Amerks New Head Coach is Benoit Groulx

First reported by TSN, the new coach of the Rochester Americans is going to be Benoit Groulx (pronounded Groo, the L and X are silent, I believe).  We appear to have been thrown a curve ball at our meeting with Steve Donner when he said it’d be someone not yet mentioned, or unexpected.  This is a great coaching choice, and he must see some chances at winning for him to have left his current position.

Here’s the report from the National Post

Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Benoit Groulx is reportedly out as head coach of the Canadian world junior hockey team.

The 40-year-old has accepted a job to take over as head coach of the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans, meaning he won’t be available to the junior team when it takes to the ice this December in Ottawa for the IIHF world junior hockey championship.

TSN reported Wednesday night that Groulx will not be behind the bench for Canada when it attempts to win a fifth straight tournament.

Groulx will replace Randy Cunneyworth as coach in Rochester. Cunneyworth accepted a job as assistant coach of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers last month. Rochester finished last in the AHL’s North Division last season with a record of 24-46-6-4.

Groulx has also led the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques to three Memorial Cup appearances in the last six years, including this past season’s tournament in Kitchener, Ont.

He was named head coach of the Canadian junior squad just two months ago as a replacement for Craig Hartsburg, who had accepted the head coaching post with the Ottawa Senators.

Canada starts the world junior tournament on Dec. 26 when it faces the Czech Republic in Ottawa.