The Detroit Red Wings have a plethora of options to roll with for their 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, but one prospect who jumps out is Liam Greentree. Much like defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, whom I had going to the Wings in Mock Draft 1.0, Greentree’s size should impress fans in the Motor City, except he’s a winger as opposed to a defenseman.
So let’s take a deep dive into Greentree’s game, including his numbers over the past two seasons, what kind of game he brings, what his strengths are, and his overall weaknesses. By the end of this article, you will probably find yourself intrigued if general manager Steve Yzerman has someone calling out Greentree’s name when the 15th pick rolls around on draft day, assuming the Wings stay in that spot.
Who is Liam Greentree?
Liam Greentree is one of quite a few prospects in the 2024 draft class with pristine size, clocking in at 6’3, 200 lbs. His size alone gives him the potential to play power forward at the pro level, and his overall productivity has been something sensational for the Windsor Spitfires.
Greentree finished the 2022-23 regular season with a solid 25 goals - first among rookies - and 20 helpers, giving him 45 points in 61 games. It was a rather remarkable outing for a prospect in his first OHL season, but he doubled that latter number in 2023-24, finishing the year with 90 points, 36 goals, and 54 helpers.
What’s even more amazing is the fact Windsor finished the 2023-24 OHL season as one of the worst teams in OHL hockey that scored just 247 goals, tied for 12th overall in the 20-team league. Had Greentree been part of a better team, who knows what the 2023-24 season may have brought, but he nonetheless showed us he could play solid hockey even on a bad team, at least from a productivity standpoint.
What kind of game does Greentree bring?
Liam Greentree is still a work in progress when it comes to skating, especially his initial acceleration. That said, once he’s at full speed, he’s faster than most prospects playing at the OHL level, and that’s a major plus for someone his size.
He’s also agile and has decent edgework, and once he hits maximum speed, Greentree makes it tough for opponents to disrupt plays or to try and retake puck possession. Once he masters his initial acceleration, Greentree will start creating more space and separation, so that’s something to watch if Detroit rolls with him and you follow his progress over the next few seasons at the junior level.
His stickhandling is remarkable, and it’s another reason he’s able to keep the puck away from opponents despite his solid but unspectacular skating. His overall length and stickhandling, of course, lead to some impressive shots, and it’s one reason he’s got 61 career goals so far with Windsor.
But excellent stickhandling and length alone are only a couple of ingredients to an outstanding shot. Greentree’s shooting mechanics are on point, and you’ll notice that his shot contains a trifecta of power, speed, and accuracy. So you can only imagine what Greentree will develop into once his skating improves.