Coach Rocky Thompson believes forward Nicolas Roy has a bright future in the NHL, especially if he continues to produce at the pace he has for the Wolves over the last week.
Roy doubled his season goal total on Tuesday with a hat trick in the Wolves’ 4-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage at Allstate Arena.
His three goals — which included a tying short-handed breakaway goal in the second period — came three days after he scored an overtime goal against the division-leading Milwaukee Admirals.
“I played really good out there to start the season, too, but right now I feel really confident on the ice,” said Roy, who also had a hand in forward Brandon Pirri’s power-play goal in the third. “I just have to keep going.”
This is the best Roy has played and felt all season. He said he has his teammates to thank.
But Thompson believes the stability of having Roy stay in one place for an extended time is playing a huge part in his recent success.
Roy, 22, has been recalled by the Vegas Golden Knights seven times this season. He has three points (one goal and two assists) in seven NHL games.
Roy said he’s used to the back-and-forth nature of being a two-way player, but Thompson said that volume of movement can knock even the mentally toughest player out of sync.
“The tough part for him earlier on is he was always in between,” Thompson said. “He wasn’t here very long and then he’d be gone and that’s difficult. And even though we play the same way it is hard to float between it because your mind really isn’t set with one team — and if it is, it would obviously be with Vegas.”
Roy has been with the Wolves since Dec. 2. During that time, he has four goals and four assists, bringing his season total to 14 points in 16 AHL games.
“He knows if he comes down here and dominates this level, which we think he can, he’ll be able to translate that with momentum when he gets his next call up,” Thompson said.
Roy’s 6-4 frame and aggressive forechecking abilities makes him a solid fourth-line center. But Thompson believes Roy’s capable of doing more than that at the next level.
“If he can continue to get that offense down here ... that can push him up the ladder in the National Hockey League and be a player that doesn’t just play on your fourth line on the penalty kill but can move up into the third-line slot and also produce offensively,” Thompson said.
Just as Roy has started to find his rhythm in recent games so too has the overall team. The Wolves have won four of their last six games. And though youth and inexperience has been a common theme this season, Thompson believes his team is steadily improving.
“It’s not something that’s clicked over night,” Thompson said. “Our focus is we want to be better every day and we know you can’t climb the mountain in an hour or in a day, but we’re slowly making our way up the hill the right way. And I think the players are starting to see it and there’s a belief there.”
