Patrick Roy has moved on to become the GM of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

QUEBEC CITY -- From his perch high in the press box at Le Colisee, Patrick Roy has an eye-level view of a dozen or more banners honoring nine decades of hockey in this storied city.

Hanging from the rafters are pennants saluting Jean Beliveau, who played for the Quebec Aces in 1951-53, the 1943-44 Quebec Aces team that won the Allan Cup (which at the time was the second most important trophy in hockey behind the Stanley Cup) along the pennants honoring J.C. Tremblay, Michael Goulet, Peter Stastny and Marc Tardiff, who all played for the Quebec Nordiques during the days of the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League.

One of Roy's goals these days is to hoist another banner to the rafters, one recognizing the Quebec Remparts as Memorial Cup champions.

The NHL's winningest goalie is the hands-on rookie GM of the Remparts, who play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Quebec league is one of the three main major junior feeder systems to NHL teams.

Alan Adams has covered hockey since 1984 with the Canadian Press, Toronto Star and National Post. He also has covered three Winter Olympics (1988, 1994 and 1998). Adams also is a contributor to stlouisblues.com and his column on all things Canadian will appear each week on NHL.com. More Adams: Checking age remains an issue Habs gain with Gainey All hockey, all the time

"My object is to build this team and win the Memorial Cup," says Roy, who looks as fit and game-ready as he was on the day he bid good-bye to the NHL. "I think we can have a great team next year and win the Memorial Cup."

Roy announced his retirement from the Colorado Avalanche on May 18, saying he had nothing left to prove. He didn't. Roy collected an NHL-record 551 victories, four Stanley Cup championships, three Conn Smythe Trophy wins as the postseason MVP and three Vezina trophies honoring the league's top goaltender.

He moved home to Quebec with his wife, Michele, and their three children, Jonathan, Frederick and Jana. After he drops Jana at school every morning, Roy heads to the Colisee, where the Ramparts practice and play. He works with the team's young players for about 90 minutes before he sits down for meetings with his coaching staff and conducting research for the annual draft to stock his young team.

"It is more demanding than when I was playing," says Roy about moving from the crease into the front office. "I am learning a lot, but I am enjoying it a lot and it is all new for me. There are a lot of little details that are new for me; things I forgot from my junior days and times have changed. I am learning and I am having fun and I am well surrounded by quality people and I love coming here every day."

On this night, the Remparts are playing host to the Rimouski Oceanic, and Sidney Crosby in particular. Crosby leads the league in scoring and the 16-year-old phenom is putting people in the seats wherever he plays. The Remparts average 5,200 fans per game and in this night, 11,705 made their way to the arena to see whether Roy's team can contain him.

Roy is asked whether the Crosby kid could score on him on a breakaway.

"No I don't think so," said Roy without batting an eye.

For a decade, Roy dazzled the Province of Quebec with superior play in net.

The reply was what you expect from Roy. It was confident but not cocky and that winning attitude will serve the Remparts well.

The home side grabs a quick 2-0 lead, but find out for a second-straight night that no lead is safe. Crosby dazzles the crowd and Rimouski ends up with a 5-2 advantage.

Roy makes a visit to the dressing room after the game, delivering the message that he's proud of the way his players competed.

"I am proud of the guys. I am proud of the way they are leaning and the way they are playing right now," he says. "The team is playing well. We were up 2-1 (Friday night and lost 3-2) and 2-0 tonight and we lost both games in the third. What that tells me is we have to give our guys time to shine."

"I know this year I have to be patient. It is too easy to be critical. My objection is to build this team and win the Memorial Cup. I think we can have a great team next year and win the Memorial Cup. I have always been very passionate about the game and I am a student of the game and I still am. But my role is mostly trying to develop this team and be very patient. Tonight we played a good game but everything collapsed in the third and we lost 5-2 with an empty netter."

In his new job, Roy can draw on what he absorbed from watching the GMs he played for in Montreal and Colorado. Serge Savard was the Canadiens' GM for most of Roy's run in Montreal, while Pierre Lacroix ran Colorado when Roy played for the Avalanche and it's hard to think of two better role models for a rookie.

"I will use both of them as tools," says Roy. "They were both patient people and I will try to be the same. I will always try to build this team."

Part of building the Remparts is playing the role as teacher. Roy is on the ice at every practice, passing on what he learned from watching a Who's Who of NHLers he can call teammates. We're talking about players like Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Larry Robinson, Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey to name but a few.

"This is the part I enjoy very much. I like both jobs and I like giving back to the young players what I received from quality players and quality people at the same time," says Roy.

At first, the players were a little intimidated about being on the same ice surface as the future Hall of Famer. But the affable Roy calmed their nerves and the respect he showed them as players went a long way in creating the right environment.

"Every day he makes people around him better," says Justin Laverdiere of Woonsocket, R.I. He is one of a half-dozen Americans on the team. "He is a real down to earth guy. I was a little intimidated at first, but he's has a great relationship with the guys.

"He pays a lot of attention to little details, things that you think are not important like stick position and stiff like that. He's a great teacher."

Adds Josh Hennessy of Rockland Mass.: "Once a week it hits me who he is. He's giving me a tip and I stop and think of all the guys he has played with and how much knowledge he has and it is pretty amazing."

Having put aside the mask and pads, Roy is now driven to make the Remparts Memorial Cup champions.

Roy has no regrets about retiring and he's definitely at ease with his decision. The same drive he had for winning at the NHL level is now being used in transforming the Remparts into a Memorial Cup champion.

"I was ready for a new challenge. I really like what I am doing right now and the fun part is it allowed me to stay in the game."

He's asked about whether he's thinking of becoming an NHL GM.

"No. It is not in my mind at this time. I put a lot of time and effort in this team and I want to be there when this team wins. It is going to be a tough year. There are going to be a lot of nights like last night and tonight where we will be competitive."

Roy follows the NHL, but it's not as much a part of his daily hockey diet as the comings and goings of the Quebec league.

Roy will be feted in Denver Tuesday when the Avalanche retire his number and a banner with Roy's No. 33 will be lifted to the rafters.

He's anxious for the reception he'll receive.

"It is a special night and it will be nice to see that the fans and the organization that you played for for eight years really appreciate you. I can't wait to see the reaction of the fans."

And you know he can't wait to raise the Remparts' Memorial Cup banner in Le Colisee.

"That's my goal," he says.