Red Wings: Former defenseman Mike Green retires after 15 seasons

A former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, Mike Green, has called it a career after fifteen seasons between three organizations.

The Detroit Red Wings may have traded Mike Green at the 2019-20 trade deadline to former General Manager (GM) Ken Holland at his new franchise, the Edmonton Oilers. Green would finish out his season and career with the Oilers as it was recently announced that he has retired.

Green spent fifteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Washington Capitals, the Red Wings, and then Edmonton Oilers. Five of his fifteen seasons came with the Red Wings organization while the other ten years were with the Capitals, where he was a two-time all-star.

While he may have been traded at the deadline in a deal that could have netted the Red Wings better than a fourth-round pick based on the trade conditions, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic ending the season early, the trade would not meet the conditions.

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Green played his age 30 through 34 seasons with the Red Wings, where he totaled 303 total games on the blueline. He would tally 37 goals with 104 assists for 141 total points during his time in a winged-wheel uniform.

His best season with the Red Wings came in 2016-17, where Green played in 72 games, scoring 14 goals, adding 22 assists, totaling 36 points on the season.

He may not have been the offensive weapon that he was for the Capitals in his early days, but Green was still valuable for the organization.

Throughout his career, Green was a total minus-17 in terms of plus/minus, but his time with the rebuilding Red Wings surely did not help that.

Nonetheless, Green was an offensive weapon, known for his abilities as an offensive defenseman.

While he may not have been the all-star he was for the Capitals; he was able to mentor some of the younger players the Red Wings have seen come up through the system. Green was a former first-round selection who made his career during his time with the Capitals.

The Red Wings signing Green was still something that brought some attraction to the organization. In an article in The Athletic detailing the retirement as they first reported it, Green is going to use the time in retirement to focus on his life off the ice.

It seems that Green’s last knee injury that led him to miss time with the Oilers and eventually opt-out of the NHL Return To Play plan brought him to realize some things. Green collected a fifteen-year NHL career as a phenomenal young and offensive defenseman in this league.

A great NHL career comes to an end for the former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, even if he may not be a Norris Trophy winner. Congrats to Mike Green on the 15-year career in the NHL!