No, it unfortunately is not a nightmare, this is real life.
The Detroit Red Wings 2014 off-season has just hit a new low, as they pour salt in the wound with a Dan Cleary signing that leaves more than a few people scratching their heads. With two knees that are shot, the 35-year old Newfoundlander was given a raise! The deal goes for $1.5 million with $1 million in bonuses. BONUSES! Cleary played 52 games last year and had a whopping eight points and was a minus 11. He missed time after being a healthy scratch for most of January then being injured the rest of the year. Let us be reminded that this man was the reason Gustav Nyquist did not start the year in Detroit last season. He will more than likely prevent yet another sparkling prospect in Tomas Jurco from joining the team in October as well. Just a few hours ago, Ken Holland has stressed that he will have to beat people out to make the team, and that better be true because experience for the 21-year old is the best medicine.
Here’s a stat that just makes the signing that much more gruesome: Tomas Jurco had more points in 36 games played, (15) than Cleary had in his 52 games played, eight. (Winging It In Motown) Can you say deja vu? (Nyquist)
This now points fingers at Detroit’s GM, Ken Holland. What can you say about what he has brought Detroit since taking over as GM in 1997? Four Stanley Cups won, 100 point season after 100 point season, draft steals that still have people talking, etc. However, his turnouts in the last few off-seasons have just been downright terrible. In 2012, Detroit swung and missed at every decent free agent and signed Jordin Tootoo, Mikael Samuelsson, Kyle Quincey, and Carlo Colaiacovo. In an off-season that saw Tomas Holmstrom and Nick Lidstrom retire, it was a poor showing to say the least. Fast forward two years later. Here’s his chance to redeem himself. Big name defensemen on the market including Matt Niskanen, Anton Stralman, Christian Ehrhoff, and Dan Boyle. He swung and missed on all of them and has signed Kyle Quincey so far without making a trade, which should be interesting to follow throughout the summer. Getting back to what Ken Holland has done lately, it has just been sadly unreal how the past two off-seasons have turned out. This writer is not on the #FireHolland bandwagon, but with the Cleary signing that was described as a “verbal agreement”, it’s just the cherry on the disappointment sundae.
This writer, along with all of Hockeytown hopes that Ken Holland comes to his senses sooner than later and gives up his “verbal agreements” with veterans. This team has a very bright future ahead of them, and the last thing they need is a signing like this.
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