Mike Green Is Human

[Jarick 5]

Washington Post

Upon returning to his hometown Calgary, he began rehabilitating his injured shoulder. And instead of working on building muscle like most fourth-year professionals, Green focused on shedding the 29 pounds he'd gained during the season and adhering to a healthier diet. Poor eating habits, Green said, had not only caused his weight gain but also were to blame for the dangerously low iron levels that sapped his energy in the playoffs.

Green said he has a genetic propensity to being overweight, and because of that, he needs to be more careful than his teammates.

"I've found that I'm not like everyone else," said Green, who reported to training camp last month weighing 204 pounds, just three more than the 201 pounds he checked in at a year earlier. "I can't eat whatever I want and be fine. I have to make sure that I eat a certain way to perform at my best."

Keeping the weight off will be his next challenge, but he's asked for help from his Calgary-based personal trainer, Doug Crashley, who said he plans to visit Green in Washington once each month.

"When he's not careful and there are late-night meals on the road, every calorie goes right on him," Crashley said by phone recently. "You can see it. I watch the games on the NHL Center Ice package. I watch all of his close-ups. And when I see some water weight build up in his face, I know it's time to give him a call and get on him."

Last season, Green said he would often skip breakfast before practice or a morning skate and then eat big, high-calorie lunches and dinners. But club sandwiches and fries are a thing of the past. On Tuesday, for example, Green said he ate egg whites, whole wheat toast and fruit for breakfast, a chicken Caesar salad and pasta for lunch and a chicken breast sandwich for dinner. He supplemented the meals with protein shakes and vitamins.

With his weight and nutrition under control, Green recently set out to fix another issue he had during the playoffs: finding a new stick that allowed him to "feel" the puck. The batch of sticks he had used to score all those goals in the regular season had run out before the playoffs, and Easton, the manufacturer, doesn't make them anymore.

Green tried a few different models in the preseason and first five games of the regular season before finally settling on the Easton ST for Monday's game. He also switched back to his old gloves.

"A lot of people think it's just a stick," Green said. "It's not."

Joel Fish, a sports psychologist who has worked with athletes on all of Philadelphia's professional teams, said Green's fixation on finding the perfect equipment is not unusual.

"If a player believes a bat has a lot of hits in it, or a stick has a lot of goals in it, it doesn't cause him to get hits and score goals but it helps their confidence, and so much of sport is confidence," Fish said. "Every bit can make a difference. A stick can give a player a sense of security a sense of control. It can be transferred to another stick. Players don't get to the NHL if they are not able to have flexibility or make adjustments" to new equipment.

Green said he's rediscovered that comfort level after scoring with his new stick against the Devils, gesturing as if he were cradling a stick in his two hands.

"My stick felt too long," Green said. "Then I cut it shorter, and it felt too short. It was all in my head. But now when I go to the rink, I just put on my gear and I just go. I don't think about anything, like my stick or this or that. That's when I'm at my best, when I'm just playing and not thinking."

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It's interesting that an NHL player goes through a lot of the same struggle us mortals do...putting on too much weight, feeling pressure, tinkering with equipment, etc. I've never heard of an NHL'er gaining 29 pounds DURING the season though, that's crazy. Nice to find an NHL'er I can relate to...

[furlanitalia 1]

It still baffles me that Mike Green can't get a stealth CNT. Honestly, did Easton just destroy the mold? How is sportchek getting them? and how do so many guys on here still have them? Derek Roy get's them painted as S17's (I know because I have one). Why can't Green get hooked up?

[Scotty 8]

It still baffles me that Mike Green can't get a stealth CNT. Honestly, did Easton just destroy the mold? How is sportchek getting them? and how do so many guys on here still have them? Derek Roy get's them painted as S17's (I know because I have one). Why can't Green get hooked up?

I've wondered this too.

They made the gloves Modano and Leetch wore for years and years after they'd been discontinued. To a certain extent, they made the Classic aluminum shafts for Shanny for years afterwards. Why can't Green get a stock of some damn CNTs?

[WSjo22 1]

Kinda funny because when watching the Pitt series I thought he looked real heavy, I know exactly how he feels as I put on 20lbs throughout the season and at the end of the year was pretty much useless. I spent the whole offseason getting my weight back down to about 10lbs lighter than I started last year and I feel like a million bucks

[Adam91 0]

Doesn't the average player lose 10-12lbs over a season as well?

[Chadd 916]

Doesn't the average player lose 10-12lbs over a season as well?

Depends on your eating habits. If you are constantly hitting up junk food, you will gain weight.

[Jarick 5]

And on your metabolism...I was down to 165 in February, went on some meds, and I was up to 190 a couple weeks ago. I gain weight terribly easily. I ate pretty healthy but between the meds and drinking on weekends I just ballooned up.

Luckily, I've been able to drop 10 pounds the last couple weeks cutting out most carbs and alcohol...it does make a difference in terms of endurance.

[The Mafia Line 0]

I always noticed that he was a little pudgy. I was watching his "day in the life" and I noticed that he has a very diamond shaped body. He's widest at the hips. He also didn't strike me as a very good skater.

[Chadd 916]

I always noticed that he was a little pudgy. I was watching his "day in the life" and I noticed that he has a very diamond shaped body. He's widest at the hips. He also didn't strike me as a very good skater.

That's the best aspect of his game.

[Law Goalie 147]

Ugh - damn endomorphic tendencies.

[Cobra2717 0]

Man Im the same way...i put on weight SO fast. Fortunately I can usually lose just as quick...it is just a pain in the ass to keep up with it lol.

Great article though, nice find!

[Jarick 5]

Ridiculous video of him skating...he just rips across the ice in a few strides.

[furlanitalia 1]

I don't think its so much it only takes him a few strides, it's how effortlessly he does it, and how smooth he controls the puck.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

very Niedermayeresque

[raygunpk 0]

Who's on the ice for those videos? Looks like he's owning everyone easily.

[dsjunior1388 81]

very Niedermayeresque

I was thinking he looked like Paul Coffey.

[The Mafia Line 0]

I don't know what it is about his skating. He a real good NHL player, you can't deny that. He's quick, he just looks awkward on crossovers or switching from front to back. Again, he's a good NHL player, but he looks a bit off on his strides.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

It still baffles me that Mike Green can't get a stealth CNT. Honestly, did Easton just destroy the mold? How is sportchek getting them? and how do so many guys on here still have them? Derek Roy get's them painted as S17's (I know because I have one). Why can't Green get hooked up?

I've wondered this too.

They made the gloves Modano and Leetch wore for years and years after they'd been discontinued. To a certain extent, they made the Classic aluminum shafts for Shanny for years afterwards. Why can't Green get a stock of some damn CNTs?

Wrong on all three players you named. Modano's last pair of Easton gloves were obtained from a memorabilia collector and the director of sales for Easton at the time, both who had pairs.

Leetch used to break in gloves 2 years before you saw him use in a game.

With Shanahan, they made a final production run for him before they discontinued it.