Wikipedia

Benoit Groulx (ice hockey)

Benoit Groulx (born January 30, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently serving as the head coach of Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Groulx is formerly the head coach of the Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, along with being the former head coach and general manager for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL.[1]

Benoit Groulx
Groulx in 2019
Born (1968-01-30) January 30, 1968 (age 56)
Hull, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Viry-Châtillon EH
Brest Albatros Hockey
Dragons de Rouen
Playing career 1989–2000
Coaching career 2000–present

Playing career

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Groulx played major junior hockey with the Granby Bisons of the QMJHL.

Coaching career

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In 2000, following an 11-year professional career played mostly in France, Groulx turned to coaching, taking an assistant position with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. He became a head coach during the 2000–01 QMJHL season when he replaced John Chabot to take the reins of the Hull Olympiques, which was changed to the Gatineau Olympiques in 2003 following the city's amalgamation in 2002, where he won the 2003–04 Ron Lapointe Trophy as the QMJHL coach of the year. He was a head coach in the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans for both the 2008–09 and 2009–10 AHL seasons, but re-join the Gatineau Olympiques in 2010.

After serving as assistant coach under Brent Sutter at the 2014 World Junior Championships, he was named head coach for Team Canada for the 2015 World Junior Championships.[2]

Groulx was named head coach of the Syracuse Crunch on May 10, 2016, replacing Rob Zettler.[3] In his first season as head coach, he led the Crunch to the Calder Cup Finals and an Eastern Conference title. His second season as head coach of the Crunch was also success. His Crunch had a 10-game winning streak and a 7-game win streak at certain points, in which the 10-game win streak lasted from November 22, 2017 to December 15, 2017. The 7-game win streak lasted from March 14, 2018 to March 30, 2018. He also led the Crunch to their highest win percentage in franchise history, a .658 win percentage. The Crunch easily did away with Rochester in the first round sweeping the Americans, 3–0. However, the Crunch were swept by the eventual Calder Cup Champions, the Toronto Marlies, 4–0, in the second round. In the following season, the Crunch had their best regular season in their history, but were upset in round 1 by the Cleveland Monsters.

Groulx achieved 200 professional coaching wins on March 30, 2019 while coaching the Syracuse Crunch. The Crunch beat the Utica Comets 6–2.[4]

Groulx is the winningest coach in Syracuse Crunch history, with 221 career coaching wins with the Crunch.

During the 2021 Syracuse Crunch training camp, Groulx fractured his left elbow after falling down at practice.[5]

In 2021, Groulx interviewed for the head coach position of the Arizona Coyotes, after a vacancy was left by Rick Tocchet.[6] He would not get the job, as Arizona hired André Tourigny.[7]

On February 21, 2022, Groulx won his 200th career game with the Crunch.[8]


Award Year
Ron Lapointe Trophy - QMJHL Coach of the Year 2003–04 [9]
AHL All-Star Game North Division Coach 2016–17, 2018–19

Personal life

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Groulx's son, Benoit-Olivier, also known as "Bo" was selected 54th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.[10]

Coaching record

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AHL

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Team Season Regular Season Post Season
G W L T OTL/SOL Pts Finish Result
ROC 2008–09 80 29 43 — 8 66 7th, North Missed Playoffs
ROC 2009–10 80 44 33 — 3 91 2nd, North Lost in Round 1
SYR 2016–17 76 38 24 — 14 90 1st, North Lost in Calder Cup Finals
SYR 2017–18 76 46 22 — 8 100 2nd, North Lost in Round 2
SYR 2018–19 76 47 21 — 8 102 1st, North Lost in Round 1
SYR 2019–20 62 30 23 — 9 69 5th, North Season Cancelled
SYR 2020–21 32 19 10 — 3 41 3rd, North No playoffs were held
SYR 2021-22 76 41 26 — 9 91 2nd, North Lost in Round 1
SYR 2022–23 72 35 26 — 11 81 2nd, North Lost in Round 1

QMJHL

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Team Season Regular Season Post Season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
HULL 2002–03 72 39 27 4 2 84 2nd, Ouest Won QMJHL
Lost Canadian Hockey League Championship
GAT 2003–04 70 50 13 7 0 107 1st, Ouest Won QMJHL
Lost Canadian Hockey League Championship
GAT 2004–05 70 33 28 5 4 75 3rd, Ouest Lost in Round 2
GAT 2005–06 70 40 23 — 7 87 4th, West Lost in Round 3
GAT 2006–07 70 39 27 — 4 82 3rd, West Lost in Round 1
GAT 2007–08 70 43 19 — 8 94 4th, West Won QMJHL
Placed 4th in Canadian Hockey League Championship
GAT 2010–11 68 43 17 — 8 94 3rd, West Lost in QMJHL Finals
GAT 2011–12 68 26 32 — 10 62 4th, West Lost in Round 1
GAT 2012–13 68 29 34 — 5 63 5th, West Lost in Round 2
GAT 2013–14 68 41 23 — 4 86 4th, West Lost in Round 2
GAT 2014–15 68 31 31 — 6 68 5th, West Lost in Round 2
GAT 2015–16 68 46 19 — 3 95 3rd, West Lost in Round 2

References

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  1. ^ "Gatineau Olympiques - Hockey Staff". en.olympiquesdegatineau.ca. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  2. ^ "QMJHL's Benoit Groulx named Canada's world junior coach | Toronto Sun".
  3. ^ "Lightning hire Benoit Groulx to become head coach of Syracuse Crunch".
  4. ^ @SyracuseCrunch (March 30, 2019). "Congratulations, Coach. 👊" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ^ @syrhockey (January 26, 2021). "Crunch coach Ben Groulx already on the IR. He fell down at practice Monday and fractured his left elbow" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Syracuse Crunch coach Ben Groulx interviews for Arizona job (Report)". June 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Coyotes Name André Tourigny as Head Coach".
  8. ^ "Lightning Round: Syracuse Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx wins 200th game with the team". February 22, 2022.
  9. ^ "Gatineau Olympiques - Record Book". en.olympiquesdegatineau.ca. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  10. ^ Smith, Joe. "A 'dream come true' for Groulx family at NHL Draft". The Athletic. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
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