Mike Green is not suiting up for Thursday night’s game against the Washington Capitals. Actually, he won’t be suiting up for any more games this season. The Detroit Red Wings have announced Green will undergo cervical spine surgery and will not return for the remainder of 2017-18.
UPDATE: #RedWings Defenseman Mike Green will undergo surgery on his cervical spine and will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season. pic.twitter.com/QwQU51KZ25
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 22, 2018
Green last played on Tuesday, hitting the ice for 23 minutes against Philadelphia. With eight goals and 25 assists in 66 games, Green was followed around by a lot of trade buzz near the deadline but ended up staying in Detroit. His three-year, $6 million AAV contract will expire this summer, when Green, 32, will be an unrestricted free agent.
The Red Wings would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss on Thursday.
The underlying cause of and prognosis for Green’s injury is not stated. Cervical spine surgery can be performed in a variety of ways for several reasons, and recovery periods vary from weeks to months. Earlier this season, Vancouver’s Derek Dorsett retired after his recovery from cervical spine surgery left him unable to play.
Headline photo: Bruce Bennett
