Jet Greaves – Barrie Colts – Player Profile

Height: 6’

Weight: 161 pounds

Date of birth: March 30, 2001

Hometown: Cambridge, Ontario

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Right

OHL Draft: Round 3, 56^th overall, 2017 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Not Ranked

The first question that might pop into people’s minds reading this is “why would we be discussing a goaltender not ranked by NHL Central Scouting?” Well, two reasons. There is a perceived opinion out there that NHL Central Scouting and NHL teams prefer bigger netminders. But there are a half-dozen netminders on Central’s list that stand as “small” as Barrie Colts’ netminder Jet Greaves. Secondly, we believe Greaves deserves some consideration when everything about this season is put into context.

Greaves played his Minor Midget AAA hockey for the Cambridge Hawks during the 2016-2017 season and in 17 games posted a 2.41 goals-against-average and .916 save-percentage. The Colts would use the 56^th overall pick at the 2017 Priority Selection to draft Greaves.

Greaves spent last season with the Guelph Hurricanes of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. He appeared in 35 games and posted a 3.46 goals-against-average and .899 save-percentage.

Now, lets put this, his OHL rookie and NHL Draft season into context.

Greaves had spent the season sharing the crease with two other netminders in Barrie, Kai Edmonds and Maksim Zhukov until the latter jumped ship to the United States Hockey League in mid-January. The Colts currently sit third from the bottom in the standings. They have also scored the second fewest goals in the league, so there isn’t much run support for any of the netminders.

The Colts have allowed the sixth fewest goals in the entire league while allowing 35 shots against per game for a team save-percentage of .903 and a team goals-against-average of 3.31. Greaves’ goals-against-average (2.97) is better then both Edmonds (3.13) and Zhukov’s (3.43) as well as the team average. So too is his save-percentage (.919) versus Edmonds (.902) and Zhukov (.900).

Greaves has been so impressive that the coaching staff rewarded him by starting 4 consecutive games in February. He faced back-to-back 50-plus shots in his first two games stopping 100 of 103 shots directed on his net and earning himself the OHL and CHL Goaltender of the Week honors.  To put that into perspective, 6’5” Guelph Storm goaltender Nicholas Daws has faced 50 shots to date in the month of February and is ranked 19^th among North American goaltenders.

Greaves is second among rookie netminders in goals-against-average and tops in save-percentage. In fact, Greaves is second overall in save-percentage among all netminders.  Among this years’ draft crop, Greaves is second to Ethan Taylor (2.95) in goals-against-average and tops in save-percentage. But he sits 7^th in minutes played. However, since Zhukov joined Green Bay in the USHL, Greaves minutes have increased and that trend should continue.  

So, what does Greaves – who’s full name is Calvin Jet Greaves (his father is a Jet Li fan) Bring to the table?

Greaves is a superbly athletic netminder who moves in any direction quickly. He’s just as quick in getting into the butterfly and back on his skates to prepare for second chance opportunities. He is technically sound, keeping himself square at the shooter. He plays his angles well and moves to the top of the paint and back with ease.

Greaves is a right hand catching netminder and we all know that can sometimes fool shooters who aren’t accustomed to the trapper being on the other side. But he does require some work with the glove. At times, the puck does go through the webbing, but I feel it is an area that can be worked on.

The area that can not be worked on is Greaves size. He tracks the puck well, and in close he’s good at taking away the bottom of the net and making himself as tall as he can be. But with the puck at a distance and traffic in front of his goal, he’ll need to work on seeing past that traffic.

I’ve been pretty impressed with his play for the better part of the season. Has he done enough to hear his name called in Vancouver? One never knows, but I think he has to date, earned mention and should at least get an invite to an NHL Development Camp should he not be drafted in June.