Liam Greentree – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Liam Greentree

2023-24 Team: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Date of Birth: Jan. 1, 2006
Place of Birth: Oshawa, ON
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 198 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

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.

Liam Greentree Windsor Spitfires
Liam Greentree, Windsor Spitfires (David Jewell / The Hockey Writers)

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.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

But what makes Greentree’s shot so dangerous is his quick release. He hardly needs any room to fire off a hard, accurate shot, and the speed he can release it makes it incredibly difficult for goalies to track. Add in a powerful backhand and you have one of the better shooters in this draft class. It’s no wonder he led the Spitfires with 36 goals in 64 games and was voted the third-most dangerous in the goal area by the OHL’s Western Conference coaches.

Scoring is far from the only thing Greentree can do. He’s a fantastically creative player who can move the puck as though it were on a string. His puck control, especially while moving, is not an easy skill to learn, but he makes it look almost effortless. His ability to think of a quick solution while being pressured can create some incredible highlight-worthy goals and plays, and his slipperiness is comparable to much smaller players like Luke Misa and Berkly Catton. Yet Greentree stands 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 198 pounds already, which gives him a reach and strength advantage that few top-end playmakers possess.

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.

Greentree isn’t without his flaws, of course. His skating lacks a top gear, especially in a straight line, which can lead to him getting outpaced quickly, and his stride is a bit lumbering. He also isn’t consistently aware of his surroundings, creating unnecessary turnovers, although part of that can be blamed on the team around him. And, despite his size and strength, he isn’t the most physical player. But when looking at the whole package, Greentree looks to be developing into a modern power forward who blends high offence with an incredible motor that never quits, and a player like that will only continue to get better and better.

Other Draft Profiles

Liam Greentree – NHL Draft Projection

There’s no doubt that Greentree will be a first-round pick, but he’ll have some competition when it gets past the top 10. Who goes first, however, will likely be a matter of taste. Tij Iginla has a fantastic shot, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is a fantastic skater, and Igor Chernyshov is aggressive on the puck. But Greentree has continued to stand out, blending size, scoring abilities, and a never-quit motor into a very intriguing package. Even if those other players are picked ahead of him, he won’t fall out of the top 16.

Quotables

“Greentree was recently named the Windsor Spitfires captain in his second OHL year, coming off an impressive rookie season with 25 goals. A good combination of size and skill – he is very effective at driving the play to the net and getting open to shoot. He protects the puck well and is hard to check especially off the cycle slipping into scoring areas. Good offensive creativity and confidence with the puck, makes plays using his soft hands in tight, he has an NHL shot and release. Plays his best and gets consistent results when playing the power forward game.” – NHL Central Scouting

“His projectability to the professional level is what makes Greentree appealing to NHL teams. He has the size, the skating, and the hockey IQ — to put it into broad terms. Greentree thinks the game quickly and he’s incredibly difficult to knock off the puck. He’s able to drive the puck offensively and he leads with his hands. His hands help him manipulate opponents and find open space in the attacking zone…Greentree doesn’t have many flaws in his game, and that’s what makes him special in this draft class. One of his only flaws is that he can tend to force plays and passes through the neutral zone at times.” – Joely Stockl, The Hockey News

Sign up for our NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter

“While Greentree does possess an intriguing blend of size and skill, he is potentially miscast if labelled as a “power forward.” The skill components of his game are currently the most polished with his off-puck play and physicality being the areas that require improved consistency. That’s not to say that Greentree can’t one day become a more complete, power-forward type. It’s just that currently, he is more of a high-skill play driver who just happens to be large. Armed with a terrific release, high-end puck skill, and strong offensive instincts, Greentree has the potential to become a consistent 30-goal scorer and long-time top-six fixture in the NHL. If other parts of his game continue to improve, it is conceivable that he could become one of the better wingers out of this draft class.” – Brock Otten, McKeen’s Hockey

“He can skate, he can think, he can shoot the puck, he can make plays, he asserts himself, he doesn’t lose advantages, he gains advantages, and you know, all those elements that you think about as an NHL player, they scream NHL, they scream long-time NHL player. They scream a player that’s going to have lots of success. [If] you think of players like him in the NHL – Brock Nelson comes to mind with the New York Islanders. That type of big player that gets in and around the net knows how to score, [and] understands how to play off of other players.” Craig Button

Strengths

  • Shot and shot variety
  • Creativity with the puck
  • High motor

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Physicality
  • Skating and quickness
  • Consistency in decision-making

NHL Potential

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.

Awards/Achievements

  • OHL First All-Rookie Team, 2022-23
  • OHL Most goals by a rookie, 2022-23
  • Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal, 2023-24
  • Nominated for the Red Tilson Trophy (OHL Most Outstanding Player), 2023-24

Liam Greentree Stats

Videos