Canadiens face a summer decision after blunt message from young forward

This was not a throwaway line after Laval's playoff exit. It was a roster signal from a forward who sees the Canadiens' depth chart tightening fast.

Roy's quote was direct. He sits square to the microphones and answers without a flinch, turning a routine media scrum into a roster signal.

That changes the file for Montreal. It turns a development question into a summer asset-management decision for Kent Hughes.

Roy played 3 NHL games this season and was held without a point. St-Louis has leaned toward players who give him clearer bottom-six habits.

The Canadiens are still alive in the playoffs, which makes the timing sharper. Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj moved closer to the big-club orbit while Roy was left outside that reserve picture.

That is the part Montreal cannot ignore. Roy is not asking for patience anymore; he is asking for a lane.

His contract expires after this season, and he is headed for restricted free agency. Montreal still controls the file, but control does not create fit.

The top-six path is crowded with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov already carrying bigger offensive weight.

The bottom-six path is just as unforgiving. St-Louis needs pace, details, board work and trust away from the puck, not just flashes.

That leaves Hughes with a clean choice. Qualify Roy and make camp a true competition, or move him before the league sees him as a stalled prospect.

Roy did not demand a trade. But he made it clear the NHL job matters more than the logo.

That is why this has legs. Montreal's next move will say whether Roy is still part of the plan, or already part of the summer market.

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