Last month, Alex Green signed a contract to return to the Wolves for the 2023-24 season. The defenseman was the first player added to the roster as general manager Wendell Young builds the team for ’23-24. In Part 2, Green talks about improving his game next season, hockey in Chicago and his idols while growing up.
Which areas of your game do you hope to see the most improvement during the 2023-24 season?
“I really want to improve the offensive side of my game, so this summer I’m working on different things on the offensive blue line and then the cliché things like getting bigger, stronger and faster.”
Are you a numbers guy? Do you set goals for yourself for the season?
“I like to hold myself to high expectations, but I think I’m playing my best 
when I’m not really thinking too much about things on the ice and I’m just kind of reacting.”
This is a tough question this early, but what are the expectations for the team this season?
“(General manager) Wendell Young’s resume speaks for itself—he’s done pretty much everything he can in this league and he knows how to attract players so we have all the confidence in the world in him and what he’s going to do with the roster.
I’m sure we’re going to be as competitive as any team in the league and hopefully make another run to a Calder Cup. I can’t wait to get things going.”
You’re from Chicago—how has hockey grown in the area?
“If you look at the NHL Draft, it seems like every year now there are guys from Chicago getting drafted. The game is growing and there are a lot of kids interested in playing hockey and it obviously helps when you have as many Triple-A clubs as we do in the city and the surrounding suburbs. I think it’s a really exciting time for Illinois hockey and Chicago hockey in general.”
Who were your idols while growing up?
“I definitely looked up to my grandfather (Ray Farley). He played football at Northwestern and he actually was on the team that won the 1949 Rose Bowl. He was a great athlete and I definitely have him to thank for me being so interested in sports at such a young age.
And then this is kind of crazy but (longtime NHLer) Bob Probert lived two doors down for me and he was always playing ball hockey in the alley with all the kids in the neighborhood. So he probably had a bit to do with me playing hockey as well.”
What do you like to do when you’re not playing hockey?
“I’m starting to get into golf a little bit now. I probably have Ryan Dzingel to thank for that. He’s a big golfer and he’s still local in the area so we’ve been out a few times.
Really, though, it’s just spending time with friends and family and enjoying the weather we have in Chicago during the summertime.”
For Part 1 of the conversation, go here.
