Colorado Avalanche May be Saving A.J. Greer for Dallas

The Colorado Avalanche recalled AJ Greer from the AHL and flew him to Minnesota only to scratch him for the Wild game. Some potential reasons why.

The Colorado Avalanche recalled forward A.J. Greer from the Colorado Eagles on Monday, and he joined the team flight to Minnesota. Where he apparently ate nachos in the club seats because he was a healthy scratch against the Minnesota Wild.

Speaking of scratching, that’s a head scratcher. Why recall a player from the AHL — thus engaging his NHL salary — just to make him a healthy scratch?

The Avs ran the same lineup as they had in their last home game, against the New Jersey Devils:

What most Avs fans focused on is the fact the Gabriel Bourque is still in the lineup. Over the recently recalled AJ Greer. So let’s explore that first.

What Gabriel Bourque Brings

Every year we, as Avs fans, choose a player to hate on. In previous seasons we’ve seen it be Francois Beauchemin and Brad Stuart. Well, while fellow defenseman Patrik Nemeth has drawn ire off and on, the frequent focus of ire has been Gabriel Bourque.

Bourque is an NHL player, so he has elite hockey skills beyond what even most AHLers can produce. On the NHL totem pole, though, he’s pretty close to being buried in the ground.

Bourque’s big contributions seem to be playing well on the penalty kill and playing the body. He’s a journeyman. That’s what grinders have to do. But then, putting out 110% effort is usually what coaches love about the kinds of players.

But then. AJ Greer has the potential to be that kind of player, too — and a younger one to boot. He’s 22 to Bourque’s 28, which is a fair amount in NHL years.

Punishment for BSN Article

This one is a longshot, and I should hope the Colorado Avalanche wouldn’t be so petty. However, AJ Greer was having a moderately successful NHL campaign. Then, right around the trade deadline, he got demoted back to the Colorado Eagles.

And he was pissed off, rightfully so. And he stated that he was pissed off in a BSN article, saying, “It’s nothing against them but I don’t want anyone taking my dream away.”

We were all a little peeved to see Greer demoted, especially since it just made room for players like Bourque. However, for a hockey player to speak so candidly is rare, and there are sometimes repercussions.

Is this a reason to punish Greer? Call him up from the AHL — where he’s having a stellar season — just to let him sit on the sidelines? Lord, I hope not. That’s as petty as it gets, and I hope my favorite team isn’t about that.

Let’s look at some more reasons Greer might have been a scratch.

Keeping a Winning Combination Intact

It’s hard to argue against something that works. The 11 forewards, 7 defensemen model may be unconventional, but it worked against the Devils. So, it could be the Colorado Avalanche were hesitant to mess with a winning formula.

And that formula earned them a win in the game against the Minnesota Wild. That fact doesn’t bode well for Greer.

However, there’s a reason teams traditionally run with 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. A few reasons, in fact, such as consistent line combinations and avoiding tiring the forwards. Hopefully the Avs know when to hold them (or the roster) and when to fold them.

Chippiness of Last Dallas Game

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I’m hoping the Colorado Avalanche recalled AJ Greer because of the chippiness of the last game between the two teams. Nikita Zadorov was out with what turned out to be a mild injury. Though captain Gabriel Landeskog (until Dallas goalie Ben Bishop treated him like Flat Stanley) and alternate captain Erik Johnson were skating for the Avs, the Stars still ran roughshod over Colorado.

Though Greer has found his scoring legs, especially in the AHL, he’s not afraid to throw hands when the situation calls for it. And calling him pesky is an understatement.

It could be the Avs really are saving Greer for the Dallas game. He joined the team for the flight to Minnesota, so he missed the home practice, which was optional anyway. Hopefully the team will hold a practice in Dallas today, and AJ can cement his place in the lineup with it.

The Colorado Avalanche, whether they make the playoffs or not, are still a team for the future. A lot of us would like to think AJ Greer is part of that future.