Ted Green

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Theodore "Terrible Ted" Green (born March 23, 1940 in Eriksdale, Manitoba) was a professional hockey defenseman for the NHL Boston Bruins and the WHA New England Whalers and Winnipeg Jets, notable for his hard rock play.

Green was originally the property of the Montreal Canadiens, but was claimed by the Bruins in the summer of 1960 and was called up for good in the 1961-1962 season. He played ten seasons for Boston, gaining a reputation as a hard-hitting defensive defenseman, as well as one for violent play, and was a bulwark on the blue line when the Bruins emerged from being at the bottom of the league to becoming a powerhouse in the late Sixties. He was named to play in the All-Star Game in 1965 and 1969.

Coming off of his best season in 1969 (for which he was named to the Second All-Star Team), Green was involved in an infamous incident in an exhibition game versus the St. Louis Blues prior to the start of the 1969-1970 regular season, engaging in a bloody stick fight with Blues forward Wayne Maki. Green was struck in the head, suffering a fractured skull and brain damage, and missing the remainder of the 1970 season, during which Boston won the Stanley Cup. Though Green did not officially win the Cup, his teammates gave him his share of the prize money.

He returned the following season to play two more years with Boston (and played for the 1972 Cup winning team) before jumping to the upstart Whalers, being named their first captain and leading the team to the WHA's inaugural league championship. After three seasons with the Whalers, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets, with whom he finished out his career in 1979.

Green ended his playing career with 254 points and 1029 penalty minutes in 620 games (NHL) and 180 points and 304 penalty minutes in 452 games (WHA). He is 17th all-time in games played in the WHA.

After his retirement, Green served for many years as the assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers, which was run by his close friend and former teammate Glen Sather. He was named head coach of the Oilers in 1991 just as the great team of the Oilers' championship years in the Eighties was collapsing, and he was fired partway into the 1994 season. He is currently assistant coach of the Sather-run New York Rangers.