Detroit Red Wings Shouldn’t Bring Back Dan Cleary
When do you know it is time to move on and call it or a career? When you lose your drive to play or when you just can’t play anymore? The Detroit Red Wings have a choice to make this offseason with winger Dan Cleary. Clearly is an unrestricted free agent this July and in an interview with the The Telegram in St. Johns said that he was hoping for another year with the Red Wings.
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Cleary was signed to a one year deal last July that sat at $1.75 million. This season wasn’t pretty by any means for the 36 year-old. He played in only 17 games the entire season, wasn’t present in the playoffs. He was absent most of the season due in part to injuries and their inability to leave him alone. However, in his 17 games this season he registered one goal and one assist and was a minus 4 player.
Yet, now the problem comes to that Clearly still wants to play, at least one more season and thinks that he can have a bounce back year. He told Robin Short that loving the game made him want to come back it was just something he had to do.
"“I live for it. You don’t play this long without loving the game. I love to practise, I love to skate, I love working out. I love everything there is about hockey.”"
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While I love that Cleary loves the sport of hockey as much as he does, the Red Wings just can’t bring him back. Even if they can knock his contract down to the league minimum, it is not worth it. I appreciate what the guy has done for us in the past, but the time is now and he seems to be more of a liability than anything.
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This team has a few things it needs to do in the next few seasons. One of those things is become a younger team. Having the 36 year-old Cleary on the team is not going to help this team get younger. He thinks this could be a bounce back season for him, but, what if it isn’t? What if he only plays in 20 or so games and doesn’t help the team out? You have essentially wasted a roster spot on him.
You have a new coach coming in, a coach that has coached all your young players down in the AHL. Why would you want to give a roster spot to an older guy who may not perform the way you need him to? That roster spot could go to a young guy who is ready to move up to the NHL. It just seems so pointless to give a spot to Cleary when you have valuable guys in the wings waiting.
What do you guys think? Should the Red Wings bring Cleary back? Should they just let him go and bring a young guy up? Which young guy do they bring up to replace him? Let us know below and don’t forget to stay connected to Detroit Jock City for all your offseason Detroit Red Wings news.
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