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Dan Cleary
Jimmy Dickens dont take this stuff so serious.
Also please don't tell me or poster here to "lay off". If I feel inclined to rag on any one player I will do so...btw...I'm not ragging on Danny Boy. He's one the Red Wings players I respect the most because he brings his lunch box to work everyday. Having said that you have your opinion on +/- and I have mine, its not right or wrong, just a different oppinion on teh valitity of the stat. Also if you read what I wrote, 20g-20a -40pts is what I'd like to see want out of Dan Cleary that and a +20 ;) As far as the game of hockey goes, its one thing I do "get" and havign a greater negative minus number that you have points is not a good thing, regardless of how hard you work ;)
Jeezuz...I didnt say trade him for a puckbag, let him butter popcorn in the pressbox for a week or give Eaves his icetime (LOL). Just that he hasn't been playing up to his potential (or his $2.5-$3.0/season until 2013) so far this season.
Dan Cleary
It's very true that a short camp is the culprit for most of the team, not just Dan Cleary. While his counterpart Holmstrom had been getting points from the get-go, Dan Cleary's points have been sparse. Since Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Bertuzzi are starting to come around, there's no reason to think Dan Cleary won't come right with them.
Dan Cleary
I don't think the decline thus far in his game has anything to do with him being locked up in a contract. Cleary is older, was hurt with a groin in the post season and again in the preseason, he's probably just now starting to get his legs underneath him. And his game needs those legs, that strength, and also needs the players around him producing. Cleary isn't solo skill producter like Pavel, he's a complementary hard work and grit type guy with good hands, good presence around the net. When our stars aren't getting the job done, tough to expect the complimentary guys too as well. Pav and Hank are going now, I expect Cleary to be right behind him, I hope so anyway, let get 10 more games in, if he's still not showing signs of life, then maybe is it time to say injury and father time may have caught up with him.
Dan Cleary
Breakout season? You honestly think that Dan Cleary, who has never gotten more than 42 points in his career, is having a bad season because he's only got 5? Are we all sure that Nick didn't steal Shawn Lutz' password?
At this point, the only two guys who are above average in their normal pace are Datsyuk, Zetterberg. Holmstrom is having a very good start as well, and besides Filpula, only Jonathan Ericsson is ahead of the curve offensewise. All of this, of course, has only been going on for the last 3 or 4 games. But that's just it: the team is 13 games in. There's tons of hockey. And as far as +/- goes, Shawn's sticking way to much weight into that stat (individual +/- is bunk, tells you nothing. Team +/- i.e. goals for vs. against is all that matters). There's only 7 Red Wings who are even + anything right now, and besides Lidstrom, only 2 of them aren't 4th liners. That tells you all you need to know about how the team +/- stands.
Dan Cleary
It needs to be said since most of you arent' getting it: Dan Cleary "playing up to his potential" means netting around 40 points. Since that's the highest he's ever gotten, it's reasonable to say that that's all you can reasonably expect out of him. There's nothing wrong with the offensive pace he's at so far.
Dan Cleary vs. Holmstrom, I would say that Cleary is handicapped because though he's familiar with Zetterberg's game, not so much with Williams. Cleary hasn't regularly played with Williams since 2007-2008 when Williams was a considerably different player. Williams likes to skate, he has moves he didn't have when he was last a Red Wing. He no longer is the player he was who was perfectly happy just lugging the puck for the likes of Robert Lang and Cleary so that the other guys expected to score can do so. Holmstrom is very hot and most of his goals so far haven't been tipped shots which is very hopeful. Anyone who is on a line with Datsyuk is going to get the respect Holmstrom is getting from opponents right now and it's not going to stop till the line goes cold, which from the looks of things will take awhile.
So in short: lay off. Last season he allegedly was "off" but he still managed more than 40 points with another 15 points in the post-season. You can only expect Cleary to maybe score a few more times simply because he'll be taking Franzen's place on the PP till he returns or Bertuzzi starts running into goals. It makes absolutely no sense to argue that Dan Cleary is slumping or playing poorly because it's "not a contract year" simply because he has 5 points in 13 games, when he's never even gotten 45 points in his career.
Dan Cleary
There may be some hidden truth to contracts. Some players light up in a contract year just as some fall off the map after signing one. Is Cleary complacent? I doubt it but I can joke about it....
Dan Cleary
Shawn - I agree he has not played up to his potential so far and that we need him to produce. No debate on that at all.
My point is that it has nothing to do with his contract and being lazy which is what has been intimated by a couple posters including you in a sense. Not true imo. He was injured and missed camp. If that doesn't matter then why have camp.
Bottom line though he needs to play better for us to have sustained success as you said.
Dan Cleary
Cleary's play looks desinterested.
Mechanical, he plays like a robot. I too am dissapointed at his results so far, and that NTC suits him well these days...
Dan Cleary
Effort doesn't seem to matter if you don't produce in the NHL. Sorry PC, I love Cleary but 1g, 4a, 5pts and a -6 in 13 games is not cutting it right now. He was one of the guys I hoped would have a breakout season, he has the oportunity right in front of him and he hasnt did anything just yet...he'll get it going eventually but I want the 20-20-40pts +20 Dan Cleary back :)
Dan Cleary
I have read a couple posts recently critical of his play. More specifically tying his poor play to his contract status. One in particular said he had done nothing since the new contract.
I have to take issue with that one. Cleary had 9 goals and was a league best +17 in the playoffs last year. He was under his new contract at that time and I can think of no better time to play your best hockey. He was a dominant playoff performer until he was injured in game 2 against the Penguins. I don't see how someone could make that statement unless they don't feel the playoffs are important.
He was clearly injured and missed the majority of preseason this year. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt and think it is unfair to say he isn't playing well because he signed a new contract. I don't think one has anything to do with the other when it comes to Cleary. He has always given a tremendous effort.
Dan Cleary
Maybe we should have signed him to a month to month contract :) He seems to be in coast mode. He played so much better when he was hungry, fighting for a spot and needing to make a living :)
We need you Danny boy....kick it in gear!!
Dan Cleary
I understand Babcock reasoning for sending Clears on the shootout. Cleary was a better player when he was hungry. Seems like after getting a contract he's not the same player. Something about fighting for a job in the NHL or selling used cars made him a better player :)
Both Cleary and Filppula are disappointments this season and both were rewarded with contracts until 2013....
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