Ridly Greig may have missed out on his World Junior experience, but he won’t finish 2020 empty-handed. The Ottawa Senators have signed Greig to a three-year, entry-level contract, his first professional deal after being the 28th overall pick in this fall’s draft. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a short statement on the deal:
Ridly plays with an edge in all facets of the game. He’s a highly competitive centre with strong character who is difficult to play against, driven and especially motivated. We’re looking forward to monitoring his development.
Greig, 18, tested positive for COVID-19 in early November, just before joining the Canadian World Junior selection camp. That positive test ultimately ended any possibility of him making the team, though it would have been a battle anyway given how deep the forward group is. A star for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, Greig scored 26 goals and 60 points in 56 games last season while also often being asked to check the opponent’s top forwards.
Just like many top prospects, Greig is now waiting to see what happens to him this season. It’s been nearly ten months since his last competitive action and the WHL has not yet set a return date. If the junior league is canceled he could potentially go to the AHL, though that minor league has also not officially announced any schedule yet either. Ottawa’s ECHL affiliate, the Brampton Beast, will not be playing this season after opting out of the 2020-21 campaign with the other North Division teams. Greig likely isn’t ready for NHL action, but could potentially be a taxi squad player to keep his development pointed in the right direction unless an overseas assignment could be found.
At any rate, he’s now under contract with his first professional organization, the first step to becoming an NHL player. Should he play in fewer than seven NHL games this season, his deal will slide forward at least one year.