Roy traded to Phoenix

Photo: Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - As expected, Joshua Roy is no longer a Saint John Sea Dog.

The Sea Dogs traded the 17-year-old forward to the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Monday in exchange for first-round picks in the 2021 (Charlottetown), 2022 (Charlottetown) and 2023 QMJHL Entry Drafts along with an additional second-round pick (Bathurst) in the 2021 draft.

Stephane Leroux of RDS was first to report the deal.

Transaction

Les #Seadogs cedent Joshua Roy au @PhoenixSherbroo en retour Sherbrooke cède

1er choix 2021
2e choix 2021
1er choix 2022
1er choix 2023#LHJMQ

— Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) January 25, 2021

Roy, who led the Sea Dogs in scoring before the season was paused in November, asked for a trade and did not return to Saint John following the league's holiday break, according to multiple media reports.

The first overall pick in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft, Roy got off to a slow start in his rookie season but became one of Saint John's most consistent offensive producers in the second half. That carried over to this season where he's registered nine goals and eight assists in 15 games.

Roy has 25 goals and 36 assists in 75 career QMJHL games.

While the return for Roy seems pretty good, the Sea Dogs no doubt would have preferred to keep the 2021 NHL Draft eligible skater around. A 2003-born player, Roy fit well into Saint John's core group heading into "go for it" years in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Given where Saint John is at in the cycle, it seems like the picks acquired in this deal would be better suited to make trades with than to draft with. Time will tell.

The Phoenix, who have been able to play just seven games this season, sit last overall in the QMJHL standings with a 1-5-0-1 record.

The QMJHL's trading period closes at 1 p.m.