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Rangers prospect set for pros after playoff loss ends junior career
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- Rangers prospect set for pros after playoff loss ends junior career
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New York Rangers prospect Liam Greentree can turn his eyes to the pros after his time junior hockey career ended Friday night. Greentree's team, the Windsor Spitfires, couldn't hold an early three-goal lead and lost 5-4 in overtime to the Kitchener Rangers on Friday night in Game 5 of the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference Final.
The 20-year-old Spitfires captain had an assist on the game's first goal. Windsor lost the series 4-1 after sweeping the first two rounds.
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Greentree was the centerpiece of the Feb. 4 trade that sent Artemi Panarin, the Rangers' top scorer in each of the previous six seasons, to the Los Angeles Kings . The Rangers received Greentree, LA's first-round pick (No. 26 overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, as well as a third-round pick in the 2026 draft. He already signed his entry-level contract, and whether it's with Hartford of the American Hockey League or with the big club on Broadway, we'll get a better grasp on what Greentree can be moving forward, beginning at development camp after the draft in late June.
In 52 OHL games this season, Greentree put up a team-leading 74 points (38 goals, 36 assists). That came after he piled up 49 goals and 119 points in 64 games with Windsor in 2024-25, his post-draft season. Being able to put the puck in the net the way Greentree showed he could do in the OHL is an encouraging sign, and though he's likely to start next season with Hartford, don't be surprised if he earns some time with the Blueshirts as well.
Greentree capped his final junior season with a surge after the Rangers acquired him, putting up 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in Windsor's final 17 regular-season games and earning OHL Player of the Week honors for the week ending March 1.
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He continued to produce in the OHL playoffs, finishing with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 13 games.
Rangers prospect Liam Greentree set to start pro career
At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, Greentree has a solid frame and should be ready for the physicality of pro hockey. If Greentree continues to progress, he should be in the mix to get some playing time in the NHL in 2026-27.
Greentree is also one of the four finalists for the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy — awarded to the OHL team captain who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice. He claimed the Renaud trophy last season and can become the first player in league history to take home the award twice.
In March, he was No. 47 among the top-50 NHL prospects in TSN's rankings . He was the lone Ranger in the listing, which included only players who are in juniors, the minor leagues and Europe.
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Jess Rubenstein from Prospect Park provided Forever Blueshirts the following scouting report on Greentree after the trade:
"Good size … going to remind people of Jamie Benn with his creativity. Solid playmaking ability, but skating needs improvement, and on the defensive side. Good news is he creates his own offense. Bad news is he is projected to be a middle-six forward, not a first-line player."
The biggest areas Greentree needs to improve are his skating and play in his own zone. His first step and acceleration must get better, and in the defensive zone, he's sometimes beaten on plays he should be able to close out. Improving in those areas will be key as he moves into the pros.
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Aside from his on-ice skills, he brings a leadership background. Greentree was 18 when he was named captain in January 2024. He fits the Spitfires' lineage of leaders the Rangers know well, from Adam Graves to Will Cuylle.
If Greentree can pair those leadership skills with quicker feet and more reliable defensive habits, he could become a solid regular for the Rangers in the not-too-distant future.
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