St. Louis Blues center Derek Roy now finds himself on the left wing - and worse yet, on the fourth line - thanks to his recent struggles, as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The 30-year-old seems to understand the assignment, saying “I just need to keep working.” Playing on the wing is an adjustment, though, no doubt.
“It’s tough when you get pucks to the wall, when you’re not used to getting them,” Roy said. “Guys are barreling on you and coming with speed. Those little things, I’ve just got to get better at. It takes a while, but there’s no excuse. I’ve got to play better.”
The Blues seemed to take a smart gamble on the pivot this summer, handing him a one-year, $4 million deal.
It worked out well early on, as Roy scored two goals and four assists in his first five games. Since then, he’s only had two points (both goals) in his last 11 contests, including his current five-game drought.
Playing on a line with Maxim Lapierre and Ryan Reaves probably won’t help that cause very much, but Roy has to show that he can be the kind of contributor that a hopeful contender needs to make it all work.