When Matt Roy is at his best, no one is talking about him. The Washington Capitals defenseman prides himself on playing a straightforward, defense-first role, which means that on most nights, his goal is to fly under the radar.
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As an unrestricted free agent after six seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, the 29-year-old Roy signed a six-year contract worth $5.75 million per year with the Capitals in July — a deal that made him Washington’s second-highest-paid defenseman after John Carlson. But while Carlson’s two-way game with offensive flair means he’s more noticeable, Roy has always operated more in the shadows. He prefers it that way.
“I’ve never been much of a flashy guy,” Roy said. “It’s just kind of the role I took on from a young age and just kind of rolled with it. Still rolling with it.”
Roy suffered a lower-body injury in the season opener and missed nearly a month, but once he returned to the lineup, he quickly settled in as the anchor of Washington’s second defensive pair. Rasmus Sandin and Martin Fehervary have rotated in and out as his partner, depending on whether Capitals Coach Spencer Carbery wants a balance of offense and defense on the pair — which Sandin brings — or he wants Roy and Fehervary to be a shutdown, all-defense option.
In the weeks leading into the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, Sandin was with Carlson on the top pair, while Fehervary and Roy did their work as the second pair. They remained together as the Capitals resumed practice before their first game back from the break Saturday in Pittsburgh.
“I love to play with him,” Fehervary said. “We’re kind of same style of hockey player. That, I think, makes us a good [defensive] pair. … He’s such a good skater, and he plays the same style like me. We pressure the opponents’ forwards really hard and really quick. I know if I’m going to close on someone and he’s going to pass it to someone else, Matty’s going to be right there.”
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Because Roy spent the first six years of his career in the Western Conference, only playing teams in the East twice a year, Carbery and his Washington teammates weren’t overly familiar with him when he signed with the Capitals. Asked what he has learned about Roy over the past seven months as his coach, Carbery’s answer began with one word: “Lots.”
“I’ve learned what probably L.A. knew for a long time,” Carbery said. “A lot of what he does goes unnoticed and is very quiet. It’s funny with the defense position. Sometimes, it’s really hard for defensemen to learn that, that quiet, uneventful games are positives. He’s learned that. He understands his role to perfection and doesn’t need to do anything outside of that role.”
Added Roy: “Everyone likes to earn recognition and all that sort of stuff, but at the end of the day, it’s just my job to do what I’m doing. I’m happy to do it. As long as I can help the team get wins, that’s all that matters.”
Roy averages just under 20 minutes of ice time each game and plays a key role on the penalty kill while taking on the difficult defensive matchups at five-on-five. He has two goals and 13 assists for a total of 15 points in 45 games; in comparison, the more offensive-minded Carlson and Jakob Chychrun both have 35 points.
Roy has shown an aptitude for jumping up in the rush offensively when the opportunity arises, but if it doesn’t during any given night, he’s perfectly happy playing a game where little he does gets noticed.
“He just knows there’s a ton of value in what he brings, and if he does it consistently, he’ll continue to help a team win hockey games,” Carbery said. “There’s a very underappreciated mentality to that, that in a world where everybody wants to score, individual accolades, for a player to understand and appreciate quieter is better is unique and rare.
“He’s done a nice job. That’s the way that I look at it. His game, when I evaluate and watch him, [is to] move pucks and defend really well. ‘Didn’t notice Matt Roy tonight.’ ‘Yep, that’s because he was excellent.’”
And while Roy’s quiet personality off the ice meshes well with his no-nonsense style of play on it, Carbery and Fehervary both made sure to note that behind Roy’s reserved nature lies an excellent sense of humor.
“He’s great. Great guy. Great hockey player,” Fehervary said. “I would say he’s a little bit more quiet, but he’s really funny, like, undercover. I love to spend time with him.”
“He’ll think about it, too, for a second. He’ll wait. He’s got that timing to him,” Carbery said. “And he’s fit in great locker room-wise, personality-wise. Who he is as a person, that’s off the charts, 10 out of 10, so that’s been a great fit as well.”
Roy, for his part, laughed when it was suggested that his quick wit can sneak up on people.
“I wouldn’t say sneaky funny,” Roy said. “I think I’m just funny. … At least the guys think I’m funny. That’s good to hear. That gives me confidence.”