Nicolas Roy was projected to go anywhere from the end of the first round to the third round. The Hurricanes may have gotten another steal with Roy in the fourth round, #96 overall. Roy is a Center with some size, (6'4", 205 pounds) and he came into the draft as the 45th ranked North American skater. Roy played his last two seasons with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL where he posted, solid but not spectacular, numbers.
Curtis Joe of Elite Prospects decribed Roy as being "a big-bodied, imposing presence on the ice."
Chris Lund of mapleleafs.nhl.com said of Roy "a tenacious forechecker" who "consistently wins puck battles with his size and stick." Lund went on to say that Roy "owns a good shot and can distribute the puck effectively." He positions himself well in front of the net.
The criticism of Roy's game is that he is not seen as a strong skater. Lund acknowledged that in his assessment of Roy and said that other player's have overcome not being strong skaters to make it to the NHL and his skating would need to become a priority for him to make it to the NHL.
