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Ridly Greig

Atlantic Notes: Caufield, Marchand, Greig

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Canadiens winger Cole Caufield is entering the final season of his entry-level contract and after a strong finish to his season that saw him put up 20 goals and 13 assists in his final 34 games, some have wondered if he might receive an early extension.  However, the 21-year-old told Postmedia’s Stu Cowan that there have yet to be any discussions on a new deal so far.  Caufield only has 97 career NHL appearances under his belt (including the playoffs) so it’s possible that Montreal GM Kent Hughes wants to see if Caufield’s strong second half is a sign of things to come or if his production will dip a bit.  A long-term deal for Caufield at this point could be in the $7MM range even with the limited experience but also could go up if he picks up where he left off last season.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Bruins winger Brad Marchand skated today for the first time since undergoing double hip surgery back in May, relays Matt Porter of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). However, his timeline for a return isn’t likely to be escalated at this point as his expected return date continues to be around late November.  The 34-year-old put up his sixth straight season of over a point per game in 2021-22 and Boston’s attack will certainly be weakened over the first six weeks with him unavailable.
  • The Senators are expected to hold prospect Ridly Greig out of all three rookie tournament games, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 20-year-old suffered a shoulder injury at the World Juniors and Ottawa is expected to be cautious with him with training camps fast approaching.  He had six points in five events for Canada at the tournament and could battle for a spot in the bottom six in the preseason although some time with AHL Belleville in a more prominent role might be the best move from a development perspective.

Snapshots: Greig, Weiss, Khudobin

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One of the brightest stars in the Ottawa Senators’ deep prospect pool is left-wing Ridly Greig, who’s coming off a gold-medal-winning effort as a member of Team Canada at the 2022 World Juniors. 2021-22 was a banner year for him, notching 63 points in just 39 games as the captain of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings before joining Canada for the tournament. There, he registered six points in five games.

Unfortunately, his tournament was cut short by an injury and Greig missed the team’s semifinal game against Czechia and the gold medal game against Finland, and he played just 3:58 in the team’s quarterfinal round game against Switzerland. Now, TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reports he’s out three to four weeks with a separated shoulder and will likely miss Ottawa’s rookie tournament games. However, general manager Pierre Dorion did note that Greig will be healthy for the preseason, where he’s expected to get a long look in camp but is likely destined for a big role with the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

  • Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reports that Colorado Avalanche draft pick Tyler Weiss is likely moving on to a pro career after not registering for classes at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Weiss’ signing rights are still held by the Avalanche, so after scoring 33 points in 36 games last season in Omaha, Weiss will likely sign within the organization before the start of the season.
  • Dallas Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika believes that a pre-season trade is the most likely outcome for the future of Stars netminder Anton Khudobin. Khudobin struggled through last season with injuries, playing in just nine games and posting a .879 save percentage. With Jake Oettinger expected to reprise his starting role and Scott Wedgewood signed on a cheap one-way deal as the backup, there’s simply no room left for Khudobin in the organization.

Ridly Greig Suspended One Preseason, One Regular Season Game

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Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig has been suspended one preseason game and one regular season game for his cross-check on Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois last night. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that this is not a case of inadvertant contact that can occur when a player reflexively pulls his stick up in a defensive motion, when bracing for unexpected contact. Greig sees Dubois coming, and decides to both elevate his stick and extend it outward, making direct and forceful contact with Dubois’ head. Greig’s forceful actions with his stick make him the aggressor on this play, and merit supplemental discipline. 

Greig, 19, is not guaranteed to make the Senators this season, meaning the regular season game could have to wait a while. If loaned back to junior before the season begins, that game will be waiting for whenever he does make his NHL debut. The Senators could, however, keep him on the roster through the first game of this season and then send him back, though it would cost them one of their 23 spots on opening day and potentially cause a roster crunch elsewhere.

This is not the first time Greig has faced a suspension in his hockey career, though this is the first one that is on his NHL record. That’s not a great way to start, as this incident will now be used to determine any future supplementary discipline.

Senators Notes: Chabot, Brown, Murray, Prospects

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Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left Monday’s game against Winnipeg due to an upper-body injury.  Head coach D.J. Smith told reporters today, including Ian Mendes of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s unlikely that Chabot will return this season.  While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, Ottawa has been eliminated from playoff contention so there isn’t a lot to play for.  Chabot had been weighing the idea of playing at the upcoming World Championships but his presence there may be in jeopardy.

Smith also indicated that blueliner Josh Brown is likely to miss the final four games as well due to an undisclosed injury.  His first season with the Senators will end on a quiet note as the former Florida defender had just a single assist along with 30 PIMS in 26 games this season.

More from Ottawa:

  • While Matt Murray was expected to be their goalie of the future when they acquired him from Pittsburgh last summer, Postmedia’s Ken Warren suggests that at this point, it’s unlikely that he will be protected from Seattle in expansion this summer. With both Filip Gustavsson and Joey Daccord also requiring protection and showing some promise in limited action this season, he posits that one of them will be held back from the Kraken with the expectation that Murray’s deal – which carries a $6.25MM AAV through 2023-24 – will be too expensive for them to willingly take on.
  • Prospects Ridly Greig and Roby Jarventie are currently quarantining in Belleville and will see some AHL action down the stretch, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Greig, a first-round pick last year, got a brief look in the minors at the start of the season before having to return to the WHL where he had 10 goals and 22 assists in 21 games with Brandon.  As for Jarventie, the 33rd pick last year recently signed his entry-level deal and had 14 goals and 11 assists in 48 games with Ilves of the SM-liiga this season.

Ridly Greig Signs Entry-Level Contract

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Ridly Greig may have missed out on his World Junior experience, but he won’t finish 2020 empty-handed. The Ottawa Senators have signed Greig to a three-year, entry-level contract, his first professional deal after being the 28th overall pick in this fall’s draft. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a short statement on the deal:

Ridly plays with an edge in all facets of the game. He’s a highly competitive centre with strong character who is difficult to play against, driven and especially motivated. We’re looking forward to monitoring his development.

Greig, 18, tested positive for COVID-19 in early November, just before joining the Canadian World Junior selection camp. That positive test ultimately ended any possibility of him making the team, though it would have been a battle anyway given how deep the forward group is. A star for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, Greig scored 26 goals and 60 points in 56 games last season while also often being asked to check the opponent’s top forwards.

Just like many top prospects, Greig is now waiting to see what happens to him this season. It’s been nearly ten months since his last competitive action and the WHL has not yet set a return date. If the junior league is canceled he could potentially go to the AHL, though that minor league has also not officially announced any schedule yet either. Ottawa’s ECHL affiliate, the Brampton Beast, will not be playing this season after opting out of the 2020-21 campaign with the other North Division teams. Greig likely isn’t ready for NHL action, but could potentially be a taxi squad player to keep his development pointed in the right direction unless an overseas assignment could be found.

At any rate, he’s now under contract with his first professional organization, the first step to becoming an NHL player. Should he play in fewer than seven NHL games this season, his deal will slide forward at least one year.

Ridly Greig Tests Positive For COVID-19

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The Team Canada World Junior selection camp will be down a body for another few days. Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports that Ridly Greig has not yet joined the group after testing positive for COVID-19 on November 8. Greig, who is asymptomatic, is at home quarantining and will join the team around November 22.

Selected 28th overall in this year’s draft, Greig was the third of a trio of first-round picks the Ottawa Senators had. The Brandon Wheat Kings forward put up 60 points in 56 games this season but brings more than just offensive production to the table. Though he stands just 5’11” and is usually one of the lighter players on the ice, Greig never shies away from contact or post-whistle shenanigans. When executives and coaches talk about being “hard to play against” without being big, that perfectly describes the 18-year-old Grieg.

Rishaug also reports that Quinton Byfield has arrived in Edmonton but is still waiting for his test results before joining the team practices, while Xavier Simoneau is waiting for his results before traveling. The month-long camp got underway with some pretty spectacular moves from Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach, who figures to play a leading role at the tournament. Greig will have to hope he can make a similar impact upon arrival, as he battles an extremely deep forward group for limited spots.

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