Michael Russo: Greenway Turning Pro? (Upd: Nope)

[Minnesota]

From Russo's column this morning:

Greenway’s decision

Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher reached out to Jordan Greenway’s adviser about turning pro Sunday after the Wild draft pick and Boston University power forward’s sophomore season ended in the Terriers’ 3-2 overtime loss to Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA West Regional final Saturday.

It will be up to Greenway, but with the contract likely not to start until next year and an amateur tryout in the offering to start immediately in Iowa, Greenway will need to decide if it’s worth ending his semester early for a few weeks in the American Hockey League.

I think he'll join Kunin in Iowa. Greenway's a guy I could see stepping into Minnesota's lineup as early as next season. Kid's a beast. I think he'll be touted as a steal of the draft.

Click to read more...

 

[DANOZ28]

hate to rush anybody but im excited to see greenway take the next step. big body , skates well, potentially another nino!

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Having watched his last two games makes me less excited about Greenway. He didn't have much impact on either game. I think he's a good skater for his size but I don't know if I see NHL-calibre mobility. Good hands, but seems to trail the play too often. Goal scoring went up this season, which is a good sign, but didn't have a breakout despite playing with maybe the most talented player in the NCAA.

Huge difference from the WJC where he could toss guys around and the NCAA where guys are older, stronger, bigger. Guess we'll see what he can do in the pros.

Don't think another season in college would be the worst thing for him, either, but money on the table is a lot for a kid to reject.

 

[Engebretson]

I would guess he takes the same route Kunin did last week and signs an ATO with Iowa with his ELC starting next season, but who knows. I'd think we'd know something sooner rather than later, though.

 

[keppel146]

keller is gone so maybe that will impact his decision.

 

[57special]

Having watched his last two games makes me less excited about Greenway. He didn't have much impact on either game. I think he's a good skater for his size but I don't know if I see NHL-calibre mobility. Good hands, but seems to trail the play too often. Goal scoring went up this season, which is a good sign, but didn't have a breakout despite playing with maybe the most talented player in the NCAA.

Huge difference from the WJC where he could toss guys around and the NCAA where guys are older, stronger, bigger. Guess we'll see what he can do in the pros.

Don't think another season in college would be the worst thing for him, either, but money on the table is a lot for a kid to reject.

Agree with everything here. I'm actually a bit surprised that the Wild want him to leave college. I would think they would rather he develop on someone else's dime. I would guess that Greenway would jump at an offer, but I don't know what his commitment to school is.

Hope we don't have another Tuch here. Big guy who dominated against smaller, weaker players but disappears when he moves up in class.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

Slow down on the Tuch comment there...I know this is the Greenway thread, but I think 'disappears' is a huge overstatement. Kid was playing his first pro season and was second on the team in scoring, made the all star game. 31 points in 47 games.

 

[DANOZ28]

tuch is on a similar pace to coyle; i'll be happy if greenway does the same as tuch his 1st season in iowa.

 

[TaLoN]

He didn't wow people in his first NHL cup of coffee... he must be a bust.

I thought people understood that power forwards take time to find their game at the NHL level.

Hell, Isles fans called Nino a bust.

 

[Minnesota]

Greenway's size/skill is pretty different when comparing to Coyle, Tuch, Nino.

I don't think it's fair to lump either of Tuch/Greenway in the same category as Coyle/Nino.

 

[57special]

There is no doubt that it is VERY early in Tuch's and Greenway's career. Calling them busts was never brought up, but is anyone happy with Tuch's play when he was called up this year? He lacked intensity, speed, and drive. In an admittedly small sample size last weekend, Greenway looked similar. It doesn't mean either of them are finished as players, but excuse me for questioning a player( Greenway) who doesn't show up on his team's biggest games of the year. Maybe he had the flu, or an injury...I don't know.

I think Greenway set a very high bar with his performance at the WJC's. Anything less than that is bound to be a disappointment. Still glad we picked Greenway and Kunin over Bellows!

The way Coyle is playing now, we could swap Tuch for him and no one would notice.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

Unless something happens in the playoffs to start changing minds, I wonder if Coyle will be exposed in the expansion draft...if nothing else to maybe motivate him a bit? I wonder if he would get picked...probably? Stream of consciousness writing here, so not very coherent, but just thinking as we go along here. I have to believe management is not happy with him at all right now. Which is also weird since he's having a career year points wise...

so idk. I got nothin right now on a lot of the guys.

 

[DANOZ28]

Greenway's size/skill is pretty different when comparing to Coyle, Tuch, Nino.

I don't think it's fair to lump either of Tuch/Greenway in the same category as Coyle/Nino.

why not? they all seem similar to me. as far as expansion i'd pick dumba over coyle but i dont know what vegas needs are.

 

[Soldier13Fox]

Unless something happens in the playoffs to start changing minds, I wonder if Coyle will be exposed in the expansion draft...if nothing else to maybe motivate him a bit? I wonder if he would get picked...probably? Stream of consciousness writing here, so not very coherent, but just thinking as we go along here. I have to believe management is not happy with him at all right now. Which is also weird since he's having a career year points wise...

so idk. I got nothin right now on a lot of the guys.

I think, if he is exposed, he get's picked 100% of the time.

I got nothing as well, they way he's played for the last several months probably deserves to be exposed.... but I do think Coyle overall is part of the Wild's long term plans and I doubt they've given up on him. The beginning of the year saves him, I think. Personally, gun to my head if it came down to him vs zucker to be exposed, I pick Coyle.

 

[57special]

Unless something happens in the playoffs to start changing minds, I wonder if Coyle will be exposed in the expansion draft...if nothing else to maybe motivate him a bit? I wonder if he would get picked...probably? Stream of consciousness writing here, so not very coherent, but just thinking as we go along here. I have to believe management is not happy with him at all right now. Which is also weird since he's having a career year points wise...

so idk. I got nothin right now on a lot of the guys.

Yeah, I can't see him being exposed. He was SO good earlier in the year, and that combination of speed, strength, skill doesn't come along every day. If nothing else, BOS would be throwing picks/prospects at us for him.

There is no doubt that he has had a bad month (or two), but he looked great before that. It's REALLY puzzling how his play has dropped off. He just looks "off", in a way that players who have had concussion issues can look off, but I can't recall any incident involving him, and he hasn't missed much, if any, time.

Just one of the many mysteries on this team. It's not like Nino has been on fire recently, either.

 

[Minnesota]

why not? they all seem similar to me. as far as expansion i'd pick dumba over coyle but i dont know what vegas needs are.

I think their skill level varies greatly.

Nino > Coyle > Tuch > Greenway

Sizes are exact reverse of skill level.

Greenway > Tuch > Coyle > Nino

I think both Tuch and Greenway have top-6 ceilings, but don't expect them to do what Nino and Coyle have done.

 

[TwiztedHeat]

Greenway went entirely unnoticed in the game against UMD but it still doesn't bring me down from thinking he could legit be our #2 or #3 prospect behind Kaprizov and maybe Kunin.

 

[Minnesota]

Greenway went entirely unnoticed in the game against UMD but it still doesn't bring me down from thinking he could legit be our #2 or #3 prospect behind Kaprizov and maybe Kunin.

The way Greenway uses his size is incredibly refreshing, especially when we have Coyle and Tuch who play less physically than 5'9" Spurgeon.

 

[BagHead]

Greenway's size/skill is pretty different when comparing to Coyle, Tuch, Nino.

I don't think it's fair to lump either of Tuch/Greenway in the same category as Coyle/Nino.

Got to agree. Height-wise, he's somewhere in the Thornton to Chara category of player. Those others are above average for the NHL (slightly), but not giant.

On another topic, I don't get people being down on Tuch or Greenway, especially given very small samplings. Neither guy is going to be a generational player, but they're far from being busts at this point. I'm happy with Tuch's development so far, and I'm pretty high on Greenway. Greenway may have below average speed for the NHL, but he is strong on his skates, balances well, and has tons of reach. Lots of players have made up for mediocre skating using those exact tools.

 

[DANOZ28]

well imo they are all power forward type players, all have good hands / accurate shot ; all can skate nhl avg (imo) if you compare at same ages their production / development they all started slow. how are they different i dont get it. nino plays more physical than coyle but talent is similar. ps i could argue that because greenway & tuch had better college #s they will be better than coyle!

 

[gphr513]

I'm probably one of the biggest advocates here for staying in college, but in Greenway's case I think it makes sense. He's got the NHL body, I don't think he'd be lost in Iowa next year.

 

[nickschultzfan]

How about we let Tuch and Greenway have a few years in Iowa?

Look how long Coyle took and he still is struggling with consistency.

 

[MNRube]

Greenway went entirely unnoticed in the game against UMD but it still doesn't bring me down from thinking he could legit be our #2 or #3 prospect behind Kaprizov and maybe Kunin.

Eriksson Ek has to be 1 or 2

 

[Minnesota]

Got to agree. Height-wise, he's somewhere in the Thornton to Chara category of player. Those others are above average for the NHL (slightly), but not giant.

On another topic, I don't get people being down on Tuch or Greenway, especially given very small samplings. Neither guy is going to be a generational player, but they're far from being busts at this point. I'm happy with Tuch's development so far, and I'm pretty high on Greenway. Greenway may have below average speed for the NHL, but he is strong on his skates, balances well, and has tons of reach. Lots of players have made up for mediocre skating using those exact tools.

Know who this reminds me of? Hanzal.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

well imo they are all power forward type players, all have good hands / accurate shot ; all can skate nhl avg (imo) if you compare at same ages their production / development they all started slow. how are they different i dont get it. nino plays more physical than coyle but talent is similar. ps i could argue that because greenway & tuch had better college #s they will be better than coyle!

I only got to watch him at WJC and a couple college games this year, but from what I saw Nino's shot is on a whole different level than Greenway.