Coming off three straight losses, the Montreal Canadiens are searching for answers in multiple areas.
Although forward Cole Caufield continues to score prolifically while captain Nick Suzuki maintains a point-per-game pace, this team is seriously lacking in the secondary scoring department.
Underwhelming starts from forwards like Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and rookie Oliver Kapanen are a testament to that.
With that in mind, perhaps an AHL call-up is in order. And if that’s the case, the Habs should look no further than Joshua Roy.
While he spent a large bulk of the 2023-24 season with the big club, the rookie winger was sent back down to the Laval Rocket for the start of the ongoing campaign following an underwhelming training camp.
Since then, Roy has been producing at an electrifying pace, netting seven goals and three assists in just nine games, propelling him to ninth on the AHL’s scoring leaderboard.
Selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, the St-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec native has been especially dangerous in recent outings, netting a hat trick in Saturday’s win against the Providence Bruins.
Joshua Roy nets his second professional hat trick in a 6-3 @RocketLaval victory🚀🧢 pic.twitter.com/yS5AfgSOMe
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) November 2, 2024
The Rocket, as a whole, are thriving as well, opening the season with an impressive 8-1-0 record and currently riding a seven-game winning streak.
Although Roy might not bring an immediate scoring punch if he’s slotted into an NHL-level bottom six, he’s shown he can contribute offensively at the top level, tallying four goals and nine points in 23 games with the Canadiens last season.
If Montreal’s struggles continue, calling up a hot-handed prospect like him could soon be a tempting — and perhaps necessary — move, especially if he maintains his current pace in Laval.