Bo Groulx played very well for Hartford Wolf Pack the past year and should contend for a center spot next season. Here's why.
Who is Bo Groulx?
For those unfamiliar — Groulx was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft as the No. 54 overall pick. Standing at 6'2", the 25-year-old was signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers on July 2, 2024.
Over three seasons with the Ducks, the 202 -pound player appeared in 65 games with Anaheim and tallied one goal and four assists.
Groulx is one of those players who does not necessarily impact the game in points tallied, but rather by his presence on the ice. With the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2023-24, he tallied two assists in 45 games played. His best AHL season was in 2022-23 when he set career highs with 12 goals and 21 assists for 39 points in 64 games.
In January of 2025, he was recalled from Hartford in a move that saw Berard assigned to the Wolf Pack. While this didn't last long as Groulx was sent back down days later, here's why he was originally called up.
When Filip Chytil went down with an injury that meant there was more of a need for center depth on the NHL roster than a need for extra wingers right now. At the time of that transaction, Groulx had 11 goals and 18 assists on the season for a total of 29 points across 32 games of play. He ended the season with a line of 15-22-37 in 47 games played, and it was a respectable total that saw him finish second on the team in scoring.
Why does he deserve to contend for a center spot?
Should the Rangers want enough center options, there's no reason why Groulx wouldn't get looked at again come the 2025-2026 season. Pair this with the fact at how the center position has been underperforming (with the exception of J.T. Miller) and Groulx being used becomes even more likely. He's an easy candidate to be re-signed give his age and overall fit with Hartford, and if the Rangers look to free up some cap space, he could be a nice value option.