Looking for Greener Pastures

Needless to say, 2003-04 was not kind to the Saskatoon Blades. After finishing the season with a mere seven wins and nearly equaling a league record for the longest futility stretch, the Blades are looking forward to putting this season in the rearview mirror. Most of the players have little to rest their hopes on other than the promise of a better campaign next year. Most of the players, however, are not Mike Green.

After stepping to the fore during the Remax Canada/Russia Challenge, and then strengthening his stock at the Top Prospects Game, Green has emerged from the Blades’ debacle like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a fire; energized and looking forward to the NHL Entry Draft and an even larger role on the 2004-05 edition of the Blades. Recently, Green took time to talk with McKeen’s correspondent Trent Allen.

McKeen’s: Let’s start off with the Blades. Simply put, it was a hard season. How hard was it as a player, and on the team in general?

Mike Green: It was hard to deal with. It was very frustrating. It was hard for me considering it was my draft year. There was a lot of emotion though the year. I think it was a learning experience for a lot of people, myself as well. I learned a lot. I got the opportunity to wear the C when injuries happened, and I think I learned a lot from that. It is nice to have the season all over though and we can start over next year.

McKeen’s: The Blades struggled out of the gate this season under Kevin Dickie, going 3-9-3-1. After Dickie guided the team to a forty win season last year and a playoff berth, do you think he got a fair chance this season?

Mike Green: We actually thought we’d do really well this year. But we struggled and we had some injuries and it just ended up seeming like the whole season was one big slump.

McKeen’s: Why do you think the team struggled even more after the change to Jamie Reeve as coach, going only 4-43-8-1 after the change?

Mike Green: We had a lot of injuries, a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. It’s hard to get into a set system when guys are playing with different linemates every night and can’t get used to who they are playing with. I think the biggest thing though was that we never really got the leadership from our older guys that we needed. We needed leadership from them and we didn’t get it.

McKeen’s: So who do you see stepping up to provide leadership next year?

Mike Green: Myself, Ryan Keller. The older guys for next year. We need to step up.

McKeen’s: Why do you think the coaching change didn’t make a positive difference?

Mike Green: Well, like I said, we had a lot of injuries and it was hard to set up a system. It seemed like a midget game all the time. Just go out, run around and try to score. We lacked any sort of a system.

McKeen’s: The Blades had a 31-game winless streak, which was just five games short of the WHL record. How did you deal with the talk surrounding the fact you were closing in on a dubious record? How did the team as a whole deal with it?

Mike Green: (sighs) Yeah. There was a lot of talk about it. You try not to pay attention to it or talk about it, but it still ends up getting talked about. We knew it was there. You just try and go out and play your game and try not to focus on it much.

McKeen’s: You were named team MVP and top defenseman for this season. What did you think of these honors?

Mike Green: It’s an honor first of all. I think it started last summer when I really put in a commitment to my training and I think it paid off in a big way this year. I just wanted to pay the Blades back for all that they have done for me. I’ve had a lot of fun with this team and it felt good to give something back on the ice.

McKeen’s: You touched on this earlier, but what did it mean to you to get the captaincy?

Mike Green: It was an honor. I’ve wanted to be a captain since I joined the league. I think I have good leadership skills and I’m honored to have the chance to be a captain.

McKeen’s: Do you think of yourself as a natural leader?

Mike Green: umm, well not really. I think leadership is really a skill you have to develop. I don’t think you can really be a natural leader. I think it’s something you work on and it’s something I have worked on and I feel I can be a leader.

McKeen’s: Despite missing thirteen games this year, you still finished second on the Blades in scoring and actually had the highest point per game average on the entire team among regulars. How important is generating offense for you?

Mike Green: It’s pretty important. Scoring on the powerplay is big. The ability to move the puck on the backend on the powerplay is important and I can do that well.

McKeen’s: You finished 12th in scoring among WHL defenseman. If you had played every game, you would have finished in the top five despite playing on the lowest scoring team in the league. Is this a natural product of the system the team played, or do you consider yourself to be an offensive-minded defenseman?

Mike Green: Well, I think I had more leeway offensively after the coaching change, but I don’t consider myself a naturally offensive player. I think it’s a skill you work on. A lot of my goals came on the powerplay as well. I think I can make a good first pass and I can score, but I don’t consider myself a naturally gifted offensive player.

McKeen’s: You were invited to the WJC team’s camp in August. What was that like?

Mike Green: It was an honor. It was disappointing I didn’t get the call, but I’m ok with it. They had a great set of defensemen there and it was great to be put in a group with them. I’m just going to work harder next year and see what happens. I’d like to make the team next year.

McKeen’s: Were you disappointed that you weren’t on the initial roster for the WHL games in the Remax Canada/Russia Challenge?

Mike Green: I was a little bit yeah. I thought I was playing well, but that’s not my choice and I had to live with it. In the end, I got to go anyways, so it all worked out.

McKeen’s: Like you said, you were invited as a replacement when Ian White was injured. What was it like to play in those games?

Mike Green: It was awesome. I played with a lot of the guys on that team before in other tournaments. The games were a great experience and I had a great time. It was a lot of fun.

McKeen’s: Were you disappointed the Russians never sent their best players?

Mike Green: A little bit. It was still a lot of fun though and they did have some good players there. Just to be able to be compared to some of those players is amazing.

McKeen’s: You have previous international experience both at the Eight Nations Cup in 2002 and playing for Team Pacific in the Under-17 World Championships. What were those two experiences like?

Mike Green: The Under-18 tournament was unreal. All the events I’ve been to I consider to be just a great life experience. They were just unreal and I think they are the best hockey experiences I’ve had in my career so far.

McKeen’s: You were drafted in the second round, 30th overall in the 2000 Bantam Draft. Did any teams speak to you prior to the draft?

Mike Green: Every team but Saskatoon (laughs).

McKeen’s: Did you have any idea of where you’d go?

Mike Green: No. I had no idea where I’d go. I didn’t really know much about the draft till about a month before it. Then teams started calling and talking to me. But I never knew anything about where I’d go.

McKeen’s: What did you think of your time at the Top Prospects Game?

Mike Green: It was a lot of fun. There are a lot of scouts and you just try and go out and have fun and play your game and try and show everyone what kind of player you are and what you can do.

McKeen’s: What did you think of the atmosphere surrounding the event, with many key hockey minds taking it all in?

Mike Green: It was pretty nerve racking. There are a lot of people watching you play and you’re just trying to play your game. It was still a great experience.

McKeen’s: I have to ask about the hit at the Top Prospects Game. It was one of the highlights of the game. Did you go into the game trying to showcase your hitting skills? Were you looking for the hit?

Mike Green: umm, I don’t think so. My physical play was criticized a lot at the beginning of the year. It’s been something I’ve been working on this year at getting better. But, I don’t think I was looking for it. I mean, there are times when you look for certain things in a play that might tell you the opportunity is there to step up and make a hit. I saw it and took it.

McKeen’s: We talked about your offense. But you are known for your hitting. How much emphasis do you put into trying to make a big hit during a game?

Mike Green: Yeah. I try to throw a big hit early in a game. We all need to get into the game. It helps the team and myself get pumped up and into the game.

McKeen’s: The most important aspect to many when it comes to hockey is skating. Could you describe your skating and do you feel it is an area of concern for you?

Mike Green: It is a weakness of mine. I need to get more strength in my lower body to become a powerful skater. I’m not going to be the fastest guy, but I need a more powerful stride to play my position better.

McKeen’s: Looking towards the draft, you were ranked 8th in the CSB mid-term rankings of North American skaters. What did you think of that ranking?

Mike Green: I was excited. I mean, to get ranked with players like that is awesome. But I’m not thinking about it to much. It doesn’t really matter till your name gets called in June and I’m looking forward to that.

McKeen’s: Are you going to the Draft (in Carolina)?

Mike Green: Yes.

McKeen’s: Given your ranking, it is very close to where the Oilers and Flames are slated to pick from. What would it be like for you to play for a team close to your home town?

Mike Green: ohhh, that’d be awesome. Like, wow. I grew up cheering for both the Oilers and the Flames so that’d be unreal. It’d be like a dream come true really.

McKeen’s: So, if you had to pick a team, which one would it be?

Mike Green: (laughs) well…. Umm… I don’t know. I cheered for both teams. It would cause some family fights I think. My Dad is a Flames fan, my Mom cheers for the Oilers so it’d be hard to pick.

McKeen’s: What draft eligible players have you been impressed with this year from the WHL and why?

Mike Green: I’d have to say Andrew Ladd. He’s like me, in that he’s in his overage draft year and for him to put up points like he has is impressive. He’s a big guy who’s really hard to move and to play against. He kind of reminds me of Sakic in that he can put up points and he is very quick.

McKeen’s: What are your weaknesses?

Mike Green: I think I try to do a little too much. I over exert myself sometimes. I tend to hold onto the puck a little too long looking to make a play rather then just making the safe play.

McKeen’s: What are your strengths?

Mike Green: I see the ice well, I think I can make a good first pass to start the offense and clear our end, I can provide offense and I play a good physical game. That’s what I’d say are my strengths.

McKeen’s: Why should an NHL team draft you?

Mike Green: I think they’re getting a kid who knows what he wants. I’ve wanted to play in the NHL for a long time. They’re getting a kid who thinks he knows what it will take to get his game to the next level and who can play any role they want him to play. I’ll do whatever it takes to get to the NHL.