The Buffalo Sabres ' fanbase got to know Jordan Greenway quite well during last season's magical run to the second round of the playoffs.
The physical forward who had battled through plenty of injury adversity became a tone setter for Buffalo who also showed a surprising knack for a key offensive contribution, as well.
Despite that, Greenway left the Sabres in the offseason as part of the Bowen Byram trade.
He now plays for the Chicago Blackhawks .
And when the Blackhawks opened the season on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, Greenway was already primed to make an immediate impact.
The Sabres decided in the offseason that Greenway's contract was just a bit too bulky for the other moves they were trying to carry out.
Bowen Byram was obviously the biggest part of the trade with Chicago, but he actually went alongside Greenway to the Blackhawks.
Greenway's annual cap hit of $4 million went to Chicago's books instead of Buffalo, and the Sabres spent the offseason working on other contract extensions.
The Sabres received in return in that trade defenseman Louis Crevier along with the Nos. 4 and 45 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Greenway had previously arrived in Buffalo via trade from the Minnesota Wild , and he played 158 games with the Sabres across parts of four seasons. He had 18 goals and 28 assists (46 points) in that time along with 129 blocked shots and 326 hits.
Greenway was playing after most Sabres fans had probably gone to sleep on the NHL's opening night, because Buffalo wasn't playing yet.
But any Chicago fans watching got to see him open the seal of the season.
Chicago's first goal in the 2026-27 NHL campaign belongs to Greenway:
Greenway had a highly impactful game for Chicago. He took seven shots and got five of them on bgoal.
The Blackhawks also had him on the ice for 14 minutes and 8 seconds, which is more than the Sabres generally used him.
Greenway also dished out three hits, a relatively quiet night for him as far as physicality goes.
The Blackhawks didn't end up too happy by the end of the night. They lost 5-2 to the Golden Knights .
Chicago is playing without young captain Connor Bedard , which doesn't make things easier in the short term, but the Blackhawks are a team building for the future.
Greenway is the kind of guy who can help bring the right intensity and energy to push a young team in the right direction. And while opening night was a loss, Greenway already showed the Blackhawks that he belongs.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Sabres Let Jordan Greenway Leave; Blackhawks Benefit Immediately appeared first on HEAVY .
