Caps Demote Green

But why Green? To put it simply (and perhaps cruelly), because they could. Of the 10 Washington defensemen, Green and Jeff Schultz are the only two who can be sent to Hershey without first having to clear waivers. Schultz has played so well of late that it would be even more cruel to send him out at the moment. When [John] Erskine and/or [Bryan] Muir returns, the Caps may have to send Schultz to Hershey anyway.

That's their decision. They obviously have a plan. Obviously, [the NHL] is the best league in the world and I'm playing against some of the best players in the world. It made me realize the magnitude and the effort and the focus you have to put in every night to be good in [the NHL]. It's been a great experience and I'll be back there soon.

For us, with all these defensemen here, it's the easy decision because he can down. From a hockey standpoint, I want to see him play some games down there and get back to playing up in the neutral zone. I want him to carry the puck and create some offense. We want more offense from him. It's an opportunity for him to go down and do those things.

There's no guarantees in this business, but there's a pretty good chance he'll be back sooner than later.