Roy rejects Olympic offer

University of Maine right wing Jean-Yves Roy has been offered a contract by the Canadian Olympic development program, but it appears as though only a lucrative National Hockey League contract will prevent him from returning for his senior year at Maine.

“I’m right on schedule to graduate next year and it wouldn’t be worth it to leave school for just a little bit of money,” said Roy, who attended a four-day Canadian Olympic camp a few weeks ago with 1992-93 Bear captain Jim Montgomery, incoming blue-chip recruit Paul Kariya, and departing Bear left winger Brian Downey.

Roy didn’t ask about the terms of the Olympic team’s offer because “I didn’t want to bother with that right now.”

However, he said he was flattered by the offer and he would like to pursue a berth on the 1994 Olympic team if he doesn’t sign a pro contract between now and the fall of 1993.

“I’ve heard for three years that I’d be getting a lot of offers, but for my first two years at Maine, I didn’t get anything concrete,” said Roy, 23. “Now I have something on paper. It feels good to see that I’m getting somewhere.”

In addition to his Canadian Olympic team offer, he has been offered a free agent contract by the New York Rangers, and Quebec Nordiques Coach-General Manager Pierre Page told him he would be sending a contract offer.

“The Ranger contract wasn’t (substantial) enough to get me to leave Maine,” said Roy. “The contract may change, it might not. I’m just going to go with the flow.”

He said a pro offer is more appealing “because when you sign a pro contract, it’s usually for three years and an option year. And you get a signing bonus. The Olympic team usually offers you a one-year contract for a lesser amount of money and no bonus.”

The 23-year-old Roy also pointed out that if he returns to school and has the Olympic team as an option following the 1992-93 college season, that will give him leverage in his dealings with NHL teams.

The Rosemere, Quebec, native, a Hobey Baker Award finalist the last two years, had 32 goals and 24 assists in 35 games for Maine this past season and now has a school-record 108 goals to go with 95 assists in 124 career games.

He had an extended tryout with the Canadian Olympic team last summer, but after leading the team in goals (10) on a European trip, he was released and returned to Maine.