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“There’s some things we’re going to work on but he’s a good size at 6-foot-2 – he’s a lanky goalie – but the thing that impressed me the most is the way that he reads the play and he gets into position. There were two 5-on-3s in the first game of the playoffs and he made saves that were exceptional.”

Selected No. 55 overall in the second round of the 2016 NHL draft by the Penguins, Gustavsson is a highly-regarded prospect in league circles and that’s why the Senators were thrilled to get him in the deal for Brassard.

Down the road he could play a big role here.

Photo by Darren Brown / Postmedia

The Senators sent Groulx overseas because they felt it was important that he starts to get a feel for exactly what makes Gustavsson tick.

He finished with a 9-11-0 record in 22 games with Lulea this season while posting a 2.07 goals-against average and a .918 save-percentage.

While Gustavsson’s season in the Swedish league is over and he could join the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville as early as this weekend – if all the paper work can be put in place – Groulx got the chance to get to know Gustavsson, have dinner with him and watch his daily skates with Lulea.

Photo by Jean Levac / Postmedia News

“From my position, it’s important to build a relationship with the goaltender,” Groulx said. “To see him in that setting, to see him in practice, to see him, to talk to his goalie coaches from junior and Lulea, and just get to know the person was very important to me.

“Seeing (Gustavsson) in the pro setting over there, seeing how he conducts himself with his teammates, and just trying to pick everybody’s brain you can to get to know the person the best you possibly can, was very important to me because if you wait you lose some time.