With the 26th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings have selected Liam Greentree from the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League
About Liam Greentree
Liam Greentree is a big winger who looks like he could be a great all-round player in the NHL someday if he can make some improvements to his acceleration. Greentree was excellent in the OHL this season for a rebuilding Windsor Spitfires team. He finished the season in the top 20 for goals and points in the OHL which is really impressive for a draft eligible player on a weaker team.
Greentree does most things well, fighting hard in puck battles, making smart passes, and handling defensive responsibilities well. His greatest strength is his shot which looks like a quality NHL tool though his skill with the puck is noteworthy as well. The biggest barrier in the way of NHL success for Greentree at the moment is his skating. He’s got decent speed once he gets going, but his first few steps are sluggish and he could use some explosiveness to help him accelerate more quickly.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
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: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Greentree’s bread and butter is his shot, specifically his wrister. Being a bigger player, he can get a lot of power behind his shot, which already makes it a weapon, allowing him to fire the puck from anywhere in the offensive zone and get it by the goalie. His range has drastically improved from his rookie season in which he scored 25 goals, most of which came from close to the net.
But one thing scouts keep coming back to is Greentree’s work ethic. As previously mentioned, the Spitfires were a terrible team this season, which put their captain in a difficult situation as he was tasked to do pretty much everything: kill penalties, play on the power play, be the primary playmaker, and the team’s go-to scorer. Yet he rose to the occasion and did it all and did it well. His 36 goals and 54 assists not only led the team, he outpaced the next-highest scorer on Windsor by 24 points. That’s already impressive on its own, but considering he’s also one of the youngest players on the Spitfires and had little support around him, it’s almost inconceivable.
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Kings’ Plans
Liam Greentree is going to need to do some work to get a bit faster over the coming years, but if he can add another gear to his top speed he is going to be someone to watch. The Kings would love to have him slot in as a top-six winger someday, and he’s shown tons of special teams utility at the junior level. They need to start planning for life without Anze Kopitar, and Greentree could be a huge part of their future core. Honestly, they got a steal with Greentree at 26th overall.