Ryan Greene Is Earning His Spot on the Blackhawks’ Top Line - And It’s Not Just a Hot Streak
When you think of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top line, one name jumps out first - Connor Bedard. And rightfully so.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick has been every bit the franchise cornerstone the Hawks hoped for, already playing like a Hart Trophy candidate in his rookie season. But Bedard isn’t doing it alone.
Over the last few games, another young forward has quietly - and now not-so-quietly - made his presence felt: Ryan Greene.
Greene, who started the season on the roster bubble, has stepped into a top-line role and hasn’t looked out of place for a second. Originally slotted in due to injuries, he’s since made it clear he’s not just a temporary solution. With points in three of his last five games and goals in back-to-back outings, Greene’s play is forcing head coach Jeff Blashill to reconsider what this top line could look like moving forward - not just for this season, but for the future.
From Depth Forward to Top-Line Contributor
Coming into the year, Greene was viewed as a promising prospect who might carve out a role in the bottom six. That projection may already be outdated.
Through 27 games, he’s posted four goals and four assists - modest totals on paper, but they don’t tell the whole story. Greene has also won 93 of 213 face-offs, ranking fourth on the team in total face-off wins.
That’s not just solid for a young forward - that’s the kind of reliability that earns trust from coaching staffs.
And then there’s the advanced data, which paints an even more compelling picture. According to Natural Stat Trick, Greene’s expected goals percentage (xG%) sits at 45.37%, with a Corsi For percentage of 46.11% and a Fenwick For of 45.55%.
Those numbers may not blow you away at first glance, but context matters. Greene is logging top-line minutes against top-line competition, and he’s holding his own.
That’s a big deal for a player who wasn’t even guaranteed a roster spot at the start of the season.
Defensively, he’s been steady, too. His expected goals against (xGA) is 17, and he’s allowed 79 high-danger chances against (HDCA).
Sure, there’s some luck baked into those numbers - the HDCA figure is on the high side - but it’s clear Greene isn’t sacrificing defensive responsibility for offensive flash. That two-way reliability is a big reason he’s still skating next to Bedard and Andre Burakovsky, even with veterans like Tyler Bertuzzi back in the lineup.
Chemistry That’s Hard to Ignore
The numbers don’t just support Greene’s individual play - they highlight how well the top line is functioning as a unit. The trio of Burakovsky-Bedard-Greene has an expected goals for (xGF) of 6.2, the best among Blackhawks lines with at least 50 minutes together.
Their xGoals percentage sits just shy of 50% (49.6%), and they’re generating 3.43 expected goals per 60 minutes. Translation: when they’re on the ice, the Blackhawks are dangerous.
That kind of chemistry isn’t easy to find, especially on a team still finding its identity during a rebuild. And with Chicago battling for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference, every edge matters.
It’s still early in the season, but these are the kinds of developments that can shape the direction of a franchise. If a young player like Greene can lock down a top-line role and produce, it accelerates the rebuild in a meaningful way.
Is This Sustainable?
That’s the big question. Can Greene keep this up?
While it’s always risky to project too much from a small sample, there’s reason to believe Greene’s game isn’t just a flash in the pan. His production isn’t solely driven by puck luck or inflated shooting percentages.
He’s creating chances, winning draws, and playing responsibly in his own end. That’s a formula for staying power.
And perhaps most importantly, he’s earning the trust of the coaching staff. Blashill hasn’t hesitated to keep Greene in the mix, even as more experienced forwards return from injury.
That says a lot. Coaches don’t mess with a line that’s clicking - especially not when the team is trying to claw its way into playoff position.
A Role That Could Stick
It’s still early days, but Greene’s emergence is one of the more encouraging storylines for the Blackhawks this season. He’s gone from fringe roster player to top-line contributor, and he’s doing it while playing alongside one of the league’s most electrifying young stars in Bedard.
If this continues, Greene won’t just be a nice surprise - he’ll be a foundational piece in Chicago’s rebuild. And for a team trying to turn the corner, that’s exactly the kind of development they need.