Lost in the Avalanche: AJ Greer
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
An Avalanche draft pick nears 200 NHL games played. Sometimes those who are playing in the NHL can still be lost. That is the case with former Colorado Avalanche prospect AJ Greer. Now as a regular bottom six forward with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, he has become an Avalanche draft pick success. As the 27-year-old is 13 contests away from 200 NHL games played, it is time to catch up on how Greer got to this point.
After his selection at 39th overall by Colorado in the 2015 draft, Greer took a diverse and winding road to the NHL. He was a freshman at Boston University in that draft year and then subsequently spent half a season in the QMJHL with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for a Memorial Cup run before beginning his pro career in the AHL at the age of 19.
Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images
After turning pro and in his first year in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage in 2016-17 Greer was chosen as an AHL All-Star after putting up 38 points in 63 games as a rookie. He was also named the AHL’s Man of the Year winning the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for his commitment and dedication to the community. Greer received his NHL debut with Colorado early on that season in November and finished with five total games and tallied one assist.
A strong rookie year set the stage for more NHL time, which Greer received over the next two seasons but he didn’t play more than 17 games or score more than three points in each, though he did score one goal in an Avs sweater early in 2019. In the following 2019-20 season Greer didn’t receive a single look in the NHL despite being one of the Colorado Eagles’ best forwards with 32 points scored in 47 games.
After four years of pro in the Avalanche system Greer was quietly traded in the fall of 2020 to the New York Islanders for defenseman Kyle Burroughs. There it was assumed he would fade away like other discarded prospects. Which this prophecy almost came to fruition in the Islanders system as Greer didn’t find much traction in Bridgeport. However, a trade to the New Jersey Devils in the spring of 2021 as a piece of the massive Kyle Palmieri deal brought Greer the fresh opportunity he needed.
First the power forward thrived in the Devils’ system in the Covid-19 abbreviated 2020-21 season putting up 14 points in 16 AHL games to close out the year and then in the following 2021-22 season for the Utica Comets where he scored 52 points in 53 games to go along with 102 penalty minutes. Though Greer only played a total of 10 NHL games in New Jersey, that kind of performance caught the attention of the Boston Bruins who offered Greer a two-year one-way contract in the summer of 2022.
Greer finally became a NHL regular and remained on the roster for the duration in the 2022-23 season where he played 61 games for Boston in their historic 65-win campaign. Scoring a modest 12 points but 114 penalty minutes to go along with it is easy to see how Greer found a niche in the NHL.
The following season the Bruins placed Greer on waivers after training camp but the Calgary Flames snagged him and he then stayed on their NHL roster the entire 2023-24 season. Greer again scored 12 points but with only 35 penalty minutes on a much less physical Flames squad.
Global Series blog: A.J. Greer ⤵️https://t.co/PsvFcc9wXP— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) October 29, 2024
Finding himself a free agent again, the Florida Panthers pounced and offered Greer another two-year one-way deal with an AAV of $850k. There he has quickly found a new home with two goals, six points and 34 penalty minutes through 20 games. Greer was one of the featured players in Florida’s recent trip to Finland to play two games against the Dallas Stars in the NHL’s Global Series. First, just to write the player’s blog but then in the second match Greer scored the game winning goal and was named player of the game which gave him a prize of a Rolex watch.
Greer was never a great fit in the Avalanche organization as they didn’t value the physicality he brought to the game and had less patience to develop him despite consistent production and success shown in the AHL. Sometimes it takes time for one’s game to mature and to find the right opportunity, too. Now Greer has carved out a niche where he’s able to play regular third or fourth line minutes with an occasional pop of scoring and the physicality that certain teams identify with. He should be able to get more NHL contracts and experience on the way to a continued successful career at the highest level....
Want the trending hockey news in your inbox daily?.
Just add your email, and we'll start sending you the most important hockey news of the day.
