“He was sick, but he was jumping for joy all over!” – Benoit Olivier Groulx

Benoit-Olivier Groulx is a nice surprise for the Anaheim Ducks this season.

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If he is currently in the process of being in the Pittman circuit, the striker admitted, in an interview with Jean-Charles Lagoy, Wednesday, that he does not expect the team to be at the conclusion of the training camp.

“It was really exceptional. I learned about it the day before the opening match. I was really happy, I wasn’t expecting it. I had a good camp, but there is so much work with contracts and the number of players that it was hard for me to imagine that I would get a position This year. But I was really happy when they broke the news to me. My parents came and we celebrated it together.”

Regarding his parents, Groulx recounted the emotional moment he had the opportunity to experience with his father, Benot, during his first game in the NHL. The Syracuse Crunch coach was ecstatic to see his son fulfill his dream.

“My dad was really angry, especially after the match. He was sick, but he was jumping all over the place! He would pick me up and hug me. People who knew my dad knew he wasn’t the most emotional man in the world. But you could tell in his eyes that he was really happy to be there. “.

Collectively, the ducks are rebuilding, but Quebec believes the team is heading in the right direction.

“Apart from the match in Winnipeg, all the matches were very close. A lot of the time, we took the lead but eventually got caught. I think we will grow from this. We have a really young team. It was veterans like Ryan Getzlaf, Cam Fowler and Josh Manson and Jakob Silfverberg have been in very successful teams before. I think they can pass that on to us.”

Groulx also admits he can expect an emotional match when he faces the Canadian Ducks on Sunday.

“This is the team I’ve watched grow up. It’s going to be a special moment for sure, even if you’re not in Montreal. I can’t wait to see the Canadiens crest in front of me. It’s really exceptional and it would be a great feeling.”

Watch the interview in the video above.