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Joshua Roy: Canadiens’ best hope, according to Craig Button

 Matthew Garcia
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Joshua Roy: Canadiens’ best hope, according to Craig Button
Credit: Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images
Expectations for Joshua Roy were never as high as for a top-10 draft pick, simply because he was selected in the fifth round. Expectations were a little higher, however, after he racked up 218 points in two seasons with the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

People knew he was good, but most were excited to see him play in the NHL. His first steps in the NHL were quite positive. His nine points in 23 games earned him a spot on the third line, which is not bad for a 20-year-old.

But then again, a lot of people still see him as a future excellent player on the second line in the future, not as an important cog in the team on the first line.

TSN’s Craig Button, however, sees things differently.

Appearing on The Sick Podcast on Thursday, he declared that, in his opinion, Joshua Roy is the Canadiens’ best prospect.

The best. Nothing less.

That’s quite a statement when the Canadiens selected a player fifth overall in the last draft, David Reinbacher. In fact, Button not only sees Roy as the Canadiens’ top prospect, he also sees him on the team’s top line in the future.

Seeing Joshua Roy take the place of Juraj Slafkovsky or Cole Caufield on the wing of the first line would be very surprising, but I understand there’s potential in his game.

Except that what’s completely crazy about Button’s statement is that he thinks Roy could do what Wyatt Johnston is doing in Dallas but for the Canadiens.

For those unfamiliar with Johnston’s game, we’re talking about a 21-year-old forward who has 11 points in 12 games since the start of the playoffs. He’s already an important cog in a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Button is so confident of Joshua Roy’s future, he puts him in the same category as David Reinbacher.

When asked by Tony Marinaro which of Joshua Roy, Filip Mesar, Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher he would be comfortable trading, Button only replied that he wouldn’t be comfortable trading either Reinbacher or Roy.

It’s an excellent idea on Button’s part, however. Joshua Roy has some strange potential. He has the ability to reach the greatest heights, but he might as well remain a third-line player.

The fact that his future is so unclear makes me skeptical about sending him to another team, even if the return is a good, established player.

Joshua Roy still has a long way to go, but his NHL debut has been pleasantly positive. He should, however, be able to give us a bigger sample of his game next season with the Canadiens.

You can listen to Thursday’s Sick Podcast in its entirety here.


In bursts

– Interesting for Montreal.

– The sweep doesn’t go over well.

– Heavy.

– Reinforcement for Boston.

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