I’m a little bit of a weirdo when it comes to the players I follow. I am fiercely loyal to my favorite hockey team but it doesn’t stop me from liking players on other teams. I appreciate the skill, personality and flair from the individual in a team sport. What makes them stand out to me is where things get a little odd.
Mike Green of the Washington Capitals fits all of those criteria. He’s a defenseman that falls somewhere between the elite and upper level of NHL blueliners. He also wears fancy white skates, sports a Mohawk hairdo and is a frequent visitor to the tattoo parlor. Conventionally unconventional is how he could be described.
Before a series of injuries derailed Green’s last two seasons, he was putting up all-star numbers. It certainly didn’t hurt that Green was playing for a Capitals team that placed a premium on offense with point machines Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Semin. His critics will point out that while Green was a menace in the offensive zone, his defensive play was, well, offensive at times.
Don’t be fooled by the cartoonish big plus/minus during Green’s offensive explosion years, the Capitals were simply outscoring everyone else while Green was on the ice. Green made some great strides with his defensive play last season, finishing the season on the top defensive pairing as he recovered from groin surgery.
The Capital’s first round upset of the defending Stanley Cup Bruins featured a more defensively responsible Green, as he helped lead them to a seven game series win. A full and healthy season will be a novelty for the 27-year-old Green who just signed a three-year $18 million extension this summer.
With a new coach in Adam Oates, Green will look to find a balance of the high scoring defenseman joining the offensive rush and the responsible defenseman who can disrupt in the defensive zone.
It may not be realistic to see Mike Green’s name among the NHL scoring leaders. He has the talent to be Erik Karlsson on offense, but Green can serve his team better by becoming more rounded on the defensive end. His offensive totals could take a dip, but Mike Green is still a top fantasy option.