The Edmonton Oilers forward corps is the strength of the roster. That said, it isn’t perfect, and could certainly use some depth and another top-nine piece. We’ve discussed going outside of the organization, but what about staying internal and re-signing one of their own?
Derek Roy’s career was in danger last December, as he was badly struggling with the Nashville Predators. Roy got a new lease, as he was traded to Edmonton in exchange for Mark Arcobello just hours after clearing waivers and being assigned to the AHL. Roy took over Edmonton’s second line center position, and provided a solid offensive spark plug.
Why Is He Out There:
Roy was very good for the Oilers offensively, and helped Nail Yakupov immensely. That said, Roy had his flaws in Edmonton, mainly in the face-off circle and defensively. Add in the fact that he is a smaller player, and you have more of the same. Roy rode some hot percentages, and probably isn’t anything more than a depth option now, but he was good this season for the Oilers.
Thing is, Edmonton is suddenly deep at center. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a great player, while Connor McDavid is slated to be the next stud. Factor in Boyd Gordon being his steady self and Anton Lander emerging, and space gets tight really quick. Suddenly, there isn’t room for Roy.
Not to mention, the GM that traded for him and wanted to re-sign him is no longer in a position of power. That has more of an impact than some might realize.
What Does He Do Well:
Derek Roy has always been a solid offensive player. During his prime years in Buffalo, he was scoring over 50 points a season and was an impact player. Since his trade to Dallas in the summer of 2012, however, he’s fallen off the map to a degree.
Roy is a solid play-making center who sees the ice really well. He won’t score a ton of goals, but he can set up more than enough. He’s able to see the ice clearly and thread passes to his target with great accuracy. We saw that this season and how he seemingly knew where Nail Yakupov was going to be. He’s smart when it comes to puck distribution.
Roy also is a decent option for the power-play, as he showed this season. While he didn’t light it up, he was solid on the man advantage under Todd Nelson, and was another weapon in Edmonton’s impressive arsenal.
This is a player known as a big-time leader, and is a guy who has a pretty strong work ethic. Not once did you see him quit while with the Oilers, he has the mentality you want from your players.
He doesn’t come without warts however. Roy struggles in the face-off circle, and isn’t a strong defensive player. He struggles mightily in the defensive zone in fact, and has problems regaining the puck after losing it.
He’s also a small and skilled forward, which is the same player type as a number of Edmonton’s better forwards. While he was good this year, the question remains if he is a good long-term fit.
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play:
Thanks to the impending addition of Connor McDavid, Derek Roy’s spot on the depth chart would be much different. He could slide in on the third-line as a winger with Anton Lander and Teddy Purcell, but that means he needs to beat out Leon Draisaitl for a spot on the roster. He’s a bottom-six forward on this team.
At this stage of his career, that’s probably a good fit for him too. He’s a guy who should see second unit power-play minutes while playing on a team’s soft minutes scoring line.
What Will He Cost:
After two down years, I can’t see Roy getting a big deal on the open market. I’ll suggest a one year deal worth around $1.2 million at the maximum gets this done. He’s simply a depth piece at this stage of his career.
Closing Arguments:
I like Derek Roy as a hockey player, I really do. He’s a good veteran leader who tries hard every night, and who has the right mentality. He’s a solid play-maker and he can help out on a team’s power-play unit. He’s a solid offensive depth player, and those have value.
That said, he’s another small and skilled forward who struggles with faceoffs and struggles defensively. Like I said, I like Roy, but I just don’t think he fits in Edmonton now that McDavid has entered the picture.
If Edmonton wants to add a depth option and Roy is willing to comeback on a discounted deal, then fine. That said, I’d look elsewhere for a different kind of player to help the top-nine this coming season.
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