Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer is set to rejoin the team for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. He was sidelined for the initial two contests of the series due to an injury.
Head coach Paul Maurice confirmed that Greer would slot back into the lineup on the fourth line. Jesper Boqvist will be taken out of the lineup to make space for Greer, who will be playing in his first ever Stanley Cup Final game.
Speaking after the team`s morning skate, Greer commented, “It`s certainly a lifelong aspiration realized, but I`m really trying not to get too caught up in that. For me, it`s just another game, and my goal is simply to relish the moment, without associating it with anything greater than just my immediate next shift.”
Greer, 28 years old, persevered through injury during a portion of this playoff run before being forced to exit the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina when it became apparent that his health prevented him from continuing effectively. Maurice commended Greer for his lack of selfishness and high degree of self-awareness in knowing when he had reached his pain threshold and making the decision that benefited the team most.
“Credit to him for acknowledging that,” Maurice stated. “We were fortunate to help A.J. recover to a point where he is genuinely confident in his performance… He has consistently been a positive influence and contributor to our team.”
Greer`s place on the ice in this situation wasn`t always assured. Just over four years ago, his career was stalled in the minor leagues, and he was close to abandoning his dream of playing in the NHL.
Greer recalled, “I was genuinely about 24 hours away from simply giving up, moving to Europe just to earn a salary, trying to extract every last dollar I could from this sport, and then just proceeding with my life. Thankfully, things turned out differently for me.”
Greer was essentially a minor component included in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, a deal that ultimately sent Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the New York Islanders, who later reached the East final. Greer — originally a second-round pick by Colorado in 2015, with 37 games for the Avalanche from 2016-18 — gained confidence while playing for the AHL`s Utica Comets and saw limited action with the Devils at times.
His agent, Philippe Lecavalier, challenged Greer, asking if he wanted to remain solely an AHL player or modify his playing style to become a valuable role player at the NHL level.
“You could say I was motivated to prove him wrong,” Greer remarked. “I simply focused on each day, improving my mental and physical game, and maturing as a player. I understood what I needed to do and how I needed to play if I ever wanted another opportunity in the NHL – and I received that chance, which I am very thankful for. It has all culminated in reaching this point.”
Duncan Priestley