GEM
By Lowetide
10 years agoThe Edmonton Oilers added to their future offensive arsenal yesterday when drafting Marc-Olivier Roy. His scouting report (and the highlight package) suggest a terrific prospect and a player worth watching over the next couple of years.
HE’S A NATURAL
Marc-Olivier (don’t worry, they all shorten it after awhile, much to Wanye-Squee Wanye’s chagrin) was well regarded by the trusted scouting agencies going into the draft:
- Bob McKenzie: 58
- Redline: 39
- ISS:54
- Craig Button: 52
And they said very nice things about him:
- Redline: While thought of as a grinder who brings passion and intensity to each shift (which is accurate), that is short-changing his skill level. Good skater with speed and balance, and accelerates well. Wins a lot of races for loose pucks and is always 1st into corners. Works his bag off every shift and comes back hard on the backcheck. He’s an absolute buzzsaw with a motor that never quits. If his team loses the puck, he wants to go and get it back immediately. Stays in constant motion in the offensive zone, making him very difficult to check or contain. Soft hands for both giving and receiving passes. Gets shots away quickly around the slot and shows good accuracy. Competes like a bastard and always has his head in the game. Rugged and persistent on the forecheck. Reliable player at both ends who is continually improving. Also 6’1″ with a nice frame to fill out.
STATS STATS STATS
- QMJHL boxcars: 65, 29-38-67
- NHLE: 82, 11-14-25
- Shots on goal: 159 (65th in Q)
- Shooting percentage: 18.2
- EV: 65, 16-25-41
- PP: 65, 13-13-26
Roy scored well at evens and on the powerplay. As a comparison, Calgary’s first round selection who also played in the QMJHL last season (Emile Poirier) went 65, 22-24-46 at evens (superior to Roy, but in the range) but didn’t enjoy the same success on the PP (65, 7-8-15 compared to Roy’s 26 points with the man advantage). Roy has been reported in some circles as a center, but took only 65 faceoffs this season, winning 20. Something to keep track of as he matures, but it’s probably wise to list him as a RW until further notice.
PLAYOFFS
The young Roy may have turned a corner late into the season and then in the QMJHL playoffs. His coach (Jean-Francois Houle) stresses attention to defensive detail and Roy flourished during the year and in the post-season, popped 19 points in 15 games–playing a major role for his team.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
We’ll know for sure in 5 years, but Marc-Olivier Roy’s stats at 17 in the QMJHL were impressive. If he can take a significant step forward in the coming season, the Oilers may have a top flight two-way prospect on the way.
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