MONTREAL -- Gatineau Olympiques head coach Benoit Groulx will lead Canada in its quest to end its gold medal drought at the 2015 world junior hockey championship.
The Hull native will serve as head coach for Canada's national junior team during the 11-day tournament held in Montreal and Toronto at the end of this year.
Groulx, 46, was also an assistant coach at the 2014 junior championship, where Canada lost in the semifinals.
"We need guys who are self-driven, who are relentless, guys who want to make the difference," Groulx said following Hockey Canada's announcement from Montreal on Thursday. "We need hundred-point players who are ready to make changes, ready to play out of their comfort zones. To win that championship, you need world-class players."
Over the next two weeks, Groulx will begin naming players to his roster.
Canada opens the tournament on Dec. 26 with a group game against Slovakia in Montreal. The gold medal game goes Jan. 5 in Toronto.
Canada is suffering through a five-year gold medal drought at the tournament after winning five consecutive years between 2005 and 2009.
This time around, Groulx is happy to be playing in front of the home crowd.
"Pressure will be good for us," he said. "When's there's pressure like that, people are very aware of it. Playing in Montreal and Toronto forces us to prepare adequately.
"People in Canada expect us to win. For us, that's the ultimate. But our focus is on the process more than anything else."
