A Way For Flyers Chuck Fletcher To Reobtain A Giant

It is no secret that the Flyers lack sizable wingers who play with physicality- ones who can, and will, stand up for their star players and other teammates when needed! Not a goon, but rather a player who can use his size and strength when needed but still offer some play-making and scoring ability to the lineup on a nightly basis. At this year’s NHL Entry Draft, hopefully Chuck Fletcher will be able to address that need with his 1^st and/or 2^nd round picks. Up for draft are Tyson Foerster, Will Cuylle, Luke Tuch, Jaromir Pytlik, and Samuel Colangelo: all of whom should be available when the Flyers make their selections. Each of these players stand over 6’0″ tall and play with an edge to their games. With that being said, even if Chuck does happen to get a guy who will one day fill this hole in the Flyers lineup, just how long until that happens? Their 1^st round draft pick is going to be a late one (hopefully the last of the 1^st round). Usually, players selected this late in the first round still turn out to be great prospects, but rarely make their team’s NHL roster out of their first professional camp.  

So how can Fletcher ensure that there is a player fitting this mold on the teams roster for next year? What if Chuck were to call up his former team: The Minnesota Wild? Is it that much of a stretch, to think that the Wild’s former General Manger would like the chance to acquire a player or two from the team he spent nine years building?

One Wild player who embodies those above-mentioned traits is winger Jordan Greenway. Jordan stands at 6’6″ and weighs in at 227 pounds. Fletcher drafted this gargantuan prospect back in the 2^nd round of the 2015 NHL draft, after Greenway had quite an impressive year playing for the United States Development Program. After being drafted, Jordan elected to attend the historic Boston University. Once there, Greenway spent the next three seasons trouncing everyone who got in his way. If you were lucky enough to see him play, you would have noticed that he looked like a man among boys. Jordan used his size and strength to allow himself the ability to do just about anything he set his mind to; so much so that he achieved a near point-per-game average every season while playing for the Terriers.  

Since deciding to turn pro, this now 23-year-old has proven that he can be effective by lining up on either side of the center and being used up and down the lineup as needed. In doing so, Jordan tends to generate quite the intimidating presence when he lines up across from today’s smaller, more agile NHL players. But don’t be fooled by his size! Greenway’s long, powerful strides help him to be one of the lightest of foot on his team allowing him be able to skate stride for stride with just about anyone in the league. Adding to that great size, strength, and unusual skating capability is a powerful shot that Jordan doesn’t let go near enough! Although, Greenway has spent time playing on the Wild’s first and second lines during 5 on 5 play, the Wild don’t tend to utilize his talents on the Power Play, despite this being a place where Jordan could thrive. Whether it be him standing in front of the net while his team cycles the puck blocking the goalie’s vision, using him to man handle an opposing team’s defenseman in the boards to regain the puck to go back on the attack, or exploiting his talents at the point position while on the power play so he could unload that blistering shot into the back of the net for a goal; it’s clear that Greenway can find a niche for himself anywhere on the ice.

Greenway has shown flashes of all the intangibles that a team could ask for, but this upcoming restricted free agent has not seemed to flourish in Minnesota for whatever reason. Totaling just 8 goals and 20 assist this season despite all his talents, it leaves Minnesota’s current executives wondering just what’s lacking in Greenway’s development, ponding whether they should continue to invest in this power forward or seek to gain other assets for him in the future?

The Flyers are faced with the possibility of losing unrestricted free agents like Tyler Pitlick, Derek Grant, and tough guy Nate Thompson to free agency next year, along with the uncertainty of Nolan Patrick, and Oskar Lindblom’s health for the upcoming season. Based on this, it might be practical to try and acquire this versatile forward (Greenway) who has great size, strength, and toughness, which he pairs with a howitzer for a shot, and the capability of laying a nice tape to tape pass which usually results in a goal. Doing this would allow Chuck Fletcher to reobtain one of the brightest prospects he ever drafted giving him a shot to start fresh in a new location and, yet again, allow Head Coach Alain Vigneault another forward that he so covets (a player who can be play anywhere he is asked to) which he can help further develop into the competitor he was supposed to be. If Fletcher is able to trade for Greenway using whatever means necessary (picks, prospects etc.) he would be bringing in an instantaneous fan favorite.