Today we look back at defenceman Matt Greene, who wore #32 in his rookie season with the Oilers.

In terms of ones that got away, Matt Greene is a guy I’ll always think “what if?”

Greene was drafted by the Oilers in the 2nd round of the 2002 draft, but it took him some time before he broke into the NHL. The Oilers took him out of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, where he scored four goals and 20 points in 55 games while racking up 150 PIM. He made a name for himself as a tough-to-play against, hard-nosed defenceman and that’s exactly what he was through his entire career.

We went to the NCAA’s University of North Dakota serving as a captain in his final season before he turned pro in 2005-06 and over his three-year college tenure, he played in 122 games scoring three goals and 31 points to go along with him 341 PIM.

Greene’s inaugural season in 2005-06 saw him kick off the campaign with the AHL’s Iowa Stars playing 26 games, but he earned himself a recall to the big leagues after Christmas. He played in 27 games down the stretch for the Oilers, and while he missed the first four playoff games, he drew in for 18 of 20 through game seven against Carolina.

His time in Edmonton, however, would only last two more years. Looking to add some offence from the back end, the Oilers traded he and Jarrett Stoll to the LA Kings for Lubomir Visnovsky on June 29, 2008.

Greene, 25 at the time of the deal, and Stoll, 26, grew into key pieces for the Kings over the next decade as they helped win the franchise’s first, and second Stanley Cups — the only ones in LA’s history.

Visnovsky, meanwhile, was a great piece for the Oilers, but lasted just a year and a half in town before he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2010 for a 6th-round pick later used to select Brandon Davidson, and defenceman Ryan Whitney.