Jets Notebook

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This article was published 07/12/2016 (3201 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Green an atypical success story

Mike Green is not a typical Canadian hockey success story.

He was already 10 years old when he played the game for the first time, joining a minor hockey program in Calgary so he could hang out with his buddies at the rink.

“All my buddies had been playing since they were five,” said the Detroit Red Wings defenceman Tuesday afternoon. “I got bored and all the friends I had made through soccer and baseball all played hockey. I could skate but I couldn’t skate backwards.”

Within four years, he was playing at the triple-A level and another two years later he was on his way to becoming an elite defenceman with the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades.

“The only way I was able to play with my friends was if I was good enough,” said the 31-year-old Green, who is in his 11th season in the NHL. “It’s about good timing and opportunity, too. I had a lot of good friends that didn’t have the right timing or opportunity.”

Green spent his first nine seasons racking up big numbers with the Washington Capitals before leaving as a free agent. He’s currently in the second year of a three-year, US$18-million deal with the Red Wings.

“To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Green, who scored seven goals and added 28 assists in 74 games with Detroit during the 2015-16 season. “Obviously, I had an idea of their history and what they’re all about. But coming into it, trying to find my way and my role on the team. Everything’s been very positive.”

This season, Green has shown he’s still capable of generating some explosive nights on offence. He fired his first career hat trick on Oct. 17 and almost added a second Sunday night in a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders, but his third goal was disallowed following a coach’s challenge for goaltender interference. He had six goals and 16 points in 26 games entering Tuesday’s action.

“For the last while I’ve really been trying to focus on getting better defensively. Sometimes, that will take away from the offensive-mindedness,” said Green. “Now the offence is starting to come back.”

Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg loves the multifaceted game Green has brought to Motown.

“It’s been smooth,” Zetterberg said of Green’s transition. “You kinda saw it the last couple of months last year. He was really good for us then. This year, I think he’s been really outstanding for us. It was probably an adjustment for him coming from another team. Probably system-wise was the biggest change, but he skates well, sees the ice well, he’s got a good shot, plays in all situations. So we’re glad to have him.”

Winnipeg signs D-man Stanley

The Jets signed 2016 first-round pick Logan Stanley to a three-year entry-level deal with an average annual value of US$1.1375 million Tuesday.

Stanley, chosen 18th overall, is a 6-7, 231-pound blue-liner with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. He has two goals and seven assists in 20 game thus far in 2016-17.

Concussion protocol makes sense

The NHL’s concussion protocol has taken some criticism recently, particularly after Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid was ordered off the ice by one of the league’s concussion spotters. McDavid returned to action after a short absence but wasn’t happy about being sidelined.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice is unequivocal in his support of the league mandate, no matter how it may impact his team in the short term.

“It’s outstanding, completely,” said Maurice. “It’s going to bite everyone in the butt at some point. You’re going to lose a player off your bench you don’t want to lose at that point in time. Of course you don’t want to lose anybody, but for long-term health, I think it’s outstanding.”

Maurice, who said he had as many as four players removed during one game this season under this initiative, added the benefits of vigilance are clear.

“We’ve had a few guys miss time here this year…,” he said. “Because we do know that the more seriously they’re treated or more cautiously they’re treated… the number of man games we’ve lost has gone way down.”

After further review…

If you’re wondering why Maurice and members of his staff appear to be looking down after a goal, penalty or controversial play, there’s a good reason.

Per league regulations, all NHL player benches have been equipped with television monitors that allow coaches to review video, often with the purpose of deciding whether to launch a coach’s challenge. An assistant coach is in contact with a member of the club’s video department to assess the various camera angles available to him.

Those monitors are installed in the floor (as the 24-inch screens are at the MTS Centre) or on the wall behind the coaches or in another nearby location.

“You’re checking the blue lines, so those are running at the same time,” said Maurice. “We get the program feed and we get all the hawkeye (video) feeds.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14