes less relevant if his game stagnates. Montreal may very well look to trade him before his value fades if he doesn’t crack the lineup out of the gate.

Roy’s Last Opportunity?

There is a silver lining: there are holes to fill in the lineup next season. The departures of Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, and Emil Heineman have opened up competition in the bottom six. That could give Roy one last real opportunity to break into the NHL full-time. The team has roughly two spots up for grabs up front heading into training camp, and Roy is in the mix.

If he can show an improved two-way game, bring energy, and contribute to the second power-play unit, there’s a realistic chance he makes the opening-night roster. This season won’t require him to put up big numbers, just to be useful, consistent, and coachable in a depth role. The Habs might still prefer to see him dominate in Laval again, especially if the NHL roster fills up quickly, but, at some point, Montreal has to make decisions, and Roy needs to give them a reason to keep investing in him.

This isn’t necessarily the end of the road for Roy, but it could be the most decisive chapter. With new talent arriving, fewer roster spots available, and the organizational priorities clearly shifting toward players with a higher ceiling or specific role, Roy’s margin for error is shrinking fast.

He has done just about everything asked of him since he was drafted; he’s produced in junior, proved himself in the AHL, and held his own in the NHL. But that may not be enough. Montreal is no longer a rebuilding club desperately seeking warm bodies. They’re a team with playoff ambitions, a strong young core, and a roster crunch that leaves little room for in-between players.

This could be the season that Roy either finds his role or finds himself on the trade block. Whether it’s in training camp or throughout the season, he’ll need to show the Habs he belongs, not just as a call-up, but as a permanent piece of the puzzle. Otherwise, the next time we see him in the NHL, he might be wearing another jersey.