Talent Stifled by Injuries: Greenway Could Be Great
Total Season Stats: 3G, 5A | 8 PTS | 45 PIM (34 GP)
Age: 28
Contract Status: Signed through 2026-2027 season; $4,000,000 AAV
Jordan Greenway has been a fun player to watch these last few years…when he is healthy. This season was a tough one for the New York native, who left the ice back in November with a mid-body injury, underwent surgery, and was out of the lineup for months. It may just be a coincidence, but almost immediately following the loss of Greenway, the Sabres went on a 13-game losing streak until late December. Though he returned to the lineup after his first injury, he left again with another for the remaining 13 games of the season.
While his presence may not be that powerful, he is a great two-way forward that Buffalo is always in need of – perhaps the best behind Alex Tuch – and his size (6’6″, 231 lbs) is incredibly important to the physicality that Buffalo often lacks. Greenway is also adaptable as he gets moved around the lineup and is not afraid to throw his body or strike the first punch in a fight – perhaps some of the reasons he was just signed to a contract extension at the beginning of March (exactly two years after being traded to Buffalo by Minnesota) for the next two seasons. Over the last two seasons, he ranks second in the league among forwards with the most shorthanded ice time per game at 2:54.
Greenway also had 100 hits and 29 blocked shots in just 34 games this season, so it is hard not to think about how great he could be in an 82-game span. And, though this year certainly was not the best snapshot of his talent, he has tallied 40 points in 118 total games with the Sabres. What is refreshing is that Greenway does all of this without being a goon or making too many careless mistakes with the puck. Here’s hoping next season is full of ice time and continued physical play – sans injuries – for the winger.
Season Grade: B-