On March 7th, the Detroit Red Wings announced that defenseman Mike Green has been shut down for the rest of the 2018-19 season due to a virus.
The Detroit Red Wings announced defenseman Mike Green will be done for the rest of the 2018-19 season due to a virus. The 33-year-old defenseman will sit out the rest of the Red Wings 16 games this season to deal with an ongoing virus. This virus and its effects have not been disclosed to the public, more details are bound to be released in the coming days.
In the 2018-19 season, Green has played 43 games, scoring five goals and tallying 21 assists. He is likely to return next season to play out the final season of his two-year, $10.75 million deal.
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Although Green has been a good player for the Red Wings when he is in the lineup, his unfortunate departure opens up the opportunity for younger players to get NHL experience.
With Green being out, this will likely open the door for Dennis Cholowski to get some more playing time.
Cholowski, who is 21 years old, has played 52 games this season, scoring seven goals and adding on nine assists. Surprisingly, he was sent down to the AHL midway through the season, even though he has been statistically better than Jonathan Ericsson and others at the NHL level.
Losing Green is almost the final dagger to the heart for the Wings this season. Already set to miss the playoffs, the Red Wings will likely coast through the rest of their 16 games. Green has yet to play a full season with Detroit since arriving from the Washington Capitals in free agency in the 2015-16 season.
Many Red Wings fans were surprised by the contract given to Green last summer, given the fact that he is not going to be a difference maker for the team in the long run. Hopefully, Green will be able to kick this virus this offseason and be able to return next season in good health.