The Toronto Maple Leafs need to call up Bo Groulx when they return to action on February 25.
Bo Groulx registered a goal and an assist at Scotiabank Arena on Monday afternoon leading his Toronto Marlies to a 4-3 victory over the Laval Rocket. The Marlies typically play their home games at Coca-Cola Coliseum but host a Family Day game at the Leafs home arena every year, which may be foreshadowing what Groulx has in his future.
The former No. 54 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft is a late bloomer but we've seen this with plenty of former Leafs. The one player that sticks out as a comparison is Michael Bunting, who didn't become an NHL regular until seven seasons after he was drafted.
This is currently the eighth season after he was drafted, but Groulx and Bunting share a lot of similar stats. Both players were elite goal-scorers in junior who played with an edge. Bunting scored 37 goals in his last year of junior, while Groulx registered 31 goals and 80 points in only 65 games and was an eventual Memorial Cup all-star.
After junior, Groulx has only played 65 games in the NHL, playing most of his time in the AHL. However, it now feels like he's ready for the next jump as he's been making a serious impact with the Marlies this year.
Leafs should call up Bo Groulx for the remainder of the season
Leading the team in scoring with 22 goals and 42 points in that many games, Groulx looks deserving of a call-up. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, the 26 year old is a left-handed shot who could be called upon as a replacement at the NHL Trade Deadline.
The Leafs are currently in the market to trade one (or all) of either Bobby McMann, Calle Jarnkrok, Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli and Scott Laughton which means there will most lkely be a few forward spots available.
In a perfect world, it would be amazing to see Groulx jump in and be a big body who can score alongside Auston Matthews for cheap, but it feels like he'll be in a better position to take over Laughton's fourth-line centre role.
Viewed as a shutdown centre, Groulx could jump into the NHL as a cheap penalty-killer who can score. He's only slated to make $812K next year, so he would be an inexpensive option, which is very important for the fourth-line.
The Marlies don't have a ton of young forwards who can make the leap from the AHL to the NHL right now, but Groulx may be their best hope. If they trade one of their veterans at the deadline, they should be content with giving him a chance for the remainder of the season because he's deserving of it.