Mike Green announces retirement from NHL after 15 seasons

At 34 years old, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mike Green has decided to hang up his skates. 

Green, who spent 15 seasons in the NHL between the Oilers, Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings, suffered an MCL injury in February and opted out of the NHL's return to play this summer. Although he's now healthy, he says he's looking forward to other things that life has to offer. 

"Being an athlete isn’t the only part of who I am," he said, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "I am a husband, father, son, brother, uncle. I’ve been very fortunate to turn my passion into my profession, but at this point in my life, I’m considering other things that I feel called to do."

Green played just two games with the Oilers before suffering an injury. He was acquired by the club at the trade deadline.

The two-time All-Star had a fantastic career with the Red Wings and Capitals. He finished as a runner-up in Norris Trophy voting during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns, and is one of eight defensemen in NHL history to score 30 goals in a single season, which he accomplished in 2008-09 by scoring 31. 

Green totaled 150 goals and 501 points in 880 regular-season games while adding 37 points in 76 Stanley Cup playoff games.

The former Capitals defenseman isn't the only player to announce his retirement from hockey this season. Chris Thorburn and Joel Ward both announced their retirement in the previous months while Matt Stajan, Lee Stempniak, Dan Girardi, Niklas Kronwall, Cam Ward, Brooks Orpik and Rick Nash announced their retirement in 2019.