There are ample quality forwards in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft who could be available for the Washington Capitals to pick from. One of the wingers who general manager Brian MacLellan and his staff could choose is right winger Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). If Washington can get their hands on Greentree and he reaches his potential, they will have a significant weapon who will help drive their offense for many seasons to come.
Greentree Gained Wisdom in Windsor
Greentree was born on Jan. 1, 2006, in Oshawa, Ontario. He is one of the draft picks in this class who spent time in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), suiting up for the Markham Majors U16 AAA squad. In 22 games with Markham, Greentree posted 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points.
After playing a role on that team for the 2021-22 season, he left the GTHL and joined the Spitfires in the OHL. The Spitfires are a solid organization that has produced quite a few alumni who have played in the NHL. Some names, among others, include Taylor Hall, Ed Jovanovski, Adam Graves, and Steve Ott. Greentree played his first OHL campaign in 2022-23, notching 25 goals and 20 assists for 45 points in 61 games to finish sixth on the roster in points. Matthew Maggio (111 points), Jacob Maillet (76), Alex Christopoulos (74), Oliver Peer (67), and Colton Smith (47) had more than he did.
It was only a small sample size for Greentree with Windsor, but he proved to be a well-respected player and teammate. As a result, he was named captain of the Spitfires in the middle of the 2023-24 campaign. That season, he stood out as an offensive force, producing 90 points (36 goals and 54 assists) in 64 games. This led all players on the roster, as the next teammates in the scoring ranks were Ryan Abraham (66 points), Peer (47), and Cole Davis (41.)
Greentree’s Strengths and NHL Comparison
There is a lot to like about Greentree’s game. He carried a lot of weight for the team on his shoulders in 2023-24. The Spitfires in general had a bad season, finishing with a 18-42-5-3 record. That was only good enough for 44 points in the standings and finishing last in the West Division. Individually, Greentree was one of the bright spots on a very bad season. The Hockey Writers‘ Dayton Reimer talks about his value to Windsor in 2023-24. Reimer wrote: “Of all the forwards available at the 2024 NHL Draft, Liam Greentree might be among the hardest workers. 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 and made a strong case as to why he should be a top-15 pick for the 2024 Draft.”
Related: Top 5 Power Forwards in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft
Adam Kimelman also discussed in an article about what makes Greentree’s game so good, writing that “Greentree’s leadership, (and) offensive skill set” were boosting his stock ahead of 2024 NHL Draft. Kimelman interviewed Spitfires coach Casey Torres on what makes him so special, and what Torres mentioned should have NHL fanbases excited about the potential to add him to their lineup. “‘He’s competitive, he loves the game,” Torres said in the article. “He’s very skilled. The deception game is at another level. I think he’s so good at showing you something and doing something else. And then obviously, he’s got a dynamic shot as well. But first and foremost, he’s a high-character kid who is outstanding, very well-liked by his teammates. And he does things the right way. He’s big, he moves well, he’s very competitive, not afraid of anything on the ice. And he has no problem taking pucks to hard spaces.”
If Greentree makes the NHL, what is a potential comparison of what he could turn into? The name Reimer, brings up in Greentree’s Draft Profile is Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson. Reimer wrote, “Although frequently described as a power forward, Greentree doesn’t project to be a hard-hitting, goal-scoring menace in the NHL like Jarome Iginla or Cam Neely. Instead, he looks more like Jason Robertson, who had similar issues when he was with the Kingston Frontenacs. Greentree will need some time to iron out his skating to get it to an NHL-average level, but there’s a chance that he could emerge as a 40-goal, 80-point player in the right system.” If Greentree became the next Robertson, that would elate whoever drafts him at the end of June. Robertson has put up the numbers below during his time with the Stars:
- 2019-20: one assist in three games
- 2020-21: 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points in 51 games
- 2021-22: 41 goals and 38 assists for 79 points in 74 games
- 2022-23: 46 goals and 63 assists for 109 points in 82 games
- 2023-24: 29 goals and 51 assists for 80 points in 82 games
Robertson has been one of the key talents on Dallas’ offense. He helped the Stars reach the 2024 Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers; the Stars were close to making the Stanley Cup Final too and Robertson is one of the biggest reasons why the squad is so dangerous. During the Stars’ 2024 postseason run, he tallied six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 19 games. Greentree, if things play out correctly, has the potential to put up similar numbers to Robertson. He can emerge as a star for whoever does draft him, provided he continues to develop in the right direction.
Greentree’s Fit on the Capitals
There’s no question whatsoever that Greentree would fit on the Caps when his time in the NHL would come. Any team would make room for him if he was to become another version of Robertson. Current Capitals right-wingers include Tom Wilson, TJ Oshie, Aliaksei Protas (who can also play other forward spots), and Sonny Milano (who can play either wing). Oshie is entering the last season of his contract with Washington though, and if he returns beyond that, I would not think that it would be that long of an extension. Wilson is locked up long-term as is Protas, while Milano has two seasons remaining on his current deal. There is potential space available for Greentree should the Capitals draft him.
He, along with other pieces the Capitals have drafted or will draft for the future, can all help create the next chapter for the offense once the Alexander Ovechkin era comes to an end. Greentree could potentially be the next solid winger for the organization for seasons to come.
