Mike Green’s Remarkable Season

Posted by Richard Pollock in Washington Capitals on April 6, 2009 — 5 Comments

From James Mirtle of From the Rink:

So, Green’s 30 goals (and counting, given he has three games left to play) in 65 games is pretty darn impressive, ranking tied for 15th (or 14th if you throw Housley out) in the all-time scoring ranks for defencemen. In goals per game, Green’s performance is tied for seventh, and works out to 38 goals over an 82-game season.

But … like Ovechkin’s marvelous 65-goal season last year, Green’s managed the feat in an ultra-low-scoring era. Orr is the only other player in NHL history to have scored 30 goals in a season that averaged less than 6.24 goals per game, and Green has done it in one that so far has averaged only 5.70.

So, using my crude adjustments for era, where would Green rank if we put these top campaigns in 2008-09 goals?

To see where Green ranks all-time click on the remainder of the post here.

It’s funny James posted this Green piece this morning because I came across Green’s numbers (about five minutes before reading his post) and was pretty astounded by how good they were. He has become the best offensive defenseman in hockey in a very short time and if he continues to work on his defensive game, he should be a shoe-in for Team Canada 2010.

The Caps have the best scoring forward and best scoring defenseman in hockey locked up for a long, long time. Good on George McPhee.

http://www.illegalcurve.com david

So does he win the Norris?
http://www.illegalcurve.com Richard

Still has to be Chara in my mind.
Mikos

What about Nicklas Lidstrom? +30 and solid. 56 points this year. Although he has played 10 more games than Green.
Bob Roberts

No Norris — should, but those awards are so “pay your dues” and “respect your elders” and “he’s young and has his whole career to win the Norris” and “needs to pay his dues” et cetera et cetera that he’ll finish second/third in the voting with much fluffing about despite getting the (composite) shaft. It’ll be Lidstrom — or maybe it’ll be Chara’s “turn”. I’d be hard-pressed to choose among those three, wouldn’t you? The NHL being so scoring-slanted you’d think the focus would be on guys like him, especially in the US, but…

Green plays so many PP minutes (and minutes, period) on such a powerpacked PP that it’s easy to forget he’s so young. I think not enough attention is given to his +/- (flawed stat that it is in many ways): those PP points don’t count in +/- and his big TOI has him playing in all situations and against the top opposition lines. Next year maybe. But who knows? Stranger things…
http://www.illegalcurve.com david

Seems like Shea Weber has fallen out of contention. If I recall correctly he was getting some major discussion earlier in the year but you don’t hear his name mentioned in the same manner as the above three (Lidstrom, Chara, Green).