Jordan Greenway returned to Boston University with two goals for this season: to win an NCAA championship, and to polish his leadership skills and consistency. While he didn't attain the first, his progress toward the second convinced him he was ready for the NHL.
The 21-year-old made the leap Monday, signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild the morning after BU lost to Michigan in the NCAA Northeast Regional final. The 6-6, 226-pound forward was scheduled to join the team Monday night in Nashville, and coach Bruce Boudreau said there is "a good chance" Greenway will make his NHL debut Tuesday against the Predators.
The Wild's second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2015 NHL entry draft, Greenway raised his game this season with a career-high 35 points for the Terriers and a detour to Pyeongchang, South Korea, to play for the U.S. at the Olympics. His combination of size, strength and skill will bulk up the Wild for the playoffs, when physicality and net-front presence are paramount. Neither Boudreau nor Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher wanted to heap too much pressure on a player who just finished his third college season, but they are intrigued by what Greenway could bring.
"It's a pretty big jump from college to the NHL," Boudreau said. "Some people can do it right away, some can't. We're going to give him the opportunity.
"I don't think he's going to play 22 minutes a night. But he's one of the reasons there weren't a lot of moves done by our team at trade-deadline day, because we figured we'd get him, and he'd be a really good addition at this point of the year. … This is a big talent, a talented kid. We'll see. We want to give him the opportunity to help our team win."
To make room on the roster, the Wild sent forward Zack Mitchell to Iowa of the American Hockey League.
Agents Scott and Brian Bartlett said Greenway's contract includes the maximum entry-level salary, $925,000 per season, and performance bonuses for the final two years. Brian Bartlett said Greenway made the decision to turn pro following Sunday's 6-3 loss to Michigan, after speaking with BU coach David Quinn and his staff.
Greenway made the all-Northeast Regional team to cap a career that produced 28 goals, 64 assists and 192 penalty minutes in 112 games. An alternate captain, he has been centering the Terriers' top line. Boudreau anticipates playing him at left wing, where Greenway can use his size to muscle past defenders.