Mike Green (ice hockey)

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


team=Washington Capitals
former_teams =
league = NHL
position = Defence
shoots = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 2
weight_lb = 201
nickname = Game Over, Greenie, The Green Machine
nationality = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1985|10|12|mf=y
birth_place = Calgary, AB, CAN
draft = 29th overall
draft_year = 2004
draft_team = Washington Capitals
career_start = 2005

Mike Green (born Michael David October 12, 1985, Calgary, Alberta) is a professional ice hockey defenceman for the Washington Capitals. He is six feet, and one inch tall, weighs 200 pounds and shoots right.

He was drafted in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in the 1st round, 29th overall to the Washington Capitals.

Playing career

He scored his first career NHL goal against Ed Belfour and the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 1, 2006.

On January 23, 2007, he had three assists in the NHL YoungStars Game. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301956.html] .

Mike Green's nickname is "Game Over". The nickname became popular after the several game winning goals he has scored for the Capitals in the last minutes of the third period or in overtime. Joe Beninati, an NHL play-by-play announcer, has been known to say this phrase when calling games for the Washington Capitals.

Off the ice, Mike is involved in a number of community organizations and events. He is raising money for Children's National Medical Center as part of America's Giving Challenge, sponsored by Parade magazine. His fundraising badge is at [http://www.networkforgood.org/Pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=108100] . He also participated with Alex Ovechkin speaking at a local middle school and participating in a game of floor hockey. [http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=350302]

There is a "Gang Green" group that shows up at home games to cheer on the offensive defenceman. The group wears dark green t-shirts with "Gang Green" written on the front and "GAME OVER" for the name plate on the back above the number 52.

Green led the NHL in goals by defencemen in the 2007–2008 NHL season with 18. Even more remarkable, Green did not start his goal-scoring run until after Bruce Boudreau replaced Glen Hanlon as head coach on Thanksgiving Day, 2007.

In his first career playoff game on April 11, 2008 against the Philadelphia Flyers, Green brought Washington back from a 4–2 deficit with two goals in the third period. The Capitals eventually went on to win the game on an Alex Ovechkin game winning goal.

On April 15, 2008, Green recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight) in a 6–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal playoff series.

Green is known for a very powerful and heavy shot. On April 11, 2008, Green took a slap shot from the blue line that was blocked by Philadelphia's Patrick Thoresen. The shot broke Thoresen's protective cup and nearly ruptured a testicle. Thoresen had to be taken to a local hospital and missed the next game. [http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7vxxy_9pfJ8O1fP1DVCXVn9D4VA]

Green's signature "faux hawk" hairstyle has received increased publicity as his profile in the NHL has been raised. Many fans had their hair cut into mohawks and wore "Rock the Hawk" shirts to the Capitals' 2008 playoff games.

On May 21, 2008, Green was named to the Sporting News' NHL All-Star team along with teammate Alex Ovechkin. [http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=8d76e6a8-c5c1-483d-b0a8-6b708bfb637c]

On July 1, 2008, Green signed a 4-year contract extension with the Capitals, which averages $5.25 million a year.

Career statistics

International play

Played for Canada in:

*2008 World Championships (silver medal, selected to Media All-Star Team)

International statistics

External links

*
* [http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3667 Yahoo! sports]
*
* [http://www.networkforgood.org/Pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=108100 Charity badge for Children's National Medical Center]
* [http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=350302 Mike Green's Visit to Williamsburg Middle School]