Now that both PWHL Minnesota forwards have earned their marks, it’s time to move on to their defensive core. Some may ask about the other two PWHL Minnesota forwards, but since they haven’t really played, there isn’t much to grade them. Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney are the first, and they are the ones who got this grade.
PWHL Minnesota had a solid defense for most of the season. Even though they couldn’t score, their defense was solid. While there are times when they take big steps back, overall, they make a difference. The first defender we will start with is Emma Greco. He hasn’t been seen much all season, but a lot of solid defenders don’t get noticed right away. We’ll start by looking at his regular season performance and go from there.
Greco Hides Behind the Scenes
Many think that the best defenders are the ones who get the most attention, and are often the ones who score the goals; However, this is not always the case. While they may be the best attacking defenders, there are also defensive defenders, which is where Greco comes in. He doesn’t get attention for his points because he didn’t have any in the regular season, but he finished the season with a plus-8, which means that on the ice he scored more goals for his team than he scored, and he shot 24 goals in his 22 games.
He spent 10 minutes in the penalty box, which wasn’t good, but it wasn’t dangerous either. He did the little things that were needed, like blocking shots and clearing the puck out of the defensive zone with efficiency and effectiveness. He’s not afraid to jump into the game, even if it means tangling with an opponent or taking a team goal.
As a defender, it’s their job to make sure the front of the net is clear for any opponents, and Greco was great at that. He knew everyone around him and covered the areas where his goals could not be made. For his efforts during the regular season, he earned an A-. He could have done better in the offensive department which is why the grade is not high, but also not low because of all his defensive work.
Greco No Points
Greco continued his defensive efforts in the postseason but couldn’t find a way to open up his offensive game. He played in all 10 postseason games, and despite taking six shots, none found the back of the net. However, he made sure that did not happen to his strikers and continued his strong defensive game.
He continued with the most important part of his game, and his team came out on top, so everything went well. Yes, they could have used more attempts to annoy him when they were struggling, but the whole team could have stepped up. Once again, he had trouble staying out of the penalty box during the playoffs. That’s not a good thing and it’s one area he’ll need to work on this coming season.
As for the postseason grade, he also earned a B+ because his game has been very consistent. It wasn’t an A- because most players get another level in the playoffs, and that’s something Greco didn’t do. He continued to play well defensively but couldn’t take that next step.
All Greco Range
Taking Greco’s A- and B+, his overall grade is on the low A side. He has a very strong defensive game that helped his team during the regular season and postseason, leading to a Walter Cup win. There is still room to improve his game, especially his offensive game, which is why his grade was not high.
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However, PWHL Minnesota fans will have to pay attention to PWHL Boston this coming season, as that’s where Greco signed during free agency. Hopefully, he can find his offense, just not against PWHL Minnesota this coming season.
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