Ask Casey Torres about teaching Liam Greentree, and he solutions shortly.
“I’m glad to enter battle with him,” Torres mentioned slightly greater than a 12 months in the past, within the easiest phrases he may.
On the time, Torres was the Windsor Spitfires’ coach and Greentree was making ready for the 2024 NHL Draft.
That January, Torres had named Greentree his captain, a uncommon honor for a draft-eligible participant, simply a few weeks after his 18th birthday. Greentree went on to steer the Spitfires in objectives (36), assists (54) and factors (90). The 36 objectives and 90 factors — which got here on a younger crew that gained solely 18 of 68 video games and completed final within the league’s Western Convention — have been each essentially the most by a draft-eligible ahead within the OHL that 12 months. He’d additionally performed within the 2024 CHL/NHL High Prospects Sport in Moncton, N.B., scoring Crew White’s aim in a 3-1 loss, and was named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie crew after main all rookies with 25 objectives within the 2022-23 season.
“He was our greatest participant, captain, main scorer. He was superior. Management’s not simple, and he has taken that function with open arms,” Torres mentioned. “I feel there are brighter days forward for the Windsor Spitfires, and I feel they’ll be as early as this upcoming 12 months due to the quantity of expertise that he and our ’06 group gained. We actually entrusted lots (in him) in a league pushed by 19- and 20-year-olds.”
On the finish of Greentree’s draft 12 months, NHL Central Scouting listed him as its 14th-ranked North American skater for the 2024 draft, making him the second-highest OHLer behind Oshawa’s Beckett Sennecke (who ranked thirteenth).
“A great mixture of dimension and talent — he’s very efficient at driving the play to the web and getting open to shoot,” NHL Central Scouting’s report learn. “He protects the puck effectively and is tough to examine, particularly off the cycle slipping into scoring areas. Good offensive creativity and confidence with the puck, makes performs utilizing his mushy fingers in tight, he has an NHL shot and launch. Performs his greatest and will get constant outcomes when enjoying the facility ahead recreation.”
Torres, who can also be a former newbie scout with the Pittsburgh Penguins, felt he ought to have been a top-15 decide and that he was a first-rounder “all day.”
“I really like his work ethic, I really like his character, I really like his transferable expertise, the way in which he shoots the puck, the way in which he competes, he’s a hockey nut, and he’s actually a man you’d need in your group,” Torres mentioned.
The Los Angeles Kings drafted him with the No. 26 decide.
Liam Greentree led the Spitfires from the underside of the OHL Western Convention to the second spherical of the playoffs. (Luke Durda / OHL Photographs)
A 12 months later, he’s coming off a fair larger post-draft season that noticed him end third within the OHL in factors (119), fourth in objectives (49), fifth in assists (70), fourth in plus-minus (plus-55) and second in photographs on aim (306).
As Torres predicted, the Spitfires took a step on the again of their captain, dropping to the Kitchener Rangers in Sport 7 of the second spherical of the OHL playoffs. Of their run, Greentree elevated as soon as extra, registering 14 objectives and 24 factors in simply 11 playoff video games for mixed totals of 63 objectives and 143 factors in 75 regular-season and playoff video games.
His play earned him an invite from Hockey Canada to attend the World Junior Summer time Showcase in July in Minneapolis, which he needed to miss to rehab a hand harm.
At this time, Spitfires basic supervisor Invoice Bowler calls him “an elite performer in our league” and lauds his maturity, character, management and progress.
“He simply retains getting higher and higher,” Bowler mentioned.
Chief amongst his progress has been his improved skating, which he has labored onerous at with energy skating coach Kyle Allard and by strengthening his legs within the gymnasium. (The Spitfires listed him at 6-foot-3 and 216 kilos final season, which might have made him the fourth-heaviest Kings ahead, behind Quinton Byfield, Anze Kopitar and Tanner Jeannot.)
“He’s acquired a strong lengthy stride now,” Bowler mentioned. “He’s changing into a person. The hockey potential, the knack of scoring, the shot have all the time been evident. I feel Liam has the power to attain and create offense whatever the opponent. He generates all of it by himself, and he was all the time a constant performer. However there’s no query for me (that the skating is there now). I see him blow away from the opponent, and that’s apparent now.”
Spitfires teammate and Chicago Blackhawks prospect AJ Spellacy calls Greentree “an distinctive participant.”
“He’s acquired an unreal shot — NHL shot already. His potential to guard pucks everywhere in the ice is an enormous a part of his recreation and can proceed on the subsequent degree. That’s the place he has success, is along with his endurance and his puck safety,” Spellacy mentioned. “Off the ice, he’s an amazing man. He leads by instance, however when issues must be mentioned on the ice or within the room, he’s somebody who will step up and say that.”
Ask Greentree about himself, and he talks about his dad, Trevor, a basic contractor; his mother, Shannon, a registered nurse; and his older brother. He describes himself as mentally powerful, passionate and decided, and his recreation as onerous, powerful and having a presence. He’s all for being an athletic therapist in life after hockey, and likes to play tennis and golf. He fashions his recreation after Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and says, “He’s huge, he’s sturdy, he makes use of his physique effectively, he’s acquired a great shot, and he’s good.” He makes use of a straighter curve than most of his friends lately due to Patrick Kane.
He fell in love with hockey enjoying goalie for his brother’s buddies on out of doors rinks, and on a run to a silver medal on the OMHA finals enjoying up a 12 months with the 2005 Clarington Toros in his first 12 months of novice.
“Within the finals, I feel we misplaced 10-3, however I went bar down. Once you’re that age and also you’re going bar down…” he mentioned of his earliest hockey reminiscence, chuckling and trailing off as if to make a degree.
His ardour for the sport has shone by way of in his three years with the Spitfires.
“He’s a down-to-earth child. He doesn’t get too apprehensive about enjoying time, stats. He simply performs. And whenever you’re a great man, folks appear to gravitate to you, and Liam’s that child,” Bowler mentioned. “He’s all the time making the younger guys really feel part of it, and that’s why I feel our crew had such an amazing turnaround (final season). Our gamers clearly aged and acquired slightly older and stronger and higher, however I feel the truth that we’ve the chemistry in our locker room, led by a man like Liam, folks need to work along with good human beings, and that’s what Liam is.
“I do know it sounds easy, however it’s, and I don’t need to overcomplicate it.”
Liam Greentree mixed for 143 factors in 75 regular-season and playoff video games in Windsor final season. (Natalie Shaver / OHL Photographs)
There have been instances, too, when he hasn’t all the time been the highest participant.
He wasn’t a first-round decide into the OHL. Although he has two gold medals with Hockey Canada, he was used largely as a thirteenth ahead on the 2024 U18 Worlds in Finland proper earlier than the draft (which could have contributed to his being out there for the Kings at No. 26).
“Once I’m not getting what I feel I can do on the market, it’s being a great teammate off of the ice and doing no matter you possibly can to ensure all of us succeed,” he mentioned of that have. “For me, I feel I put within the work each day. It’s ensuring I lead by instance and I’m doing all the issues that I can do to get higher, and I feel guys sort of comply with that.”
Regardless of his OHL manufacturing, he’ll probably need to show to Hockey Canada he can play for it at this 12 months’s World Juniors in consequence.
Bowler mentioned he has the proper perspective and recreation to do this.
“Guys like (Greentree) could make hockey golf equipment no matter the way you see match,” Bowler mentioned. “He’s an elite scorer in our league, so if that’s how they determine to make use of him, he can do this, but when he’s a checking function, Liam has plenty of instruments within the bag and might play any method. He has a bodily aspect, he finishes checks, he can have interaction with an opponent if needed.
“He brings a lot to the desk.”
(High picture: Natalie Shaver / OHL Photographs)
