Bo's Goal Helps Rookie Settle In

Jan 20, 2021

By AJ Manderichio/SanDiegoGulls.com

Benoit-Olivier ("Bo") Groulx’s go-ahead goal in last night’s 5-1 preseason win didn’t go exactly as he planned.

“I got to be honest with you, I got a little bit lucky,” he said with a laugh. “Potsy (Andrew Poturalski) shot it right on my glove. It wasn't the first goal I expected, but a goal is a goal. 

“Pretty happy to get the first one out of the way. It's something that you want to get early in the season. I'm really excited.”

The Gatineau, Quebec center joined a group of Anaheim Ducks prospects who announced their presence with a strong performance in the team’s preseason opener. Groulx joined six other players making their unofficial professional debut, centering a line with Poturalski and fellow rookie Brayden Tracey. After nine-plus months without facing an opponent, he admitted the intensity felt more like a regular-season contest.

“At Ducks Camp, we played four scrimmages, and when I stepped on the ice after the first period, I was telling my linemate Andrew Poturalski that the level of the game was way higher, way more competitive, faster,” he explained. “It was a good game. It's good to get the first one out of the way, especially for me, my first pro game. I was very excited to play it, and I'm looking forward to the next one.”

The 2019-20 season marked Groulx’s final year in junior hockey, as Anaheim’s former second round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft split his season between the Halifax Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He posted 78 points (29g/49a) in 55 games and ended his junior career with 244 points in 250 games.

The young forward moved to Southern California shortly after the season, training with several of the organization’s French-Canadian players. It helped him feel comfortable right away and settle into his preparation for the upcoming season.

“It helps a lot,” Groulx said. “I remember my first camp, Nic Deslauriers was there, and that helped me get more comfortable with the guys. Max Comtois, Antoine Morand; it really helps in the AHL where it makes it easier, the transition from junior hockey to pro hockey.”

Groulx brings a unique perspective into his first professional camp. His father, Benoit Groulx, is the coach of the Syracuse Crunch, a position he’s held since 2016. While he and his dad aren’t breaking down his game, the younger Groulx admits he started to pay closer attention to the AHL following his dad’s promotion to his current position.

“I've been watching a lot of pro hockey lately, especially the last couple of years,” he said. “When I was 17, my dad's team went to the Calder Cup Finals against Grand Rapids. I remember just watching it, that level of hockey was so fast.”

Groulx participated in this year’s Anaheim Ducks camp and joined a host of players assigned to the San Diego Gulls before the team opened its camp on January 11. His time with the Ducks allowed him to get to know some of the team’s other prospects. 

“It's really exciting,” he said. “I knew a couple of those guys from the summer and the past couple of years. It's really exciting to know I'm going to be playing with those guys for the next couple of years and hopefully in the NHL for a long time. Just playing in the AHL, growing and learning the pro hockey level together, it's going to build a lot of chemistry for the years to come.”