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Calgary Flames

Flames sign Eric Roy to ATO

He's baaaack.

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It was only a few days ago when the Calgary Flames invited Jason Bell to camp with the knowledge that they needed to find some magic in the prospect pool on defense, particularly on the left hand side. They have taken that to heart again today as they’ve signed Eric Roy to an amateur try out contract. Barring any complications this means that he should be with the amateurs once camp starts.



Roy was drafted by the Flames back in the 2013 draft. He was selected in the fifth round with the 135th overall pick. While his numbers were decent for a defenseman as he put up 39 points in 72 games, he fell due to the fact that his team, the Brandon Wheat Kings, was a tire fire on ice and he was -32 in those games.

Roy improved a bit during the two campaigns since the draft putting up 44 points and 45 points in 66 games in each respective season. His plus minus rose from the -32 to -9 to +31 in each year. He has been an alternate captain since the 2013-2014 season for Brandon.

Roy carries some size along the blue line in addition to putting up points. At 6'3" and 193 pounds the height is there, but he may want to work on filling that frame out a bit. He is a pretty responsible defender, never topping more than 55 penalty minutes in a season.

The A.T.O. gives the team a chance to see what they have prior to signing him to any qualifying offer. One would presume that he'll do enough to earn a contract particularly given the team's lack of depth at the position, but stranger things have happened. Hopefully he can carry his offensive game over and at least contribute at the A.H.L. level next season.

As he'll soon be 21, his days in the W.H.L. and with the Brandon Wheat Kings are officially over. The Flames never signed Roy to an E.L.C.

by Les Mavus