Mike Green to Detroit Red Wings: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The Detroit Red Wings announced on Wednesday that they have signed free-agent defenseman Mike Green to a three-year contract. 

According to Greg Whyshynski of Yahoo Sports, the deal is worth $18 million.

Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News reported that the Red Wings were not expected to be one of the more active sides in the NHL's free-agency period. He wrote on June 27 that "judging from the sound of it, general manager Ken Holland isn't planning on opening the checkbook as if it were the NHL of 10 to 15 years ago."

Instead, Detroit has landed one of the most talented defensemen free agency had to offer this offseason. Last season, Green recorded 45 points (10 goals, 35 assists), and he has proved to be one of the better puck-moving defensemen in the league.      

According to James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail, the length of the contract is just right.

Green will be entering his 11th season in the NHL—all prior were with the Washington Capitals. The 29-year-old is in the prime of his career, joining a team that posted mediocre numbers with a 2.57 GAA per game (15th in the NHL) and an 80.9 percent penalty kill (17th).

His style of play is just what the Red Wings needed. With such a skilled roster headlined by forwards such as Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit was in need of a distributor coming from the blue line to not only set up chances, but to score too. 

Green can be a first-pairing defenseman as the Red Wings have reinforced their blue line. Niklas Kronwall, at 34 years old, was not receiving much help from the rest of his group, which led Detroit to trade for the New Jersey Devils' Marek Zidlicky in March.

Good things were not happening while Detroit's best defensemen were on the ice. Three of five Red Wings blueliners who recorded 70 games or more in the regular season carried negative plus-minus ratings, including Kronwall's minus-four mark.

Kyle Quincey, who played in 73 games, carried a plus-10 rating to lead all defensemen. Last season with the Capitals, Green carried a plus-15 mark and will continue to create chances while playing shutdown defense for a Red Wings side that is looking to get back to elite status in the NHL.

Stats courtesy of NHL.com.