2007-08 Rink Wrap: Mike Green

From Backstrom to Steckel, we're taking a quick look at and grading the 2007-08 season for every player* who laced 'em up for the Caps during the campaign (and is still with the team) with an eye towards 2008-09. Next up, Mike Green.

Contract Status: RFA; 2007-08 salary of $850,000 ($833,333 average salary over the life of his entry deal)
Age (as of October 1, 2008): 22
NHL Seasons (including 2007-08): 2+
2007-08 Regular Season Stats: 82 games played, 18 goals, 38 assists, +6, 32 PIMs
Key Stats: Green led all NHL blueliners in goals and was tied for the NHL lead in OT game-winning goals with three (which set a team record for the most OT goals in a season).
(Un)surprising Stat: Green's 20-goal/65-point pace once Bruce Boudreau took over behind the bench would have been good for second among all NHL defensemen in points this season (and his plus-18 pace under Gabby was pretty sweet too).

The Good: Green was more than just a goal-scorer in his breakout 2007-08. He was seventh among NHL defensemen in total points (third among all Caps skaters), didn't miss a game all season, led the team in ice time, and had a robust +11 rating in 30 regular season games from February on. He set career highs in every positive stat category, scored more goals than he had at any level (well, beginning with juniors, at least), and was third among D-men in shots on goal. Green was third on the team in takeaways and stepped it up in the playoffs with a pair of huge goals in Game 1 and a Gordie Howe Hat Trick in Game 3 before being slowed by a couple of injuries.

The Bad: Green was third among all NHL defensemen in giveaways, but he made up for it with a better giveaway-to-takeaway ratio than, for example, Nicklas Lidstrom (of course, Green's decision-making still leaves something to be desired at times - see Caps/Flyers Game 2). He had the fewest blocked shots per game of any regular Caps defenseman and lost the only faceoff he took all year (hey, it's tough to find negatives for the kid's season).

The Vote: Rate Green on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential for the season - if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

The Questions: How much (dollars and years) would you be willing to give Green to keep him in D.C.? What would you like to see Green work on most in the offseason? What will it take for him to earn a 10 rating next year?

If you've missed any of the previous 2007-08 Rink Wraps, click here, get caught up, and vote - polls will stay open for a while.

* And by "every," we mean every one who played more than just a handful of games.