Greenway settling in after trade, Granato sees untapped potential

If you ask Sabres coach Don Granato, Jordan Greenway was the perfect candidate for a change of scenery.
When Buffalo acquired the bruising 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward in a deadline deal with the Minnesota Wild, Granato saw a player that was down on his luck.
"I watched him on film, and I watched him against us, and he was clearly, in my estimation, down on his confidence," Granato said. "I could just see in how he skated and carried himself that he was down."

Greenway's tenure in the Twin Cities didn't go according to plan. After putting pen to paper on a three-year, $9-million contract extension with the Wild in January 2022, the following season got off to a rocky start. He had shoulder surgery in the summer that caused him to miss training camp and the first part of the season. When he returned to the ice, he reinjured the same shoulder and missed more time.

"(Surgery) is hard for the first time (when) players have an injury like that and join the team late in the season," Granato said. "Trying to catch up and trying to keep your head above water, I could just see in how he skated and carried himself that he was down."
Granato's rapport with Greenway, developed during their time together at the United States National Team Development Program, led the coach to believe he knew what buttons to press to get the most out of the talented but discouraged forward.
"He's a guy, through familiarity, that needs to be comfortable," Granato said. "He has a deep care for his team and his teammates. His attention will go to that more than actually jumping on the ice and saying, 'Here I am, I'm going to score five goals.'"

Which is why when the opportunity to acquire Greenway presented itself, Granato, who is about as calm and reserved in demeanor as they come, jumped at the chance.
"Kevyn (Adams) said I pounded my fist on the table. I never do that," Granato said. "I remember being very anxious because I felt that this is a guy, the size, the presence, the physical strength, and the athleticism. He is an athlete."
Greenway immediately brought size and physicality to the Sabres lineup, traits Granato and general manager Kevyn Adams identified as a need. He's a guy who plays hard and is always in the mix, and with Granato behind him on the bench the hope was to coax more out of him offensively.
"Just to come into a situation knowing that you have a guy who supports you and has the confidence that you do in yourself, it's really nice," Greenway said.

Injuries lingered immediately after his arrival. Greenway missed four games with a nagging upper-body injury, but Granato's patience allowed him to work his way back at his own pace.
"I think just that situation, you almost buy the guy time," Granato said.
Greenway responded by tallying four times as a Sabre, including potting three goals over a four-game span as the Sabres clung to their playoff hopes.
"Now he's healthy and you see him growing and building relationships with his team and teammates and getting more and more comfortable," Granato said.
If the coach is a fan of Greenway's, the feeling is reciprocated from player to coach. Several Sabres have enjoyed career years in a blue and gold sweater under Granato's watch, which has Greenway excited about what they can accomplish.
"He really finds a way to help you stay on track and do the things that you need to do whether it's on the ice or off the ice, whatever the case is," Greenway said.
It's been eight years since Granato and Greenway were in the same dressing room together, but the Sabres coach retains a stockpile of information on his former players. The pair spent two years together at the USNTDP and Granato has checked in on what his former pupil has been up to
"He hasn't changed. His fiber is his fiber," Granato said. "You could see he was very mature and thoughtful in that regard, even as a young man. So that hasn't changed. It's been a tremendous help for me."
Greenway may stand tall and have a looming presence on the ice, but he's soft-spoken and thoughtful when he speaks; a characteristic that his teammates immediately recognized.
"He went in and worked and he found his way on this team," Alex Tuch said. "It was great to see honestly because he's such a great guy and he's really fit in off the ice as well.
With the backing of his coaches and teammates, there may be no better fit for Greenway than right here in Buffalo.
"He's always had the skill set. He's always had the ability," Tuch said. "And what better guy than his old NTDP coach to get that confidence back and going in Don Granato?"
Tuch would know. He's one of a handful of players who has enjoyed a breakout season under the tutelage of Granato. In his eyes, he may be the candidate to enjoy a breakthrough of his own.
"I believe we're starting to see glimpses and only glimpses because there's a long way for him to go, of potential," Granato said.