Roy Confirms on TPS: Brown University

Anaheim Ducks prospect Kevin Roy put an end to rumors and speculation when he confirmed on The Pipeline Show Saturday that he will play at Brown University in 2012-13. 

The 19-year-old native of Lac Beauport, Quebec shattered USHL scoring records this past season as a member of the Lincoln Stars. He was selected by the Ducks in the 4th round of the NHL Draft last month and recently participated in Anaheim's summer development camp. 

Roy was a guest on The Pipeline Show this past Saturday and discussed the year in Lincoln, the draft, heading to Russia in August with Canada's U20 team and his summer training schedule. He also set the record straight on where he will play next season.

Photo: Kim Fogle / USHL

I met Kevin Roy in Muskegon in January during the USHL's Top Prospect Game where I had a lengthy discussion with him and another with his father. Both told me how top teams in the QMJHL had pursued his services but that he had decided to play at Brown while furthering his education at a highly regarded Ivy League institution.

Roy went on to have what has been described as the greatest individual season that the USHL had seen since becoming a tier I league. 54 goals and 104 points, both surpassed plateau's that hadn't been scratched in almost two decades.

Although passed over in his first year of draft eligibility, buzz started growing that the 5'10 forward wouldn't escape unclaimed again. Hockey Canada had also taken notice as TPS first reported back in February and his selection to the summer U20 team was confirmed in June.

Dean Millard reported in May that there were some rumblings that Roy, pending what transpired at the draft, was still considering his options which included the QMJHL or another NCAA program other than Brown. 

On Saturday I asked Roy to clarify the situation and where he will officially be playing in the fall. 

"It's Brown," he stated, "They have good coaches and I will have the opportunity there to play a lot, get a lot of chances to continue what I do. I'll get bigger, get stronger and develop well for the next level and to play in the NHL one day."

Roy also confirmed that part of the attraction to Brown is that his older brother Derick, a goalie, is also joining the Bears for next season.

On the bright side, Roy will be considered a top incoming freshman to the conference. On the other hand, playing ECAC has historically been a disadvantage when it comes to playing for Canada. 

He'll have to have an extremely impressive showing in August because his chances of making Canada's 2013 World Junior squad from a ECAC team are pretty slim. By the time the December camp is held, Roy will have played between 8 and 11 games at Brown, at most. By comparison, Michigan Wolverine Phil Di Giuseppe (CAR) will have appeared in up to 17 games while the vast majority of camp invitees will come from the CHL with about 30 regular season games already completed. 

Louis Leblanc (MTL) and Riley Nash (CAR) are prime examples of solid Canadian collegians who played ECAC hockey (Harvard and Cornell respectively) but were clearly behind the pack at the December camp. In Leblanc's case, part of his motivation to jump from Harvard to the QMJHL the following year was to improve his chances of making the 2011 WJC team; and he was successful.


The 2013 WJC will be Roy's final year of eligibilty.