In a week of negatives, the Detroit Red Wings received some more troubling news, Mike Green’s 2018-19 season has come to an end. The virus that was affecting him at the beginning of the year has returned, and the Red Wings have announced that his year has ended.
In a week where the Detroit Red Wings are saying goodbye to Joe Louis Arena and learned of the tragic loss of Red Wings (and hockey) Legend Ted Lindsay, things got a little worse. For those who do not remember, at the beginning of the 2018-19 season Red Wings defenseman had a viral infection that kept him off the ice which proved to be detrimental to the Red Wings success earlier in the season.
This is tough news for the Red Wings since Green thought he was past this virus in the fall and would be able to get back to his usual level of play and no longer worry about it. The good news that comes out of this negative situation is that Green’s virus is not going to be a long-term concern for the Red Wings according to what coach Jeff Blashill said earlier today.
Through Green’s shortened 2018-19 campaign, has landed him as the top point-getting defenseman on the Red Wings. Green tallied 5 goals and 21 assists for 26 total point in the 43 games he was able to play this year.
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Green has dealt with injuries this year and receiving this news that his virus has returned is definitely not good to hear. Luckily, it is not a long-term concern that the virus has returned.
Green is in the first year of a two-year extension that he signed last offseason, so thankfully for him, he will not be heading into free agency off a shortened season.
One of the things that are important to note about his shortened season, he has been able to mentor and teach the younger defenseman around him.
He has only done good things for the Detroit Red Wings by mentoring players like Dennis Cholowski which will help us as we continue to have this increasing crop of young talented defenseman make their way up through the organization.
It’s a tough break in an already tough week for Green, but it sure seems like he will be able to bounce back and not have to worry about this virus being something that will continue to bother him in the long-term.
The Detroit Red Wings can only hope that Mike Green gets better as soon as possible and even if he cannot play, he could still provide a veteran voice to these younger defensemen as the season comes to a close.