What happened to Mike Green?

[SeanMoneyHands]

Ever since he put up 31 goals and people were comparing him to Bobby Orr, he's gone downhill and his prime was rather short. He used to be a lethal and very impressive weapon on the back end but it was like he had his 31 goal season and then it all evaporated into the dust. This guy was special when he first came into the NHL but for most of his career, he looks like any other dime a dozen dman.

Was his 31 goal season a fluke? One hit wonder?

 

[txpd]

injuries. He wasn't a fluke. The 31 goals was a career year but he had more points the next season. He got concussed. He got the dreaded groin/sports hernia thing. He has been injured regularly with Detroit.

 

[Atoyot]

Ever since he put up 31 goals and people were comparing him to Bobby Orr, he's gone downhill and his prime was rather short. He used to be a lethal and very impressive weapon on the back end but it was like he had his 31 goal season and then it all evaporated into the dust. This guy was special when he first came into the NHL but for most of his career, he looks like any other dime a dozen dman.

Was his 31 goal season a fluke? One hit wonder?

He came into the league in a very fortunate situation. Stacked top PP unit with Backstrom, Semin, Ovie immediately after the lockout when penalties called went through the roof. In addition the next leading D on the team scorer was Milan Jurcina with 14 points in 79 games, so he was relied on very heavily for offense.

 

[Mr. Met]

A dman getting 20 goals in a season is good, getting 30 is unlikely to be repeated

 

[Stephen]

Mike Green has had a pretty good career. Had a short and spectacular peak, but always dealt with injury problems. He's also 34-35 now, so I'm not sure what your expectations are.

 

[Jacob]

I remember in some behind-the-scenes show, might've even been the HBO 24/7 special, I came away not being real impressed with his character. He didn't seem like a total dickhead or anything, but I felt like he was buying into the millionaire lifestyle a bit too much and he didn't seem as dedicated to hockey as most elite players are. So maybe he scored 30 and then phoned in his offseason training for a few years or something. That, plus injuries, plus teams just focusing in on him more.

 

[Claypool]

 

[Jacob]

Yeah, that's basically the impression that I got.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

Mike Green has had a pretty good career. Had a short and spectacular peak, but always dealt with injury problems. He's also 34-35 now, so I'm not sure what your expectations are.

I know of a defenseman who also had injurys and is over 35, he also just won the norris

 

[Stephen]

I know of a defenseman who also had injurys and is over 35, he also just won the norris

I know of a lot more on the scrap heap. I guess meet in the middle and you have Mike Green.

 

[traparatus]

He got hit by Pronger in a game VS Anaheim back in, if memory serves right, 2010. Folded like a bed sheet, missed a bunch of games and was never the same afterwards. Lost a lot of the fearless attitude that made him such a dangerous player. Could never stay healthy after that, too.

A damn shame because he was an electric player at his peak, one of the best in the league.

 

[holy]

I feel like he hates his family for some reason.

 

[Kuznetsnow]

Was far and away the most targeted D on the Caps during his prime since there were no other NHL caliber defensemen playing most nights. Eventually got broken

 

[Gurglesons]

He has and is still been a top four D the majority of his career and likely should have a Norris.

The fact that the Caps D sucked the majority of the time he was there was not his fault.

What a dumb thread.

 

[1specter]

A dman getting 20 goals in a season is good, getting 30 is unlikely to be repeated

Burns looked like a lock twice and then went cold as ice near the end and fell short

 

[Jacob]

I feel like he hates his family for some reason.

It's just there to remind him that he *has* a family.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

I know of a lot more on the scrap heap. I guess meet in the middle and you have Mike Green.

Green has a bunch of talent but once you hit 30 it takes huge dedication to stay on top, this he doesn't have, his idea of summer training is water skiing and partying with his buddy's on a little lake outside Calgary all summer. 2 years ago I played golf in a group behind him, when we were on the same tee-box I couldn't help thinking he looked like a marshmallow. I said to a bud he looks like a shorter version of Dennis Gauthier

 

[Leafshater67]

Injuries and rockstar lifestyle. He also got lucky in a good situation when he broke in with a wild PP and little defensive responbilities

 

[Bounces R Way]

One of the most underrated dmen when he was in his prime. Great skater and a rocket shot. Just a lot miles on him.

There was also just a lot more scoring talent in general on those Capitals teams than the recent Red Wings.

 

[Khomutov]

His 2008-2009 season was something special. 31 goals in just 68 games. But he was pretty bad at playing defense and mostly a ghost in the playoffs.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Injuries and health overall

One of my favorite players of all time and I still remember how excited I was when Detroit signed him

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

Look up highlights, hes an entirely different player now because of injuries. Had to completely change how he plays.

Also, I've never seen a defenseman with a wrist shot as good as his in that 30 goal season.

 

[Khomutov]

 

[Reality Czech]

Ever since he put up 31 goals and people were comparing him to Bobby Orr, he's gone downhill and his prime was rather short. He used to be a lethal and very impressive weapon on the back end but it was like he had his 31 goal season and then it all evaporated into the dust. This guy was special when he first came into the NHL but for most of his career, he looks like any other dime a dozen dman.

Was his 31 goal season a fluke? One hit wonder?

Whoever compared Mike Green to Bobby Orr needs to have their hockey card revoked.

 

[Melkor]

Mike Green is probably the most exciting defenseman the Capitals have ever had in their whole existence. Injuries folded him badly.