Greene poised for return

Considering he was removed from injured reserve earlier today and was not among the skaters staying for extra work following this morning’s skate, signs point to defenseman Matt Greene returning to the lineup for tonight’s key game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Matt Greene, on how he felt after the morning skate:
“Good.”

Greene, on when he could return:
“Whenever they want me in the lineup.”

Greene, on whether he would be available tonight, if they need him:
“Yep.”

Greene on returning for a playoff push run after having missed 42 games:
“You’ve got to play. You’ve got to play sometime, you know? Figure out what it is. Playoffs are every other day. Obviously you’ve got to just play some games and try to get ready and see if I can handle it. That’s it.”

Greene, on whether he anticipates an adjustment period after having missed significant time:
“Hopefully it’s not too long, or else I’m not helping anybody. Hopefully I just get out there, take a hit, give a hit, and you get into the game.”

Jordan Nolan, on whether Greene’s return provides a lift to the team:
“Definitely. He’s definitely a big part of our team. He’s a big part of the leadership core, and he’s a good guy to have in the dressing room. So any time you see a guy like him coming back in the lineup, he’s going to help the team, and maybe if he wasn’t playing and was just sitting in the room with us, he’s still helping our team, so I think it’s pretty important to get him back in there.”

Nolan, on whether Greene, a popular figure, helped his transition to the NHL last season:
“Yeah, he just kind of makes you feel a little more comfortable. He’s always the guy trying to talk to the young guys when they’re first coming up and making them feel comfortable. I was kind of joking around with him a little bit. He definitely got on me a little bit last year with a few jokes in the room. It’s fun to have him around.”