23 Options For the Maple Leafs At The 2024 NHL Entry Draft - Liam Greentree
The power-forward winger was a clear bright spark for a bottom Windsor Spitfires team
The Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 23rd in next week's NHL Entry Draft.
In honour of the Toronto Maple Leafs having the 23rd selection, we have been counting down 23 prospects they could consider using the pick on.
Last time out we profiled Alfons Freij & Leo Sahlin Wallenius.
Today we look at Liam Greentree.
INTRODUCTION
If one word could describe Liam Greentree's OHL season, it's persistence.
Greentree, already seen as a potential lottery prospect in 2022-23 before his draft season, dealt with a struggling Windsor Spitfires team where little got to go in their favor throughout the year.
After giving up an OHL-leading 360 goals, offense was somewhat of a bright spot, and Greentree was a big reason why, being their best scorer, and playmaker, doing all he could to keep himself talked about on a team in the bottom of the standings.
With a very exciting NHL frame and leadership abilities, being named Windsor's captain at the age of 17, there's a lot to wonder in what Greentree can do in a winning setting, already being one of the draft's most impactful players without much results to show for it.
Prospect Profile
Liam Greentree is a right winger from Oshawa, Ontario who currently plays for the Windsor Spitifres of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Greentree, at 6'2 and 215lbs, has a very evident NHL frame that will intrigue many scouts as he doesn't seem to need to put on much more weight for pro hockey. On the ice, Greentree is noticeable as being highly physical and pressing.
Liam Greentree! Star in the making 🤩#WindsorSpitfires pic.twitter.com/GSx4fBGL8Z
— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) January 28, 2024
Offensively, Greentree was a leader for the Spitfires, who finished second last in the OHL overall standings. The Windsor captain easily led the team in goals, assists & points with 36G, 54A & 90PTS. It's clear Greentree led Windsor as much as he could despite their struggles..
Liam Greentree breaks the stalemate at the top of the 2nd! #CHLKTP pic.twitter.com/K1KZ9m6ksd
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 25, 2024
Greentree isn't a perfect player by any means, there are some question marks that do warrant a bit of discussion and have kept him out of consensus lottery talk, but at the same time, he's a strong, sturdy leader with a bunch of tools that will make teams hope he can be a potential top power forward.
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.
Toronto Maple Leafs Likeliness
I think there's going to be a team that falls in love with Greentree's size and two-way game that teams will feel they can mold into a truly talented player.
I'm a bit unfair at times to players who struggle in their skating, and admittedly I did want to put Greentree a bit higher because i'm of the belief skating can be fixed, it wouldn't be surprising if a team managed to do it. Jason Robertson was someone teams had concerns over his speed, and who's saying he's a question now?
Brad Treliving has not shied away from size when he was the GM in Calgary, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have valued two-way players in the draft such as Matthew Knies & Fraser Minten, but are known to go a bit smaller for forwards in the draft, leaning on size when it comes to defense more often.
Even with that said, if Greentree didn't have skating flaws, I don't see much seperating him from Beckett Sennecke. I'm a little reminded of Quentin Musty from last year, who went 26th to San Jose and had average skating ability. Musty has looked better in his skating ability, and had 43 goals and 102 points in just 3 games for the Sudbury Wolves. By comparison he had 78 in the same amount of games the year prior. Greentree outscored Musty and with less help.
Just re-reading this makes me realize how much I could be undervaluing Greentree. I don't think he's a top-line player, but he's a very possible middle-six option.
Of course, the Leafs already have competition on the wing, but it wouldn't hurt to add some more size there in the prospect pool. If you believe the skating can improve, he could be a great get for the team, he may also not be there if someone else thinks the same. I don't think he'll go in the lottery, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him go just outside it, to the early 20's.
Quotes and Film
"Greentree is difficult to defend in the trenches. His size, strength, and skill allow him to extend plays that generally lead to offence." - Jason Bukala/Sportsnet
Greentree thinks the game quick and he's incredibly difficult to knock off the puck. He's able to drive the puck offensively and he leads with his hands. His hands help him manipulate opponents and find open space in the attacking zone. " - Joely Stockl/The Hockey News
The Windsor Spitfires were one of the worst teams in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, posting just 18 wins in 68 games and allowing 360 goals against, the highest total by a wide margin. But they weren’t the worst and a lot of that is thanks to their captain, Liam Greentree, who put the team on his shoulders" - Dayton Reimer/The Hockey Writers
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The Toronto Maple Leafs should definitely consider Liam Greentree if he's available when they pick.