Ryan Greene’s breakout is making it hard to move him off the top line

When you think of the Chicago Blackhawks' top line, the first person you think of is Connor Bedard. This shouldn't be a surprise, as Bedard has been the Hawks' best player and should be in the running for his first Hart trophy. However, Bedard is not the only young Blackhawks forward impressing on the first line. Over the past few games, Ryan Greene has been on a tear. He has recorded a point in three of his last five games and is currently on a two-game goal streak.

While originally put on the top line to fill in for injuries, Greene has looked very comfortable. So much so that when guys like Andre Burakovsky and Tyler Bertuzzi returned, Greene kept his spot. It appears that Jeff Blashill likes what he's seen from the young forward and doesn't want to mess with what's working. But how likely is Greene to keep up his impressive play?

Can Ryan Greene get a permanent role on the top line?

Coming into the season, Greene was one of the most intriguing players in the Blackhawks' system. While he was on the bubble to make the roster, he was expected to be a contributor in the Hawks' bottom six at some point. Yet, so far this season, he has been much more valuable than a bottom-six forward. In 27 games this season, he has registered four goals and four assists for eight points. He's also won 93 face-offs on 213 opportunities, which is fourth most on the team.

It's not just his standard stats that are impressive; his advanced metrics are exceptional as well. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has an xG percentage of 45.37, a Corsi of 46.11% and a Fenwick of 45.55%. These offensive numbers have not come at the cost of his defense, something many have praised since he joined the organization. He has an xGA of 17 and an HDCA of 79. While these numbers indicate he's gotten a bit lucky on defense, it could be a lot worse.

It's not just his individual play that has gotten people's attention, but the play of the top line as a whole. According to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Burakovsky-Bedard-Greene has an xGoals for of 6.2. This is the best among the Blackhawks' lines that have played at least 50 minutes together. They also have an xGoals percentage of 49.6% and an xGoals per 60 Minutes of 3.43. It's clear that these three have found something that works, and it's helped the Hawks win games.

With the Blackhawks currently battling for the final wild-card spot in the West, they need as much to go their way as possible. Although it's still early to be watching the standings, fighting for a playoff spot will show that the Blackhawks' rebuild is on the right track. So it would be unwise to break up a lie that is producing. The Hawks are at the point where if it is not broke, do not fix it.

Although it's only been a few games, Greene has made a strong impression. It could be enough to alter his role not just for this season, but in the Blackhawks' long-term plans.