Savour every moment, says Roy
Jets director of player development shares knowledge with prospects
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/09/2023 (754 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Jimmy Roy remembers what he felt like as a hockey player fresh out of college who was just starting his professional career in the late 1990s. The energy. The excitement. The great expectations.
“It doesn’t matter how young you were, you wanted to go out there and prove your worth,” he said Wednesday.
Now 47, the Sioux Lookout, Ont., product in charge of overseeing the top prospects of the Winnipeg Jets feels like a kid again this time of year. He’s encouraging them to savour every second of the journey while focusing on the things they can control and not getting ahead of themselves despite the temptation.

BROOK JONES / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Jets 2023 first-round draft pick Colby Barlow is one of many first-rounders who will play for the Jets in the Young Stars Classic.
“You talk more about the process and the individual growth and things they need to work on individually, not the big picture of playing in the National Hockey League,” said Roy, the director of Jets player development. “How can we help you with these little steps to get there?”
This week represents a big opportunity for 23 young men, including 15 who have been drafted by the Jets. They are taking part in a rookie camp that began at the hockey for all centre Wednesday and will move to Penticton, B.C. for three Young Stars games starting Friday.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for these kids to get out and play some hockey together,” said Roy, who was drafted in the 10th-round by the Dallas Stars in 1994 but never got higher than the American Hockey League in which he played nine seasons with the Manitoba Moose before finishing his career in Europe.
It’s early, but he loves what he’s seen so far.
“It’s a special group I think right now,” said Roy. “You see the young draft picks we have coming through. We’ve got some more kids coming through now. It’s good to have a big pool of talent here right now.”
Among this week’s group are three recent first-round picks in forwards Colby Barlow (2023), Brad Lambert (2022) and Chaz Lucius; intriguing Russian forward Nikita Chibrikov and slick Swedish defenceman Elias Salomonsson who are both getting their first look at North American hockey; and the reigning WHL and OHL goaltenders of the year in Thomas Milic and Domenic Divincentiis.
“They’re two really good goalies. It was great by our amateur staff on drafting two quality people. Not only good goalies but two quality people,” said Roy.
“Our staff does really well, so we’re really lucky there. Overall, there’s a really good group of kids here. It’s going to be exciting to see.”
There are also a number of players who’ve already got their first taste of pro hockey with the Moose such as Daniel Torgersson, Henri Nikkanen, Tyrel Bauer and Simon Lundmark, plus several undrafted free agents here on tryouts who will be looking to impress.
Roy is the first contact point for players when they’re drafted. He also spends much of the hockey season travelling around the globe seeing them play for their various junior, college and club teams before turning pro.
He said it’s important for the organization not to draw any knee-jerk conclusions based on a handful of skates and games, keeping the bigger picture in mind at all times.
“I think there’s always patience. They’re still young, there’s still a lot of room to grow,” said Roy.
“Now, the summer hockey is over. You’re getting into competing for jobs and showing what you’re about as a player. I think it’s good to see this bigger pool we have coming along right now.”
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
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