Staff Grade: B, Reader Grade: B
Ridley Greig is a player who we always knew had more potential than just a pest. He showed sparks of what he can do this season, but maintained his effectiveness in getting under the opponent’s skin.
The Senators secured Greig last year with a 4-year , $3.25M/year contract with hopes he’d provide the depth needed for this team. He responded by hitting a career high in assists and points, totaling 35 points, 1 more than last year. On the flip side, his penalty minutes were much higher this season, and while part of his role is to be a pest, for a team that struggled with the penalty kill all season, frequent trips to the penalty box were simply not what you needed from your young players.
Other than his fair share of untimely penalties, which I think stood out for alot of fans, I think Greig is a key component for this team moving forward. He is the type of player who can be moved up and down lines, and he would still find ways to be effective with any linemates. He is more than capable of scoring more than 13 goals, and the expectations going into next season would be for him to get closer to the 20-goal mark.
I look at Greig as a versatile player who can always improve. His face-off percentage sits at 50.2%, which improved to over 60% in the playoffs. While a short sample, these are the numbers the Sens hope to consistently get from him.
While the Sens overall penalty kill hasn’t been great, especially at the beginning of the season, Ridly Greig has been a crucial member of the PK squad. Think of players like Chris Kelly, or Erik Condra. He is great at being aggressive on the PK, often leading to dangerous offensive chances, which is another reason we need him to stay out of the box in these situations.
Opinions on Greig vary, and it seems fans are split on him being a crucial type of player or a redundant role. Having a tough presence on the team who can also play and score goals is important for any team looking for good depth. One of his major flaws is his ability to control his emotions and his reckless plays, which I think he has gotten better at, with an overall focus on improving his defensive play and faceoffs. Having Greig handle more of the physical responsibilities could also allow players like Brady Tkachuk to stay focused on their core game, skill, and net presence.
His other glaring flaw is consistency; we all know he can play and can put up some points, but as a depth player, he needs to show that throughout the season. With the Sens constantly dealing with injuries, it’s players like Greig who are often looked at to make up the void. While he did great work the last few weeks of the season, he was often unnoticeable at the beginning of the season, and if Greig is going to be a major part of this team moving forward, they will need him to be impactful for the entire season.
This offseason will surely bring some roster changes with it, but for the Greig to truly thrive, the Sens will need to set him up for success. He played portions of this season with Nick Cousins and Stephen Halliday and was moved around quite a bit. In 35 games with Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Cozens, their line had 16 goals. If the Sens want consistency from Greig, maybe the best remedy is a consistent system and linemates.
Greig will turn 24 this summer with 3 years left on a reasonable contract. I expect much more of him, and I have a sense he will continue to show his value as he refines his game. He will always have a higher number of penalties, it will come with the territory of the type of player he is. The key for Greig is to ensure that his value in other situations makes up for his time in the box.