U.P. hockey player signs with NHL team

Photo Courtesy of MTU Athletics

HOUGHTON — Michigan Tech defenseman Matt Roy signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Monday (March 27). Roy just completed his junior season with the Huskies.

Roy, a native of Canton, Mich., appeared in 42 games in 2016-17, leading the team with 21 assists and 29 penalties. He was third on Tech in points with 26 after also scoring five goals.

Roy was named to the All-WCHA First Team after putting up 16 points in league games and helping lead the defensive corps that allowed only 2.11 goals per game. He was tied for 11th in the WCHA with eight points (3G-5A) on the power play. Roy was on both the coaches’ and the media’s Preseason All-WCHA Teams after being an All-WCHA Second Team selection in 2015-16.

Roy was a seventh-round (194th overall) selection of the Kings at the 2015 NHL Draft and appeared in 115 games over his three season with the Huskies, recording 55 points on 12 goals and 43 assists. He set a career-highs this season in points (26) and assists (21) and had the assist on game-winning goal six times, including Shane Hanna‘s double overtime goal in the WCHA Championship Game that secured Tech’s bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.

Roy also blocked 56 shots and went on a six-game point streak from November 4-19 when he had seven assists. Tech went 4-1-1 in the stretch and was 14-3-4 overall when he recorded a point this season. He was a co-winner of the team’s Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Award as the most outstanding defensive player as a sophomore.