After 15 NHL seasons, Edmonton Oilers defenceman Mike Green is retiring from the NHL, according to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir. Last month Green, 34, opted out of the NHL’s Return to Play last month for health reasons. Green is now stepping away from playing hockey altogether.
Edmonton Oilers defenceman Mike Green announces his retirement on after 15 seasons in the #NHL (via @Tarik_ElBashir): https://t.co/P1NOaPj5wU pic.twitter.com/PcipR50poN
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) August 26, 2020
Mike Green Retiring from NHL
Green finishes his 15-year career with 880 games played 150 goals, and 501 points. Drafted 29th overall in the 2004 draft, Green began his career playing 10 seasons with the Washington Capitals. In 2009–10, Green recorded a career-high 19 goals and 76 points to lead all NHL defenceman. Green scored in seven consecutive games that season too, which tied Mike O’Connell’s record.
Ahead of the 2015–16 season, Green signed a three-year, $18-million contract with the Detroit Red Wings, leaving the Caps as an unrestricted free agent. He spent five seasons with Detroit, scoring 37 goals and adding 104 assists. Detroit traded Green to the Oilers at this year’s deadline for forward Andreas Athanasiou. Green played just two games with the Oilers before the NHL’s postponement due to COVID-19.
Green received All-Star game honours twice (2011 and 2018) and was on the NHL’s First All-Star team in both 2009 and 2010. In 2008, Green won a silver medal with Team Canada at the Ice Hockey World Championships.
What This Means for the Future
Before retiring, Green was set to become an unrestricted free agent again. The Oilers likely acquired Green as a rental defenceman, but Edmonton still could’ve used his services if Green elected to re-sign later this year.
Edmonton is quite thin on defence, an issue that has plagued them in recent years and most recently in their four-game qualifying round loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Ethan Bear and Matt Benning are both restricted free agents this offseason, so general manager Ken Holland should have a busy time ahead re-tooling his blue-line.
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