You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see how the Colorado Avalanche constructed their Stanley Cup-winning workforce. They had been actually dangerous for some time, they obtained lots of excessive draft picks they usually hit on lots of them.
Bruin ahead A.J. Greer is within the means of proving he wasn’t one of many misses, only a late bloomer. Greer was taken within the second spherical (thirty ninth total) of the 2015 draft by the Avs, two picks after the B’s took Brandon Carlo. The former BU ahead spent 4 years within the Colorado system, getting 37 video games with the Avs earlier than getting traded early within the 2020-21 season to New Jersey.
Greer stated he realized some robust classes throughout his time within the Colorado group and is appreciative of his time there. And although he did play a recreation in opposition to the Avs final 12 months with New Jersey, he’s trying ahead to dealing with a few of his previous pals on Saturday when the defending Cup champ come to the Garden.
“It’s always special, of course, playing the team you started your pro career with and they drafted me. Of course, it didn’t go the way I wanted it to go in the organization, but again, I’m grateful for the opportunity. They drafted me, they gave me opportunity to play in the NHL. The timing wasn’t right for me personally,” stated Greer on Friday. “I don’t think that I understood my game as much when I was younger, but again they gave me the opportunity to play in the NHL and I’ll always be grateful for that fact. A great place to play, a great staff, all around, the guys there are awesome. I really have nothing bad to say about that place. I got in there at a time they were transitioning from being the worst team in the league to being the best team, so I kind of saw it all happen and it was honestly eye-opening, being the guy who wanted to learn every day. You could see the details they were instilling in practice and they were emphasizing certain things. And it paid off in the end.”
Greer admits that, when he was within the second, he didn’t felt like he was getting a good shake. In hindsight, he can see that they gave him some possibilities, together with in his first professional season, however he couldn’t turn into an NHL common
“I don’t think over I was (overlooked), I just think they weren’t in a space where they could afford to give me enough ice time and enough opportunity. I didn’t play the minutes that I wanted to. I was averaging about 5-7 minutes a game and I’d get called up, play one game, get sent back down. It was never really a consistent opportunity,” stated Greer. “But again in this business, it’s a quick and you’ve got to be ready. I was a young guy who was a little pissed off because I was doing so well in the American (Hockey) League and wasn’t getting the opportunity in the NHL. It was just a combination of things. And honestly, I didn’t play great when I was up there, too. I didn’t understand the way to play, I didn’t understand the game in the NHL … it was just a combination of things and I don’t blame anyone, it just don’t think it was the right fit.”
As appreciative as he’s of the Colorado group, he’s nonetheless an expert competitor.
“Obviously, I want to showcase the player that I am now as opposed to the player I was before,” stated Greer with a smile.
The participant that he’s now could be a strong fourth-line position participant on probably the greatest groups within the league. He discovered some success early on the scoresheet. In his first 4 video games, he had 3-2-5 totals. He’s obtained simply two helpers within the 13 video games since then. But proper now he’s skating on a fourth line with Tomas Nosek and Nick Foligno that’s typically charged with setting the tone for the sport. He’s third on the workforce in hits with 42, trailing solely Foligno (51) and Connor Clifton (62), regardless of averaging simply 9:36.
“I definitely want more points, but they’ll come. But I don’t think I’m here to put up 50 points,” he stated. “So as long as I do my job and play my role. I think that’s the biggest thing, why I’ve had success last year (in Utica, earning him the one-way deal in Boston) with and this year, just based off the consistency that I’ve been bringing.”
Coach Jim Montgomery is loving what Greer is bringing.
“He has an infectious attitude on the bench and in the dressing room. But more importantly to his game, his details defensively have really improved,” stated Montgomery. “And I give him credit score, first, in addition to Joe Sacco and Chris Kelly engaged on these particulars with him. And I feel his puck safety has actually improved to the place he’s one among our higher forwards down low, holding on to pucks and attending to scoring areas with the puck.
“I think he knows that he’s important to our team success, even though some nights he only gets eight minutes. They’re important eight minutes.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com