The Colorado Eagles continue to chase down the Tuscon Roadrunners in the AHL Pacific Division as if they were Wile E. Coyote himself, except they’ll be hoping not to drop off a cliff in the remaining 14 games. On Friday and Saturday night at the Budweiser Events Center in Colorado they kept the pace with comfortable back to back wins over the Ontario Reign.
Martin Kaut and TJ Tynan were both on the board with points as Kaut picked up one and Tynan picked up four over the two nights. What do they have in common? They both received a call up to the Colorado Avalanche at some point during the current season and played minutes. Noticeably missing from that list is AJ Greer who was recalled in November but never got a single second of ice time. The Joliette, Quebec has played 37 NHL games since being drafted by the Av’s in 2015 and has proved to be an above average AHL’er in his time with the Eagles putting up 74 points in 99 regular season games including four points over the weekend against the Reign. Yet his chances at making it with the Avalanche seem all but over.
It’s understandable given his recent troubles, which started last summer during the off-season when he was arrested in New York along with Anaheim Ducks recent acquisition Sonny Milano on assault charges. The two have pleaded not guilty to the charges as the case continues. Out of contract with the Avalanche it looked, once the story broke, that his career in Colorado was finished. Instead, the Avalanche offered a new one year, two way deal to the 2015 second round draft pick. AJ Greer accepted and the plan was to knuckle down during training camp and earn a place on the roster for opening night, but instead Greer found himself placed on waivers and, once cleared, in the AHL again.
Instead of using this as a wake up call to put his head down and grind, AJ Greer ended up getting in more trouble. After receiving a two minute minor for fighting against the Milwaukee Admirals in October, he illegally left the penalty box to fight Admirals captain Jarred Tinordi after the Defenseman chirped him. The AHL suspended him for six games and put his future in more jeopardy.
During the six game suspension he received a call up to the Avalanche, but failed to play a single second before being sent back down. Known for his hot temper Greer has amassed 85 Penalty Minutes while with the Eagles, although in his defense 40 of those came in the game against the Admirals were he was assessed two fighting penalties and three game misconducts. He’s also amassed thirty points for the team and will play a huge part in a playoff run should things not go horribly wrong in the next month or so for the Eagles.
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And the playoffs will give him a chance to place himself directly in the shop window. With everything that has gone on and the level of prospects coming through, it’s hard to see a scenario where the Avalanche offer Greer another contract this summer. Eagles head coach said earlier this season to Mile High Hockey’s Scott MacDonald “once his mental maturity matches his physical maturity, there won’t be things that I think prevent him from reaching his potential.” It’s unlikely that will be in Colorado but stranger things have happened.
