Each day over the next month leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 22 in Dallas, we will be taking a look at the top 31 prospects available, starting with the 31st and leading up to number one.
Next in the series of prospect profiles is our 29th-ranked prospect, center Benoit-Olivier Groulx.
Benoit-Olivier Groulx
2017–18 Team: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: February 6, 2000
Place of Birth: Gatineau, QC
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 195 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: C
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 20
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 18
NHL Comparable: Phillip Danault
Benoit-Olivier Groulx is one of the best two-way centers in this year’s draft class. The former first overall selection in the QMJHL Entry Draft has spent the last two seasons playing for the Halifax Mooseheads, a program known for churning out high-end NHL talent in recent years, including Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, Nico Hischier and Filip Zadina, one of this year’s top prospects.
Defense is the cornerstone of Groulx’s game. Groulx uses his hockey sense and sound positioning to read plays and break up the opposition’s offense. He thinks the game well and is able to predict the opponent’s next step, often causing turnovers. Groulx is also strong at the faceoff dot.
Offensively, Groulx is able to get to the areas he needs to because of his work ethic. He is not the largest player on the ice, but he regularly uses his toughness to gain the positioning he desires. Groulx is not afraid to throw his body around to generate offensive opportunities for his team.
Groulx possesses one of the best wrist shots in the draft class and has the ability to score close to the net thanks to his good hands. He has a heavy slap shot, but rarely chooses to deploy it.
While offense is not the focus of his game, Groulx managed to record 28 goals and 27 assists this season in 68 games for the Mooseheads, a respectable total for a two-way center.
Overall, Groulx plays a very smart, safe and consistent game. His defensive ability, intelligence and attention to detail are easily his most desirable traits, with his offensive ability an added bonus.
Implications for the Blackhawks
This is the Hawks’ chance to recoup “the one that got away” in Phillip Danault. Danault, the 26th pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, never set the world on fire offensively, but has developed into a solid middle-six center for the Montreal Canadiens since departing Chicago in the infamous Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann trade in 2016. Groulx appears to be the second coming of Danault, and would be a solid pick to lock down the third line center position for the foreseeable future upon developing. With the Blackhawks currently lacking a long-term solution for the third line center role, Groulx could prove to be an excellent pick if he is still available when the Hawks pick at 27th.
Timeline
Groulx will likely require at least two or three more years before making the jump to the NHL. He will need to quicken his first step and get faster before donning an NHL sweater. If he plays one more season in Halifax and one year in the American Hockey League, Groulx would not see NHL action until 2020–21 at the earliest.
Projection
Like Danault, Groulx should slot in as a third line center in the NHL, with the ability to play second line minutes if he can improve his speed to better generate offense. He also draws comparisons to Ryan Kesler, though Groulx does not play as heavy a style as Kesler and will never reach the offensive level Kesler achieved at his prime. Groulx will never compete for a scoring title, but will be a valuable player for whoever selects him come June. He appears to be an ideal third line center who shuts down the opposition with enough offensive pop to become a staple on an NHL roster for years to come.
What others are saying
“The first pick in the 2016 QMJHL draft is a big solid wing (who is) not afraid to get gritty. Tall and fundamentally solid in all areas. Strong skater with a nice stride with strength, but truly lacks a quick first step. Understands team play and plays well no matter what line he is on, and can get the job done. Scores mostly from inside the dots and in front. He likes to bull his way there and take the shot. Isn’t a high end attacker at this juncture or speedster. Plays mostly in a defensive role. Longer term developmental guy who teams will hope builds a stronger offensive game to go along with his defensive presence.”
— Bill Placzek/DraftSite
“Groulx is a pure sniper. He has the soft hands to finish plays in tight to the net. He can get the puck up quickly on both his forehand and backhand. His slap shot is an absolute bomb, but he does not use it that often. The wrist shot is so strong and has such a quick release that it has become Groulx’s weapon of choice. It is legitimately one of the best wrist shots in the draft. Groulx gets to the tough areas of the ice, and battles for position when there. He can also score with deflections. … One area where Groulx excels is on the defensive side of the game. His positioning is outstanding, and this helps to hide his skating flaws in the defensive end. He is also extremely smart, as he often seems to be a step ahead of the opponent, anticipating and breaking up plays. Groulx is not afraid to support the defence in the cycle and uses his size to contain opponents.”
— Ben Kerr/Last Word on Hockey