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NHL Power Rankings: #10
Coming in at number ten on our list of the best blueliners in the Eastern Conference is Mike Green of the Detroit Red Wings. A lot of what Mike Green does revolves around what he can do on offense. Few NHL defensemen can match what he can do on offense when he’s healthy. He proved what he’s capable of when healthy when he scored 45 points despite playing third pairing minutes. While he did face inferior competition, keep in mind that also means that he also spent time with mostly inferior teammates.
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There are a lot of people who say that Green is horrible defensively. I wouldn’t go that far (his 1.74 goals against per sixty minutes at even strength was among the league’s lowest for defensemen), but he is clearly better suited in the offensive zone than he is in his own zone. To be fair, perhaps his usually inferior partners (ranging from Jack Hillen to Tim Gleason) had something to do with that.
Green has his greatest value when he’s on the power play. The Capitals have always had one of the NHL’s elite power plays. Alex Ovechkin is obviously the biggest reason for that. However, Green was an important cog as well, running the point and consistently getting pucks to Ovechkin’s stick.
If he’s healthy, Green is a top ten defenseman. It remains to be seen how healthy he can stay, though. The Red Wings have coveted him for a while. Now they finally have him. It’s quite obvious why they coveted him.
Next: #9