Joshua Roy demonstrated his quality and talent by guiding Canada to victory at the 2023 World Junior Championship. Watching Roy, it’s difficult to fathom that he was selected in the 5th round (155th overall) of the 2021 Draft. His showings at the 2023 tournament and in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League show that he is one of Canada’s top prospects.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Team Canada head coach Dennis Williams told TSN. “He’s a jack of all trades. He’s done it all for us.”
Like many Canadian hockey players, Joshua Roy started playing hockey with his family.
Roy’s parents and brothers helped condition him after an underwhelming start to his pro career
Joshua Roy was born on 6th August 2003 to Sandra and Paulin Roy in St-Georges de Beauce, Quebec, Canada. He grew up playing hockey alongside his older brothers – Charles Ettiene and Jacob – on an outdoor skating rink in Parc du Cap, the starting point for many Canadiens prospects.
Roy, often the youngest player on the rink, was regularly outshone by older players. However, as his confidence grew, he began to match his older opponents, demonstrating his prodigious potential.
Joshua’s pro career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League started poorly. Despite carrying an abundance of talent, Roy wasn’t in peak physical shape. “I needed to improve my conditioning,” Roy told NHL.com.
Sherbrooke Phoenix’s coaching staff developed a plan focused on proper conditioning and nutrition that dramatically improved Roy’s physical state. Roy told NHL.com that love and support from his parents and brothers helped him overcome the challenge. Roy said:
“When I was younger, I never really had to work all that hard, I’ll admit it. I wasn’t at my best. But now, with the support of everyone around me, I evolved into a much better player. I wouldn’t change anything about my past. It was a journey that taught me many valuable lessons.”
Joshua Roy is not related to NHL Hall of Famer Patrick Roy
Joshua Roy and Patrick Roy, a four-time winner of the Stanley Cup, are not related. Patrick is currently the head coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Patrick’s two sons, Jonathan and Frederick, played hockey. Jonathan, a goaltender like his father, infamously assaulted a rival goaltender during a match between the Quebec Remparts and Chicoutimi. He was charged with assault for punching the opposing goaltender several times.
Frederick and Jonathan didn’t make much of an impact in hockey: Jonathan left the sport to pursue a music career; Frederick retired after playing for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League for two years.