Green Set To Soar Against Jets

The Detroit Red Wings will welcome back another veteran presence to their defense, as Mike Green will make his season debut Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Green has been out since September due to a viral infection in his liver. "First, whether it’s Green or (Trevor) Daley who miss time or (Jonathan) Ericsson or (Danny) DeKeyser (who) is still out, those are real defensemen in the NHL,… Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "(They’re) proven to be at least in your top six and you could argue certainly a number of them could be on a team’s top four. They’re just really good players so, you miss their ability number one and their experience. "Two things matter in success, talent and experience and a lot of them have both. Greener specifically, he’s a guy who pushes the puck out of your end, he’s a good breakout guy because of his skating and his poise and he’s a guy who can add offense and we haven’t scored enough on our chances. And we’ve certainly had lots of times where we’ve created lots of chances and haven’t scored and he’s a guy who can score.… Blashill will pair Green with rookie Dennis Cholowski, who has arguably been the team’s most consistent defender this season. “He’s such a great, young talent,… Green said. “I’ve been able to watch him over the last month and a bit, he’s really multidimensional. He’s kind of got all the tools in the tickle trunk. “Now I get a chance to play with him.… Blashill thinks both defensemen can contribute to Detroit’s offense in different fashion. “Obviously, they’re two guys who can move the puck,… Blashill said. “Mike is a little more active in his skating, Dennis is a little more efficient in his offense where it doesn’t come so much from beating people up the ice as it does from his stick and his poise.… De La Rose Debut Forward Jacob De La Rose will also see his first action as a Wings since being claimed on waivers from the Montreal Canadiens. “I think I’m a responsible two-way center,… De La Rose said. “I can play on the wing, too. Good skater, good on the penalty kill. I think I have some offense in me, too that I hope and can bring to this club. De La Rose will wear No. 61. Change The Channel? Wings ownership is exploring the possibility of launching their own television channel built around the Wings and the other team they own, the Detroit Tigers. This regional sports network would serve as the television, broadcast and distribution home for the Tigers, the Red Wings and additional sports - and entertainment-related content. The extensive exploratory process will begin immediately, and no deadline has been set for completion. “FOX Sports Detroit is a great partner and we look forward to discussing renewal and extension possibilities,… said Chris Granger, group president, sports and entertainment for Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “At the same time, we have two perennially highly-rated and historic franchises, which provide compelling year-round content and programming. “As such, we feel our organization is uniquely positioned to explore the launch of what we believe could be a highly successful regional sports network.… Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer