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Green, during Montreal Militia open practice</div>

After four highly successful years as an integral part of the Canisius Crusaders, Cleo Green has seen his role on the ice reset as he laced up the skates for the Montreal Militia of the SMJHL this season. But that hasn’t kept him from adjusting from the life a Buffalo boy with big dreams to that of a professional hockey player, if anything it’s kept him humble.

“It’s never easy to go from a place where you’re always in the limelight, to somewhere where no one really knows who you are,” Green explained, “Can’t expect anything other than what you put on the ice, and the rest comes with that.”

Well put for a first generation hockey player, born into a hockey loving white collar family. Son of Henry Green, president of Green Construction, Cleo found the voids in his life filled with the game.

“Whether it was waking up at 6 AM, getting to school at 7 and begging the before school program director to open the gym locker room so I could grab a stick,” Green recalled fondly, “Or playing pickup after school with all the kids waiting to get picked up by their parents. Hockey was just the most basic form of fun and recreation I ever had.”

His talent for the game quickly began to show itself, through the occasional flash towards a level of excellence that isn’t often seen at younger levels of competition. His father, an alumnus of St. Francis High School in Hamburg, found interest from high schools in his ability by the end of sixth grade.

While he admits that it was hard to see his son forge a new path against his alma mater, Henry has no resentment, “It was important for him to feel out every option and put himself in the most comfortable position, I think that’s evident in how successful he was at Canisius and how much he loved being there.”

Cleo found a rigid academic structure at Canisius that soon transformed his athletic life.
While the beginning of his first season was a bit rough, as he was belabored by a hip injury that sidelined his then-average efforts against a stronger competition. He used his time recovering to assess film, add more weight on, and recuperate to a level greater than what he achieved before.

“At one point I feared that he would hurt himself again,” his mother, Barbara, said, “It was a bit scary to find a fourteen-year-old awake and practicing as I got up out of bed.”

The work done certainly showed, throughout his high school Federation Hockey career, Green set records for most goals scored (83), most points (141), most games played (117), and had the most reliable points-per-game percentage (1.20) that the program had seen in its history. Each year the team was able to reach the NY State Championship Series, continuing a streak that’s been active since 2009, with championship victories coming in Green’s latter two seasons.

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Canisius Crusaders celebrating their 2015 NY State Championship</div>

Following such an incredible run, Cleo questioned how hockey would fit into his future. He received plenty of interest from a variety of collegiate programs, such as Boston College, Union, University of Vermont and the local Niagara University, but found himself with an opportunity to try and succeed at the dream. His parents definitely supported a move into a more academic environment over a life as a professional hockey player, intervening as best they could to ensure it was the right decision.

“We definitely pressured him a bit with pamphlets and websites of schools, or emails from the weekly Athletic Director that was trying to tie him down,” Barbara explained, “But with Cleo, there’s no tying him down. He’s going to do what he wants because that’s what’s best for him.”

And so he declared for the 29th SMJHL Draft, as a relative unknown. At his highest, he was projected to go in the late 1st or early 2nd Rounds, but found himself falling into the end of the 3rd Round where he was taken by Montreal with the 23rd pick. With relatives in the area and appreciation for the team, Green had a hope that the Militia would choose him to be a part of their follow-up campaign to a loss in the Four Star Cup Finals.

“I was incredibly excited to be chosen by [the Militia],” he exclaimed, “They’ve been my entryway into junior hockey with my grandfather. Without all those games I went to as a kid I might not have had an affection for this path.”

After quickly signing his rookie contract, he reported to training camp and began to engage with his new teammates. He lived with his grandparents for the first few weeks, which provided a focus on the game with less distractions from the live that goes on outside of it. It meant homecooked meals, nightly reading times, and early curfews - all of which have kept the youngster in check with his day-to-day routine.

“Most of the guys in the locker room knock on me for living with my old folks, but I think I’m the one living the high life,” he said with a laugh and thick smile, “They have me going to bed by 9 at the latest, but outside my window I have a perfect view to the arena so I usually stay up until 10 or 11 just looking out and relaxing.”

Unfortunately, even with that extra focus, finding his game among the pool of SMJHL talent wasn’t easy. He didn’t record his first point until his fifth game in a 7-2 rout of the St. Louis Scarecrows - a far cry from his previous production. His first goal came five games later, his third point overall, but cemented a matured appreciation for the game.

“The game before I snagged a helper for one of Kristian’s [Rozentals] great goals off of an interception from [Dan] Rage,” He chuckled, ”so he paid me back with a little help on my first.”

As the season has gone on Green has found some flashes in his redeveloping game, including a seven game stretch where he had two goals and an assist. His strongest statistics are his shot percentage, which he’s kept above 10% as of late, and his ability to stay out of the penalty box. His eight points through the first 34 games of the season doesn’t appear strong on a scoring sheet, he has found camaraderie with his teammates and the city he’s been calling home. As the Militia continue to propel themselves into further through their historic, potentially championship-winning season, Green sees only a brighter future ahead.

“We’re not stopping until we have won the Four Star Cup, and I think our play as a team has been reflective of that desire. Wherever I can contribute, I do, and it’s my job to get better at creating opportunities to do so. But with a team like this, it doesn’t seem like much is impossible anymore.”

Hey, nice write up!

Matt Lewis-Flood || G || West Kendall Platoon || 1018 TPE
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C.T. Carragher || F || Anaheim Outlaws || 511 TPE
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Bellamy Blake || LD || Vancouver Whalers || 814 TPE
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Originally posted by RainDelay@Apr 4 2016, 07:55 PM
Hey, nice write up!

Thanks! :D minus the typo in the title haha

nice work

Stampede are you watching? Hometown hero right here

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rookie bro!