Player Discussion Jordan Greenway

[TaLoN]

I'm now convinced he would be better served working on his game in Iowa.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

I'm now convinced he would be better served working on his game in Iowa.

agreed. let him go down and tear it up down there.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I'm sure he would be good for Iowa. Especially now with Hendy and JEE out it's just not gonna happen. Maybe you think it's undeserved - he probably wouldn't have made the Olympics if the NHL sent players either!

A tanking team would definitely have Greenway down and, say, Kloos up, but that's not this team.

 

[Bazeek]

I don't think getting sent down would hurt him, but I'm not convinced staying in Minnesota is going to hurt him (or the Wild) either. I thought things were clicking a bit more for him in the second half of last game. If they continue to click for the next few games they might as well keep him. If he goes back to treading water, send him down.

And yeah, the injuries make him getting sent down pretty unlikely regardless.

 

[Goose312]

He shouldn't have been gifted a spot just because he's big and Bruce loves big physical guys. He does some things really well like battling behind the net, but such a small subset of game in NHL ready he needs to get to Iowa and spend 20 minutes a night improving the things that need work.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Of course it would be good for him.

That' why we will never do it. Through multiple GMs, the Wild have always acted like Iowa is the last place a good prospect should be.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

If anyone can name one player better than Jordan Greenway on the Iowa roster, then sure. Maybe Kunin, who needs the rehab stint?

It's bad management when you have guys who deserve opportunities, who have shown they can play in the AHL, and you keep a kid who's over his head. You don't learn to be an NHLer by playing in a lesser league. It's just not how things are done. You can learn to be a better pro, grow in various ways, but when you're good enough to be in the NHL, there's no point to the assignment.

And I'd put the blame for this on Fletcher. Iowa has been quite bad. They haven't signed vets, they haven't drafted players, and it's going to take some time to build that depth back to where it should be.

 

[Goose312]

If anyone can name one player better than Jordan Greenway on the Iowa roster, then sure. Maybe Kunin, who needs the rehab stint?

It's bad management when you have guys who deserve opportunities, who have shown they can play in the AHL, and you keep a kid who's over his head. You don't learn to be an NHLer by playing in a lesser league. It's just not how things are done. You can learn to be a better pro, grow in various ways, but when you're good enough to be in the NHL, there's no point to the assignment.

And I'd put the blame for this on Fletcher. Iowa has been quite bad. They haven't signed vets, they haven't drafted players, and it's going to take some time to build that depth back to where it should be.

It's all going to be subjective to say anyone in Iowa is better than Greenway when with less than 2 months of pro experience he's been given more of a chance than guys who have put in multiple pro seasons. Read, Rau, Kloos all had good preseasons. Anas had a great AHL season last year and showed some flashes of ability in preseason.

But Greenway gets penciled into the slot and ends up even playing on lines with Zucker and Staal while the other guys aren't matched with NHL talent even in preseason and are sent down behind a guy who has managed 4 points in 17 NHL games while looking lost on defense. I think Greenway will be good, but I'm betting right now there are a few guys in Iowa who are better for the NHL roster if they are given the same chances he has been gifted.

 

[a79krgm]

I liked the way he pushed around Goligoski like a rag doll. Yes, I think he can stay up here just because he's big. His size on the forecheck should create opportunities to score for others for now. The rest of his game should come along as the year progresses.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It’s just a philosophical thing. Some people see the AHL as place to stash injury call-ups; others as a useful developmental tool. I’m still hoping to move toward the latter, but we didn’t with JEE and aren’t with Greenway.

 

[nickschultzfan]

In an organization that has been historically deprived of offensive ability, it's quite remarkable how it has never looked in the mirror and asked whether they are actually developing offensive ability for the talent they do have.

An offensive player must know that (1) he can make a particular shot, pass, or other play and (2) that he must make that play.

By putting a prospect in the NHL early, you attack the second part. You immediately create doubt in the player, and you shift the focus to not making mistakes.

And if the player remains in that state long enough, you then degrade the player's ability to do even the first part, because it's been a couple of up and down seasons, and instead of taking 10+ shots or great passes a game, the player has been performing on average 1 of those plays a game.

And after that, if the path continues, then that player becomes just a role playing vet.

The whole point of the AHL is to get the player to learn the professional side of the game while that player continues to have 10+ great offensive plays a game.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

In an organization that has been historically deprived of offensive ability, it's quite remarkable how it has never looked in the mirror and asked whether they are actually developing offensive ability for the talent they do have.

An offensive player must know that (1) he can make a particular shot, pass, or other play and (2) that he must make that play.

By putting prospect in the NHL early, you attack the second part. You immediately create doubt in the player, and you shift the focus to not making mistakes.

And if the player remains in that state long enough, you then degrade the player's ability to do even the first part, because it's been a couple of up and down seasons, and instead of taking 10+ shots or great passes a game, the player has been performing on average 1 of those plays again.

And after that, if the path continues, then that player becomes just a role playing vet.

The whole point of the AHL is to get the player to learn the professional side of the game while that player continues to have 10+ great offensive plays a game.

Good post, although the AHL is not purely a developmental league (nor is the ECHL for that matter).

Again, I'd say the biggest problem the Wild have in producing points is they simply don't draft guys like that. Sokolov and Shaw are two major exceptions. This team has willingly drafted guys with ZERO goals in their draft season - MORE THAN ONCE. It's crazy and that draft "philosophy" is a primary reason why there's not much offense at the NHL level to my mind, not keeping guys who can play in the NHL at a lesser level.

 

[Bazeek]

We're a little over a quarter of the way through his first NHL and pro season, so it seems like a good time to take stock of the his performance.

He's still in the thick of the learning phase and it's been apparent on many of his shifts, but I think he's stepped in remarkably well this year. He has (understandably) not been dominating people physically, but he does use his frame very well, even against some of the biggest players in the league. Thus far the more exciting thing about his size has been his reach; not just the wingspan but the hands that go with it. There have been a few times where he's straight-up reached around a player to grab the puck and hold the zone. Didn't knock the guy off the puck and didn't poke it out into the neutral zone, just plucked it off his stick and turned it back toward the goal. He's got a very interesting skill set and seems to have a capacity to learn pretty quickly.

Also, for as much as people (including myself) fret about the age of this team, having some bigger, veteran forwards like Koivu, Staal and even Fehr around to emulate has to be a plus for Greenway.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Pacing ~11 goals and ~30 points; not bad for a rookie season w/ limited PP time. If you ascribe to the idea that he should be better in the 2nd 40 games than the 1st 40 (unless he hits a rookie wall), then there's definitely reason for optimism.

 

[57special]

Agreed, Bazeek, about the reach. His strength will come, not that he is weak right now. Having he and Ek as big, strong players will allow the Wild to mix in some smaller skilled players in the future, should that be necessary.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

Agreed, Bazeek, about the reach. His strength will come, not that he is weak right now. Having he and Ek as big, strong players will allow the Wild to mix in some smaller skilled players in the future, should that be necessary.

- 3 years later -
Greenway forechecks hard into the corner absolutely destroying Barrie along the end boards... Ek flys by, picks up the puck, and makes a nice move in the corner to escapes traffic and find some time.... Finds Kaprizov sitting in the soft spot in the slot and KAPRIZOV DOES NOT MISS...

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

- 3 years later -
Greenway forechecks hard into the corner absolutely destroying Barrie along the end boards... Ek flys by, picks up the puck, and makes a nice move in the corner to escapes traffic and find some time.... Finds Kaprizov sitting in the soft spot in the slot and KAPRIZOV DOES NOT MISS...

Damn, we still haven't solved the lefty/righty problem?

 

[2Pair]

- 3 years later -
Greenway forechecks hard into the corner absolutely destroying Barrie along the end boards... Ek flys by, picks up the puck, and makes a nice move in the corner to escapes traffic and find some time.... Finds Kaprizov sitting in the soft spot in the slot and KAPRIZOV DOES NOT MISS...

Do you think Kaprizov will even come over if you tell him that he will be playing with Eriksson Ek?

 

[Wabit]

Damn, we still haven't solved the lefty/righty problem?

Make Kunin the center then? KK has been listed as an offhanded wing for years, so he's not really playing out of position.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

Damn, we still haven't solved the lefty/righty problem?

I'm sure Kaprizov will be stapled on a line with Granlund as soon as he gets here so it's kinda a moot point. Just more a fun take on a hopeful idea of the future

 

[SomethingGeneric]

Do you think Kaprizov will even come over if you tell him that he will be playing with Eriksson Ek?

A lot can change in three years. What if Ek develops like Dumba has over the past three years? Not saying it's likely but Ek is young and has proven that the highest league in the world isn't to big for him. But yeah if he or Kunin doesn't pan out it will be someone else for sure in between Granlund and Kaprizov.

 

[2Pair]

A lot can change in three years. What if Ek develops like Dumba has over the past three years? Not saying it's likely but Ek is young and has proven that the highest league in the world isn't to big for him. But yeah if he or Kunin doesn't pan out it will be someone else for sure in between Granlund and Kaprizov.

I was just trying to be funny with my comment. As for the bolded statement. No he hasn't.

 

[Wild11MN]

8 goals in just over half of his rookie year. Gotta be pretty happy about that, especially when he wasn't a huge scorer in college. Also considering JEE's and Kunin's lack of scoring ability so far.

 

[57special]

He is a force out there on the ice, and is highly likely to get better. Love those extendomatic arms.

 

[Engebretson]

He seems very assertive in taking the shot, which you like to see in a rookie.