The Minnesota Wild has signed forward Jordan Greenway to a three-year, $9 million contract extension that will keep him in the state of hockey through the 2024-25 season.
Greenway has blossomed into a reliable forward over the past few seasons, and the Wild have rewarded him with a contract that gives him some term with a cap-friendly number for the organization. Let’s look at why this contract makes sense for the Minnesota Wild.
Wild Secure Their Power Forward
One of the trickiest player types to find in the league is an effective power forward. The unique combination of speed and size is something you don’t see very often in the league. That’s why a player like Tom Wilson, who is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, and can score 20 goals a season, is so valuable.
Greenway might not be a 20-goal scorer like Wilson, but if he can get back close to his 2020-21 production, which saw him register 26 assists and 32 points in 56 games, this contract will look spectacular.
He’s also about to turn just 25, meaning there shouldn’t be much decline physical throughout this contract. His style of play might not age well into his 30’s, an example being how nervous the Toronto Maple Leafs were to give Zach Hyman money and term with a no-trade clause at 29 years old.
The fact the Wild has drafted and developed a power forward in Greenway is terrific for the organization, as trading for one could be extremely costly. Listed at 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, he is not easy to move if he’s standing in front of the opposing team’s goaltender.
Greenway Could Help Cap Issues
Greenway is projecting to be a top-six, worst case top-nine forward on this team. At just a $3 million cap hit moving forward, he’ll be a significant help to the cap struggles the Wild aren’t far from having to deal with in a big way.
Marcus Foligno signed a very similar contract worth $9.3 million for three seasons, and that gamble has paid off nicely for the Wild in year one of the deal. With 17 goals and 27 points in 39 games, he has easily outperformed his contract up to this point.
The Wild must be hoping Greenway can provide the same value for what he is getting paid. With all the dead cap space they will have to navigate around moving forward, players performing above market value will be some of the most crucial members of the organization.
It’s precisely what general manager Bill Guerin is hoping to get out of Matthew Boldy and Marco Rossi, as both will hopefully be impactful players while on their entry-level contracts. If Greenway can continue to develop into a player worth much more than $3 million a season while still on this contract, it’s a massive win for the Wild.
Greenway’s Defensive Awareness
Possibly the least talked about the quality of Greenway’s all-around game is just how responsible he is in his own end.
The Wild’s “GREEF Line,” which includes Greenway alongside Joel Eriksson EK and Marcus Foligno, has been unreal defensively. They still haven’t allowed a goal against at 5-on-5 with all three on the ice this season.
All three players on that line are now locked up for multiple seasons, as the Wild secure themselves one of the best two-way lines in the entire NHL. Greenway isn’t afraid to block shots either, with 133 blocked shots already in his young career.
It’s clear that Guerin is doing everything he can to keep as much of this group together as possible during these next few seasons. First Jon Merrill, now Jordan Greenway, and with many more pending UFA’s and RFA’s to make decisions on, we could see more signings from the Wild in the not to near future.
Some people might look at this contract and wonder why the Minnesota Wild decided to pay a player with 98 points in 243 games $3 million per season. The golden note on Greenway is that it’s not just about points; there are other factors as to why he is valued this much by the organization.
It’s not just that he’s a member of one of the best two-way lines in hockey; his age, along with his size and speed, make him a member of a rare group of big, fast-power forwards.
Related: 3 Wild Restricted Free Agents Deserving of Contract Extensions
With each signing, the long-term picture of the Wild becomes a little clearer. For Greenway, he can now relax a little, knowing he’s expected to be part of that plan moving forward. Now, it’s on him to make sure he continues to develop and become a phenomenal value player for a team that’s going to need just that moving forward.