Date of Birth: 1986
Place of Birth: St. John’s, NL
Inducted: 2021 (Player Category)
When Colin Greening was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, the 204th overall pick never envisioned a long career in the National Hockey League.
But his speed and skill set kept him in ‘The Show’ for the better part of six seasons.
Before getting his break with Ottawa, Colin played four full seasons of NCAA collegiate hockey at Cornell University, where he captained the Big Red in his junior and season years.
During his college career, he never missed a game; suiting up in 137 contests for Cornell, scoring 55 goals and adding 63 assists. Along the way, he was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s second all-star team for three-consecutive years.
After graduation, Colin made his professional debut with Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton, New York. But, midway through his rookie pro season, he was called up to the NHL, and made his debut with the Senators in February of 2011 against the New Jersey Devils.
He played 24 games for Ottawa that season; scoring six times and assisting on seven goals.
By the next year, he was a permanent fixture in the Senators’ line-up; playing all 82 games that season, primarily on a line with Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza. During the NHL All-Star Weekend that year, Colin was one of a dozen rookies invited to take part. In the fastest skater skills competition, Colin posted the fastest time overall; topping the likes of Marian Hossa, Carl Hagelin, and Phil Kessel.
Colin spent parts of six seasons with the Ottawa Senators before he was part of a nine-player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that saw the Leafs ship their captain, Dion Phaneuf, to Ottawa.
Colin played one more year with the Maple Leafs before wrapping up his career with a three-year with the Toronto Marlies — the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate — winning a Calder Cup as AHL champions in 2018.
It was his second AHL title, after helping the Binghamton Senators capture the Calder Cup during his first season as a pro.
In 303 games in the NHL, Colin notched 48 goals and 59 assists.