Staying Healthy A Key Concern For Rugged Winger Greenway

The Buffalo Sabres need all hands on deck if they’re to end their `14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought. And that means everyone on the roster is going to have to pull their weight. What will expectations for every Sabres player look like? That’s the focus of THN.com’s Sabres site series.

We began the player-by-player evaluation process by looking at Buffalo’s goalies and defensemen. And of late, we’re focusing on the Sabres’ forwards — including today’s focus, winger Jordan Greenway. The veteran left winger has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, but as one of the Sabres’ more physical players, he can impact a game in a way few of his Buffalo teammates can.

Let’s now turn the spotlight on Greenway and see what may be in the cards for him in 2025-26.

Player Name: Jordan Greenway

Position: Left Wing

Age: 28

2024-25 Key Statistics: 34 games, 3 goals, 8 points

2025-26 Salary: $4-million

2025-26 Expectations: Greenway appeared in less than half of the regular-season for Buffalo last year, and there’s a definite pattern in regard to his health, as he hasn’t played in more than 67 games since 2018-1`9 — his first full season in the NHL.

Greenway’s heavy physical game takes a toll on him and his opponents, but he’s being paid like a high-end third-line forward, and the most offense he’s put up in the past four seasons are the 10 goals and 28 points he had for Buffalo in 2023-24.

Even as a member of the Sabres’ third line, Greenway needs to do more than that to justify his salary. He’s signed through this coming season and another year after that, but Greenway could be moved if Buffalo struggles and he isn’t playing up to expectations. Greenway does have limited no-trade protection, but it’s only a partial no-trade clause, one that allows him to veto a trade to one of five teams of his choosing.

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That still leaves 26 teams Greenway could be traded to. But that’s a line of thought for another day. For now, Greenway has to (a) stay healthy, (b) exact a physical toll from opponents, and (c) be part of a winner. If he has an issue in any of those regards, Greenway is going to hear it from Sabres fans who are rightfully exhausted by the continuing failure of this Buffalo team to be relevant.

Greenway isn’t ever going to be an all-star or a difference-maker on offense. But the reason the Sabres have kept him around is because he’s the type of player Buffalo needs more of — a physical threat and a solid defender in limited minutes.

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Neither Greenway nor the Sabres can afford a step backward this year. There’s so much on the line for all of Buffalo’s players (and management members, for that matter). Greenway knows his role, but some good fortune on the injury front will likely go a long way toward keeping him in the lineup and doing his utmost to live up to his salary. He’s earning $1-million more than he’s made in the past three years, and that means he’s got to produce more. It’s as simple as that.

And if he can’t achieve those three things, Greenway’s future in a Sabres uniform will be in doubt. The rubber is meeting the road for him this season, and nothing short of a strong year will calm the cynics and keep Greenway in Buffalo for a long time to come.