Joshua Roy traded at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft?
Montreal's most-listened-to French sports radio station, BPM Sports, sparked significant social media buzz this week with a potential trade involving young Quebecois forward Joshua Roy.
Since the NHL lottery reveal, speculation and discussion surrounding the Canadiens' fifth overall pick have multiplied like germs on a doorknob. Many are questioning what Kent Hughes will do. Among those interested, Gonzo and Laraque have been very enthusiastic lately about the importance of this fifth pick.
During one of their midday show episodes, the two prominent station figures discussed the various options available to the club's management. They both agreed on one thing: Kent Hughes must do everything possible to acquire the big forward Cayden Lindstrom if the opportunity arises.
«The Canadiens must come out of the draft with either Lindstrom or Demidov, otherwise it would be a failure. Kent Hughes must do everything to select one of the two.»
- Georges Laraque
The problem is that Lindstrom might not be available when Kent Hughes steps onto the stage for the fifth pick. According to experts, the top three names are almost confirmed to be Macklin Celebrini, Ivan Demidov, and Artyom Levshunov. However, there are many possibilities for the fourth pick. In the past, the Blue Jackets have often picked from the Russian pool, as evidenced by the selections of Yegor Chinakov, Nikolai Makarov, Dimitri Voronkov, and several others. Could the big defenseman Anton Silayev hear his name?
A Trade Involving Joshua Roy to Secure Cayden Lindstrom? Georges Laraque's Proposal
To counter this and ensure they can select Lindstrom, Kent Hughes might be tempted to make a trade to move up one spot. But what is the price for this small jump in the draft?
The two hosts suggested that the fifth overall pick and the Jets' pick, likely the 26th or 27th selection, might be sufficient and fair. However, Gonzalez would prefer that the Canadiens trade a defenseman and keep the Jets' late pick. The two hosts role-played as the two general managers to make a trade.
Gonzalez, acting as the Blue Jackets' GM, proposed Logan Mailloux, Lane Hutson, Arber Xhekaj, and Jayden Struble. Short of decent defensemen, GM Gonzalez switched gears and proposed a young forward named Joshua Roy.
At this point, Georges Laraque relented. He would be open to trading their fifth pick and Joshua Roy to ensure they obtain Cayden Lindstrom.
COLUMBUS gives: 2024 1st round pick (4th overall)
MONTREAL gives: 2024 1st round pick (5th overall) + Joshua Roy
Returning to his role as a host, Gonzalez admitted that trading Joshua Roy to move up just one draft spot was steep. He would opt for either a second-round pick or try to trade Filip Mesar instead. However, it remains unclear whether Columbus would be tempted by this offer.
This discussion, though hypothetical, revealed that such precedents are rare. It's uncommon to see trades early in the first round involving a move up by just one spot. Determining the value of this move is quite difficult!
