There’s something really fantastic about the way in which the Dan Cleary saga labored out.
Here’s a player that followed his heart as an alternative of his bank account, forgoing the Philadelphia Flyers’ (a lot-ridiculed) three-12 months, $8.25-million contract to come back back to the Purple Wings on a one-12 months deal at simply $1.75 million.
He wished to be a Red Wing. The Red Wings wanted to be a Crimson Wing. Cue the romantic energy ballad and the tear-crammed hugging.
From MLive.com and GM Ken Holland:
“We expect we’re a greater team with Clears,” Holland stated. “He’s a versatile on the wing, he’s good within the locker room. Ultimately, he flew up (Wednesday) to fulfill with (coach Mike Babcock) and I at the airport and his message was he needed to be a Red Wing and he wanted to work with us.
“He hopes to play until he’s 38, 39 years of age. He’s 34, let’s take a one-12 months deal and trust that things will work out based mostly on the coach understanding him, primarily based upon the people who he knows in the locker room and the historical past of the possession in Detroit.”
Awwww …
Of course, he might have been a Pink Wing back in July, when Detroit provided him a three-year contract. Which he turned down. Then they traded for an additional No. 11, and instantly Dan Cleary wasn’t within the cards.
Then the Flyers come along and decide to get in the Dan Cleary enterprise, bringing him to camp and giving him a 3-yr deal for loopy cash for a third-liner. Which he then turns down, operating again to Detroit for one 12 months of job safety, and inflicting the Red Wings to should make one other transfer just to get him beneath the cap.
So congrats to Dan Cleary for.. one thing, I assume.
Do not let Red Wings’ Dan Cleary negotiate your next contract