LEWISTON — Samuel Grenache is one of the better-traveled players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season. The 20-year-old winger has played for three different organizations in four different cities across the league. His latest adventure has taken him across an international border, to Lewiston, where his travels and experience across the league is an asset for which the Lewiston Maineiacs’ staff had been searching.
“He’s going to bring experience, which is something we’re a bit thin
on,” Maineiacs coach Don MacAdam said. “He’s going bring us into a situation where we can
give our young players a bit more breathing room to develop.”
Grenache arrives in Lewiston having played last season in Montreal for the recently relocated Montreal Junior. The previous season, that organization, then based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, acquired the rugged forward via trade from Acadie-Bathurst.
That move was a bit less of a shock. This time around, he was practically on the ice in a preseason game when he learned he’d be moving to the United States for the season.
“It was a surprise, for sure,” Grenache said. “I was playing in a game
against Shawinigan, and they told me right before the game that I was
traded, so it was a surprise.”
It was a nice feeling, Grenache said, to be wanted badly enough to induce a trade.
“I’m older, I have to do my job, take my place and play the game hard,” Grenache said.
He has a reputation for being gritty. In 198 games over three seasons, Grenache has amassed 172 penalty minutes. Last season, in just 18 games, he racked up 49 penalty minutes after returning from a shoulder injury.
That injury, he said, is well behind him now.
“I had an operation on my shoulder and had to miss 50 games,” Grenache
said. “I’m in good shape now, and things should go well now.
“I try to play intense, try to make some offense and finish my hits, play hard,” Grenache continued. “I’m in good shape and I will do my job the best I can.”
One of the bigger motivators Grenache has, MacAdam said, is his age. As a 20-year-old, it’s his final year in the QMJHL. Most players, he said, would rather leave the league with a good reputation.
“It’s not necessarily what you’ve done your whole career, but how you
finish that everyone remembers,” MacAdam said. “He’s going to want to
finish strong.”
Lewiston Maineiac forward Samuel Grenache.
-
- Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Lewiston Maineiac forward Samuel Grenache.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.