Windsor captain ‘a high-character kid,’ led team with 36 goals, 90 points
© Remo Agostino/Windsor Spitfires
By Adam Kimelman
@NHLAdamK NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and Rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11:30 a.m. ET; ESPN+, NHLN, SN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a profile on Windsor forward Liam Greentree. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.
Liam Greentree celebrated his 18th birthday Jan. 1, and two weeks later the Windsor forward received a special present from his team.
On Jan. 13, he was named captain of the Ontario Hockey League team.
"It meant a lot to me, and that [coach Casey Torres] could trust me," he said. "And that was a cool thing to think about. It's a cool experience that I've been named captain."
Greentree produced stellar offensive numbers despite a down season for Windsor. The right wing (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) led Windsor in goals (36), assists (54), points (90), power-play goals (11) and shots on goal (221), but the Spitfires finished 19th in the 20-team league.
There were challenges, but sometimes all it took was a glance at his stick for him to find some positivity.
"This guy named Ian Michelone on my team, he was reading this book and he was always telling the guys, ‘Your thoughts are your own choices,’" Greentree said. "So, we were kind of making jokes about that. And then I was driving to the rink one day and I saw this, it was the semicolon/bracket, so it's kind of like a frowny/smiley face. I saw it on someone's car, and it said, 'You decide.' So I was like, 'You know what? I do decide.' So, I kind of put that [semicolon/bracket] on all my sticks."
That sort of maturity reinforced why Greentree was the best choice to be captain.
"He's really taken on a leadership role on this team," Torres said. "From a leadership point of view, he is vocal. He has taken on the role of captain of this team and it's very well-earned because he does things the right way on the ice, off the ice. Guys really gravitate towards him. They feed off of his exuberance and excitement to play the game."
© Remo Agostino/Windsor Spitfires
Teammate Anthony Spellacy said Greentree's attitude and approach helped keep things positive when the losses started piling up.
"We obviously didn't have a great season, we battled through some stuff with the coaching staff," Spellacy said. "I think he was just someone who was always trying to give it their all. He was always putting his best work in in practice, and I think that's huge. He was a big leader for us trying to try to win games."
Greentree wasn't afraid to speak up when needed, but he mostly relied on using his work ethic to lead his teammates.
"I think I lead by example, on and off the ice," he said. "I try to take guys with me as well, get guys into a good routine so we can be successful. My game reflects how I manage myself off the ice."
He certainly managed himself well on the ice.
"He's competitive, he loves the game," Torres said. "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."
© Remo Agostino/Windsor Spitfires
Scouts saw a lot of those elements even in a losing effort most nights. He's No. 14 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2024 Draft.
"Being that size, he's got really good hands in tight," said Nick Smith of Central Scouting. "He just knows how to score goals. He's not afraid to go to the hard areas to score goals. He's a big, strong kid that is still going to continue to get better and still going to continue to grow."
Next for Greentree is continuing to get stronger, especially in his lower body, which should improve his skating and quickness.
"A lot of leg stuff I need to translate to my speed and over to the game, so that's going to be a big thing for me this summer," Greentree said. "Get to the track and getting more powerful and just faster is going to be huge. I'm excited to see what happens by the end of the summer."
That likely will include a second season as captain in Windsor, and hopefully a few more victories along the way.
"He's pretty explosive and he gets to pucks quick," Smith said. "I think he's a great skater. ... He's going to get stronger, but I think he's a beast right now. Imagine him in two years. He's going to be dominant for sure."
