PICKERING’S ROY COMMITS TO U SPORTS’ NIPISSING LAKERS
Zachary Roy of the Ontario Hockey League’s Pickering Panthers (photo credit – Michelle Malvaso and Christian Bender / OJHL Images) has confirmed his commitment to join U SPORTS and the OUA’s Nipissing University Lakers in North Bay beginning with the 2022-23 season.
The 20-year-old from Callander, near North Bay, joined the Panthers from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League on Nov. 10. The product of the North Bay Trappers AAA organization and Toronto Nationals U16 team joined the Bulldogs ahead of the 2018-19 OHL season.
“Zach came to us with a great mindset,” Pickering Head Coach/General Manager Rob Pearson told the OJHL. “He had personal goals that he wanted to achieve, which is amazing to hear. He is a great competitor and very athletic goalie who reads the plays well in advance, with incredible rebound control. Zach is a leader on and off the ice. We are lucky to have him.”
Heading into weekend play, Roy’s 1.95 goals against average was second lowest in the 21-team league. His save percentage was .942 and he has three shutouts.
Roy was named the OJHL’s Warrior Goaltender of the Month for November after going 5-1-0.
A fourth-round pick of Hamilton in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, he was selected to attend the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence goaltending camp that summer. In 77 games in the OHL, he had a 3.68 GAA and 0.886 save percentage.
Congratulations to Zach and best of luck in the OUA/U SPORTS!
About the OJHL – “League of Choice”
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 22 member clubs. A proud member of the CJHL and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including U SPORTS, the NCAA, CHL, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL had more than 125 commitments in 2019-20– including more than 45 NCAA Division I scholarships.
