‘He’s a special, special hockey player’ — Greentree a fit for Flyers at No. 12? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Despite overachieving for the majority of the 2023-24 season, the Flyers still have a rebuilding mindset. The club’s decision-makers know there’s a need for more talent and that the entry draft remains the best avenue to acquire it.
“The bulk of it still needs to be done through our young guys, mostly through the draft,” general manager Danny Briere said in April.
The Flyers will have a good opportunity to augment their future when the 2024 NHL draft arrives June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Like last summer, the Flyers could have up to 10 picks, including two first-rounders. Barring a trade, they’ll make their top overall selection at No. 12. Briere believes the Flyers “can get a very talented player” at that spot.
In the first round of the 2023 draft, the Flyers took a swing on Matvei Michkov at No. 7 and grabbed Oliver Bonk at No. 22. They should also have two first-round picks in 2025.
Leading up to the 2024 draft, we’ve broken down targets for the Flyers at No. 12.
To wrap things up:
Liam Greentree
Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215
Shoots: Left
Team: Windsor Spitfires
Scouting report
Greentree is a strong, multifaceted playmaker who can be a nightmare to cover. He has a knack for putting himself or a teammate in position to score because of his ability to beat defenders with a variety of moves.
Leading the Spitfires in every major offensive category, Greentree delivered 90 points (36 goals, 54 assists) over 64 games this season. He had 12 games of three or more points, including a six-point performance that featured a hat trick.
“The obvious size, strength and shooting ability, but the fact that he gets the puck to the net, he creates scoring chances and gets the puck in that scoring area more often than not,” Windsor general manager and vice president of hockey operations Bill Bowler said last Saturday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Over the course of a game, a season, he’s just very good at generating offense.”
Not even two weeks after his 18th birthday, the Spitfires named Greentree their captain.
“He’s just such a good guy, he’s just down to earth, extremely humble,” Bowler said. “You wouldn’t know if he’s an NHL first-rounder or a call-up the way he carries himself and his demeanor. Once the play…