The Toronto Maple Leafs lost their ninth straight contest to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, 3-1. While it proved to be another night of disappointing hockey, there was one singular bright spot that stood out to fans, as well as head coach Craig Berube.
Craig Berube's thoughts on Benoit-Olivier Groulx Maple Leafs debut
Benoit-Olivier Groulx made his Toronto Maple Leafs debut on Tuesday in Montreal in front of many of his family and friends. While he did not record a point during the game, he caught the attention of the coaching staff, as Berube said postgame, "I thought he played a very good game." "I was very happy with him, Quillan, and Cowboy. They all played well tonight. This rink can be a pretty hostile environment and tough to play in, but I thought all three of them were very good tonight."
Dominant force with the Toronto Marlies
This has been a long time coming for Groulx as he has been a dominant force with the Maple Leafs AHL squad, the Toronto Marlies. The former second-round pick has produced 50 points in 54 games, which includes 27 goals. Due to the trades the Maple Leafs made at the deadline, Groulx finally received his chance as the Maple Leafs' third-line centre.
Berube touched upon his play with the Marlies and how he has progressed, mentioning, "In the minors, Groulx has put up some really good numbers. I was pretty impressed with a couple of plays he made tonight. He challenged defensemen and beat them. He had a couple of good scoring chances."
Groulx has had his chance in the NHL in the past with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring one goal and four assists in 66 contests. The French native is looking to revive his career at 26 years old. If he continues on this path, he may look to have a spot in the Maple Leafs lineup depending on the players are the holes they fill heading into next season.