Just classify the Detroit Red Wings as Green without envy. And without Green.
Mike Green, that is - as in Detroit’s best defenseman. Wings coach Jeff Blashill broke the bad news Friday morning as they prepared to face the Ottawa Senators.
“Mike Green is out, I’m gonna use the timetable 3-5 weeks,” Blashill said. “I think all those are always flexible, but right now we’re looking at 3-5 weeks for Mike Green.”
Green has a lower-body injury. It’s not clear when the mishap occurred. Green did leave Monday’s 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings after absorbing a hit from Kings forward Nikita Scherbak late in the game, but he returned to play in Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.
The Wings recalled defenseman Filip Hronek from AHL Grand Rapids and assigned defenseman Brian Lashoff to the same club. Hronek recorded 1-2-3 totals in six games with the Wings earlier this season.
“The reason we’re making that switch is Fil’s skill set obviously, is much more similar to Mike Green in terms of a skater, puck mover, potential power-play guy, although (Niklas) Kronwall will spend some time on the power play in Green’s spot as well,” Blashill said.
Green missed the first nine games of the season with a liver infection and the Wings were 1-7-1 without him. They are 13-7-3 with Green in the lineup.
“He’s played excellent,” Blashill said. “Anytime a guy’s playing excellent and gets hurt it’s unfortunate for him and the team. But certainly for all of us, because he was really grooving. I thought he was really playing well.
“I thought our record has reflected that in the time he’s spent with us, compared to the time he spent without us.”
Others will be required to fill the void in Green’s absence and Blashill can only hope that they fare better at it this time around.
“How much it hurts or doesn’t hurt always depends on how the other guys play,” Blashill said. “Not just Filip, but how the other five play. If they play great in his absence, if all six play great in his absence you don’t feel the loss nearly as much as if guys struggle.
“We’re in a spot right now where we’ve got a number of injuries, similar to the beginning of the year. We need guys to step up and play close to 100 percent of their ability. If everybody plays close to 100 percent of their ability, we’ll be totally fine. If guys have off days, or have their B or C games, then it’s not good enough, because you don’t have as many guys to rely on as you do when a Mike Green is in. But by no means is it a barrier to success. We just need guys to step up and play great hockey.”
Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, who was also ailing and skipped Thursday’s practice, was cleared to play Friday.
“I feel pretty good today, so it’s a matter of maintaining,” Ericsson said. “I thought yesterday it was probably better for me to stay off. I felt pretty good on the ice today.”
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