He always asks lots of questions—to both coaches and teammates alike—to get continual feedback on his performance and on how he can improve.
“It’s pretty much more about communication than anything,” Grumet-Morris said. “I definitely try to ask a lot of questions.”
And Grumet-Morris’ awareness helps his teammates as well. He is always very vocal on the ice, making sure that other players are doing their jobs.
“In the locker room, and off the ice, it’s safe to say that he’s a vocal kid,” Lannon said. “[He’s always] talking on the ice, telling you where you should be and where the puck is and how to move around. He’s skilled, he’s a very smart player, and he’s a talker.”
Grumet-Morris’ success on and off the ice has given him a sense of confidence. When he’s in net, he’s very much in control—and his teammates feed off his strong presence.
“This year, like every other year, [Grumet-Morris] has that same confidence, and we have confidence in him because he stands in there,” Bernakevitch said. “He may get scored on with a bad goal, but he always bounces back. He just gives us confidence.”
Grumet-Morris’ greatest strength is his ability to structure his schedule to accommodate his numerous commitments.
But as good as he might be at managing his time, Grumet-Morris will certainly benefit from the extra hours he’ll have once he completes his senior thesis. That will give the perfectionist more time to devote to hockey.
“He’s going to have a great senior spring once all of that’s over,” said Bernakevitch, referring to Grumet-Morris’ academic commitments.
But until the spring rolls around, Grumet-Morris will continue to be known as the smart guy on the team. Though he insists that the constant wise cracks about his intelligence don’t bother him, the other players amuse themselves thoroughly at Grumet-Morris’s expense.
“I personally think he spends a little too much time with his academics,” Welch said.
“He gets teased a little bit for being the smart guy on the team,” added sophomore forward Ryan Maki.
Whether they mock him or not, one thing remains true—Grumet-Morris’ teammates have great admiration for his intellect.
“It’s something,” Lannon said. “If I were half as academic as he was, my life would be a lot easier.”