Scouting Report
On a struggling Windsor Spitfires team, Liam Greentree not only stood out, he was hands down their best player.
Greentree will probably never be a #1 option in the NHL as he is right now, but there’s a lot of praise deserved for a draft eligible player who went well over PPG on a team that didn’t have much of an answer most nights.
Greentree has strong offensive instincts. Skilled and accurate passer who does well finding teammates and creating scoring chances.
He has good playmaking vision and can create from just about anywhere on the ice. He seems more complementary than a primary option but he’ll likely get a few scoring chances each night with a solid power release. Greentree has issues at times with creating separation with the puck.
His lack of speed and elusiveness mean he’s a bit restricted and trying to play tricks on opponents. He has some unpredictability but won’t wow you when he has the puck, although he has consistently done things right. Without the puck you don’t always notice him. He doesn’t engage much if he’s not competing for it and he isn’t very physically demanding.
Greentree is a bit of an average skater, he’s somewhat improved in his mobility, but he’s still average at best. Greentree shows strong puck moving capability in transition, and can show some instances of left-right skating speed.
He’s very good at pushing the puck up the ice, but with his skating there’s a wonder if he’ll be as effective against quicker talent. So far he’s done well making up for the lack of foot speed. There's definitely some awkwardness in his movement but his skating isn't something that seems detrimental.
If he doesn’t get quicker, and show some more off-puck engagement, it’s hard at times to see much upside in Greentree as a potential NHLer, but he has the tools that could easily result in a middle-six power forward.
Defensively, there’s more engagement in his own end. Greentree has shown himself as capable of playing physically, but can use his size more to his advantage. There’s time he seems like a real power forward. Greentree is a tough player to determine.
There’s a player who has a decent amount of tools but his skating and lack of pressure question how effective his ability to play a power forward role at the pro level will be? Likely projection is a middle-six winger, right now it seems 3rd line role, maybe 2nd if his skating improves. Can he shut down opponents quicker and with better mechanics than him?
There’s positives in what Greentree did with such little behind him, but also some question marks that makes it hard to truly see if he’ll reach his peak.