Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green will be unavailable for the remainder of the 2018 pre-season and the start of the regular season after a recent blood test revealed that he’s suffering from a virus that’s affecting his liver.
The timing is especially unfortunate, since Green had just been cleared for contact right before training camp began following neck surgery this spring.
Coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Ken Holland explained more about the situation.
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“He’s not available right now,” Blashill said. “He’s got a virus that attacked his liver, so he’s seeing an infectious disease person today and we should know more here in the next little bit. I don’t know how long he’s going to be out. I don’t know the totality of it.”
Holland noted that Green “hasn’t had a lot of energy. He’s trying to see a doctor today or Monday.” Holland added, “certainly it appears he is going to be out for a little period of time.”
“We don’t really know the extent of exactly what he has got,” Holland continued. “But we are shutting him down pending what information we get from a specialist.”
Green put up 33 points in an injury shortened season last year, leading all Detroit defenseman. His absence from the lineup means that Detroit will begin the season with at least two defensive prospects on their roster. Prime candidates to fill that position include Dennis Cholowski. Libor Sulak, Filip Hronek and Joe Hicketts. Cholowski is a first round selection by Detroit from 2016.
“Now we have five D, and we are probably going to start with seven,” Holland said. “Now, how long is Mike Green out? Certainly it appears he is going to be out for a little period of time. So probably we are going to start with two of these defense prospects – either Sulak or Hicketts or Cholowski or Hronek.”
