For the second consecutive day, the Toronto Maple Leafs will welcome a fresh face to their roster when they return to the ice for their third practice in as many days.
Following the recall of defenseman William Villeneuve from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Wednesday, the Maple Leafs brought back forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx from the Marlies on Thursday. In a later release from Leafs PR, it was stated that Joseph Woll will also be absent from practice due to his fight with the flu, and that forward Max Domi will miss practice for personal reasons.
After a really productive year for the French-born Canadian forward, Groulx, 26, gets his first call-up of the season from the minors. Groulx had only played for the Anaheim Ducks, who selected him in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft, prior to signing with the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2025. He has been a force for the Marlies so far, but he has not yet been able to figure it out at the NHL level, where he has scored only one goal and five points in 65 games over three seasons with the Ducks. He currently tops the Marlies in scoring with 22 goals and 42 points in 47 games.
Given the Olympic break is still in effect, it is currently impossible to predict if Groulx will play any games for the Maple Leafs. The Leafs may be using this break to see what they have in Groulx in the event that they sell off some forwards at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, but he may also just be a placeholder until Domi returns. The Leafs will have to fill those gaps in the lineup to ice a team afterwards, so this is something to keep an eye on, as names like Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy, and Calle For the second consecutive day, the Toronto Maple Leafs will welcome a fresh face to their roster when they return to the ice for their third practice in as many days.
Following the recall of defenseman William Villeneuve from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Wednesday, the Maple Leafs brought back forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx from the Marlies on Thursday. In a later release from Leafs PR, it was stated that Joseph Woll will also be absent from practice due to his fight with the flu, and that forward Max Domi will miss practice for personal reasons.
After a really productive year for the French-born Canadian forward, Groulx, 26, gets his first call-up of the season from the minors. Groulx had only played for the Anaheim Ducks, who selected him in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft, prior to signing with the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2025. He has been a force for the Marlies so far, but he has not yet been able to figure it out at the NHL level, where he has scored only one goal and five points in 65 games over three seasons with the Ducks. He currently tops the Marlies in scoring with 22 goals and 42 points in 47 games.
Given the Olympic break is still in effect, it is currently impossible to predict if Groulx will play any games for the Maple Leafs. The Leafs may be using this break to see what they have in Groulx in the event that they sell off some forwards at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, but he may also just be a placeholder until Domi returns. The Leafs will have to fill those gaps in the lineup to ice a team afterwards, so this is something to keep an eye on, as names like Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy, and Calle Jarnkrok, among others, are being considered as possible sell-off candidates.
Beyond that, the Maple Leafs have not provided the cause for Domi’s absence. It’s for selfish reasons, and Woll will probably be back once he recovers from his sickness., among others, are being considered as possible sell-off candidates.
Beyond that, the Maple Leafs have not provided the cause for Domi’s absence. It’s for selfish reasons, and Woll will probably be back once he recovers from his sickness.
