“I don’t want anyone taking my dream away”: Greer opens up about demotion

LOVELAND – If you live enough life, you get used to seeing the faces people make in certain situations. When I went to talk with A.J. Greer following the Colorado Eagles 5-3 victory over the San Antonio Rampage, I was expecting the face of a young man who was searching for answers. He had just finished off a three-point night (one goal, two assists) and was named the game’s second star. I found something else entirely.

When he came out of the locker room and saw me waiting for him, he knew I wasn’t there to talk about another strong performance in what has been a breakout year for him in the AHL. I wanted to talk about the surprise demotion Monday morning. He participated in team’s morning skate in the hours leading up to the NHL’s trade deadline.

The Avalanche added forward Derick Brassard, who simply had to switch locker rooms, and the team sent Greer and Andrew Agozzino back to the AHL. The Avalanche were winners of four straight and five of their last six and Greer had notched a goal (his first in the NHL) and an assist as he looked increasingly comfortable despite never playing more than the 8:08 he registered against Toronto on February 12.

In recalling the conversation, Greer furrowed his brow while his body stiffened. It was clearly not a happy memory.

“They said there were some transactions made and I had to go back down, that I did well and I’ve just got to keep playing the way I was playing,” Greer said. “They were really happy with me. I’m pissed off. I should be pissed off. Anyone in that situation would be pissed off. I’m not going to take it lightly. I’m going to come here and play pissed off. It’s nothing against them but I don’t want anyone taking my dream away.”

It’s rare to hear a hockey player so candid about his feelings. Given the performance he just put on the Rampage, was it fair to say Greer used the frustration from the unexpected demotion to drive him?

“100%,” Greer told BSN Denver. “I’m just going to show them and every other person in this building I can play at that level and that I’m pissed off. I think everyone should be when they’re in that situation. I’m not the only one. Like I said, it’s nothing against them. It’s just a matter of fact that I have to go through that. I know they were happy with what I did but I’m just going to play with an edge and try to give them no reason to keep me from there.”

The 22-year-old was selected 39th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft and has had very high expectations of himself. He left one of college hockey’s power programs in Boston University in his sophomore season when he didn’t feel he was getting enough playing time. Since turning pro in 2016-17, carving out a consistent role with the Avalanche has been a struggle despite the NHL club’s struggle to fill out the forward corps with players worthy of being in the NHL.

While he’s enjoying his most impressive AHL performance to date with 32 points (14 g, 18 a) in 37 games played, Greer isn’t chasing the dream of being a good AHL player. As much as he enjoys the Eagles (“I love the fans here”, he says later when looking around and taking in the atmosphere), he feels there’s something more for him. When we talked last week, he felt he had turned the corner in his pursuit of securing a job with the Avalanche. How down was he following this disappointing turn of events?

“I’m still on the right path,” Greer insists. “You have to be worried about it. You wake up wanting to be in the NHL and you’re not. There’s something wrong. You have to fix that. For me, I made a name for myself when I went up there this time around. Night in and night out, I tried to do my best. I know I can play at that level.”

When asked about the game he just had, he started to relax and just talk hockey.

“It went really well,” Greer said. “I was happy. I made a couple mistakes but mistakes are going to happen. I’m going to try things when I’m out here, be a little looser and try things with the puck. I didn’t get as many puck touches when I was up there. It was nice to get back in the game and be part of the whole team and play a lot.”

Then he paused and got back into his hunger to get back to the NHL.

“Again, I’m just pissed off. Not at [the Avs] but because I’m so close. It’s a good pissed off, not a bad pissed off. I think everyone should be playing with an edge at this point in your career if you’re trying to make it up there. If you’re not, there’s a problem.”

As he talked about once again having to chase down the dream of just being in the NHL, the intensity took another step up yet again.

“I can play at that level 100%,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time. I’m still young but it’s so close that I want it. I want it bad.”

But do the Avs want him?