The Montreal Canadiens are entering the new season with more questions than answers—and at the center of it all stands Joshua Roy, a young forward whose journey has been anything but predictable.

After bursting onto the scene and capturing the imagination of fans and coaches alike, Roy’s career took a sudden turn last year, leaving many to wonder if his early promise was just a fleeting moment or a sign of bigger things to come. Now, with training camp looming and roster spots up for grabs, Roy finds himself facing the toughest battle of his young career.

What really happened behind the scenes during last year’s camp? How did a player once considered a near-lock for the lineup find himself on the outside looking in?

And perhaps most importantly, what message did Joshua Roy just send to Canadiens management that has everyone talking? As rumors swirl about fierce internal competition and possible trades, the stakes have never been higher—not just for Roy, but for the entire organization.

With Kent Hughes facing critical decisions and several young stars vying for their NHL dreams, this preseason promises drama, surprises, and perhaps a few shock twists that no one saw coming. The full story is far more complex than it seems…

Mar 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Joshua Roy (89) skates against the Florida Panthers in the third period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The young forward of the Montreal Canadiens, Joshua Roy, has had quite a surprising start to his career.

After an extremely promising beginning, both in the AHL and the NHL, everything indicated that Roy had earned a spot (in Montreal) for the 2024-2025 season.

In the end, after a difficult training camp, he outright lost his spot to youngsters like Emil Heineman and Oliver Kapanen. Eventually his struggles forced Kent Hughes to make a key trade.

If he began training camp in 2024 with a nearly guaranteed spot, this year it’s quite the opposite.

Joshua Roy wants to force Kent Hughes to keep him with the Montreal Canadiens

That’s the message he sent.

Via the official NHL site, Joshua Roy made his points clear, and he really seems to have the right attitude.

Zachary Bolduc knows exactly when he will realize that he is now a member of the Canadiens

He knows he’ll have to battle against fellow mates to become a regular in Montreal, but he’s ready for the challenge.

“All three of us want the same result, which is to play with the Canadiens,” he said, referring to Blais and Veleno.

“We’re in competition, but we’re still buddies.”

– Joshua Roy

This internal competition will be really interesting to follow, especially since Roy truly speaks like a guy who’s going to make the National Hockey League.

He’ll arrive at this 2025 camp with much less pressure on his shoulders compared to last year, and that could be a positive factor for him.

Joshua Roy, 22 years old, collected 2 points in 12 games last season in Montreal, as well as 35 points in 47 games with the Laval Rocket.

Do you believe he’ll manage to secure a spot with the Canadiens as soon as this fall?

Kent Hughes will clearly have some big decisions to make with his lineup in any case!