From the Free Press’s Helene St. James comes good news regarding defenseman Mike Green:
Green said after Thursday’s practice at MTS Place he will play Friday when the Wings face the Winnipeg Jets. It’ll be Green’s first game since a hit Feb. 15 at Tampa Bay that aggravated a neck injury dating to last season. His 29 points in 56 games leads team defensemen.
“He brings offense in a variety of ways,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “One is on the power play — he’s a weapon up top. One is just him jumping in the play — he really pushes up the ice, but also just his ability to break out and make outlet passes. He’s one of our best passers. Mike has really become a real top-four defenseman in the NHL on any team. He’s really built his defensive game up as well, so he’s a big piece for us.”
Green, 32, might have been a big piece for a Stanley Cup contender had he not been injured leading up to Monday’s trade deadline. The Lightning and the Capitals both had interest, but were wary as the missed games grew. Furthermore, once the New York Rangers became sellers, the Lightning ended up successfully pursuing a trade for defenseman Ryan McDonagh.Green had consented to waiving his no-trade clause, but no good offer materialized.
“Obviously it was bad timing,” Green said. He’d had “a few discussions, maybe a handful,” with general manager Ken Holland about trade scenarios. Green learned 30 minutes before the 3 p.m. closing bell that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“At the end of the day, I’m here, I’m focused and I’m happy,” Green said. “You never know what’s going to happen and the day off, it can weigh on you. After it’s all said and done, yeah, there’s a little bit of relief.”
Continued, and St. James posted a clip of Green and Blashill’s off-day remarks:
