The Maple Leafs have traded the rights to drafted prospect James (J.D.) Greenway to the Boston Bruins.

Greenway, an NCAA player, was under exclusive rights to the Leafs until August 15 of this year. He was taken in the third round, 72nd overall, in 2016. The tall defender played on the US National U18 team and and the USNTDP junior team within the USHL, the same team Auston Matthews had played on a year before. Greenway went on to an NCAA career and appeared at one Maple Leafs prospect camp. As an NCAA player, he was never eligible to appear in AHL games for the Marlies.

It was extremely unlikely the Maple Leafs were going to sign him to an SPC before his rights expired, but perhaps the Bruins have an interest. If so, that would be very good news for Greenway.  Future Considerations are sometimes real things, often trades of AHL-contracted players, but in this case, this seems to be a courtesy to the player to help him plan his future in hockey. If he does not sign with Boston by mid-August, he will be a UFA.

Maple Leafs Prospects