After being traded to the Sabres in March and struggling to recover from consecutive injuries, Jordan Greenway was having a hard time finding his footing in Buffalo. The 6'6" power forward was reunited with a former coach and teammates who believed in him, but was acclimating to new surroundings and rebuilding his confidence.

After seven points in 42 games with Minnesota and four points in 17 games with Buffalo, it was time to reset.

What You Need To Know

  • Jordan Greenway was traded to the Sabres ahead of the March 2023 trade deadline in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 fifth-round pick

  • Greenway previously played for Sabres' head coach Don Granato in the U.S. National Team Development Program, where he was also teammates Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, just missing Casey Mittelstadt in the program by one year

  • Greenway tallied three assists in four pre-season games as well as an attempt blocked, blocked shot and two hits in the Sabres' home opener against the Rangers

"It's hard, maybe, but it's needed," Greenway said. "After a year like that, you know, dealing with some injuries, you just kind of go home and reset. But I didn't take too much time off. So there's a lot of work that needed to be done, you know, to try and prevent some of those things from happening this year and in the future. So that was a pretty big focus for me."

Upon his return to Buffalo after a summer of weddings and vacations in between skates and conditioning, Greenway's presence was immediately felt on and off the ice. As head coach Don Granato explained, his former NTDP player is one who derives his confidence from contributing to the team, both of which were clearly escalating.

"Absolutely," Greenway said in response to that description. "Any way that you can contribute definitely makes you feel good. But he's she's had a lot of trust in me for a while now. And that's a really good thing for him to say. However, I can help these guys on the ice [or] off the ice. Whatever it is, I'm happy to do."

"I don't know if I have one example," NTDP alum and Sabres linemate Casey Mittelstadt said. "I think just the way he plays kind of shows that obviously he's a big body. He plays extremely physical. He goes to the natty blocks shots, he does a bit of it all. And I think, you know, a lot of those things fall under the team side. And I think away from the rink as well. He's just a great guy. He's always in a good mood. He's always smiling, he's always got a funny story. So I think that that’s huge. Keep the boys up in the locker room."

In addition to flanking a new-look, nitty gritty third line next to Mittelstadt and Zach Benson, he’s also taken the time to take the 2023 13th-overall pick under his wing.

"He's a great player on the ice. But off the ice he’s such a great guy," Benson said. "And he's such an easy player to play with. [He’s a] big power forward. You know he's got skills. So playing with him, it's really easy, honestly. And off the ice, he’s just such a good, good guy. And he welcomes the young guys like myself in really good. And it makes our days a lot easier."

Eight years senior to Benson, Greenway sees himself in the young buck as well as an opportunity to continue a positive cycle of mentorship.

"When you see a kid that young, you know, and it just kind of brings you back, even though it wasn't that long ago for me,” Greenway said. “I was so nervous in my first camp and around everyone, the cameras. Everyone's evaluating you. It was a stressful time, you know. I had guys who came out to me who allowed me to just kind of calm down and fit in. I just wanted to feel comfortable. Just be himself that the case is. And we've played get him on together. So, you know, that allows me to get pretty close with him just in that sense. So a couple of different ways of just trying to keep it light for him around some fun."