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My sister passed away about 3 weeks ago from cancer. A couple of seasons ago she had a chance to go to a Wings game. My dad had been in contact with the Wings people and they were trying to work out who she might want to meet if she got the chance. It was up to me to ask her who she wanted to meet. Of course, we were trying to surprise her so I didn't want to just come out and say "Hey you're probably going to get to meet one of the players, who do you want to meet?" So i would ask, "Hey Care, if you got to meet anybody on the wings who would you want to meet?" "DAN CLEARY!" she'd exclaim. So a couple of days later I would ask again. "DAN CLEARY!!" was the answer I got again. She knew they were going to be going to the game when she went down to Ann Arbor, so I tried again, "No..Seriously....If you really got to meet one of the current Wings players when you go to the game, who would it be?" I could not have given her a bigger hint without flat out just telling her! "DAN CLEARY!" So she and my dad and uncle went to the game and had a good time. Then the game was over. As they are trying to 'leave' the building, my uncle is leading the way with directions on where to go with my dad and sister following him. She still has no idea. They end up in an area where she figures they aren't supposed to be. "Are we allowed down this way?" Finally they end up standing against a wall with a bunch of other people with a Wings/arena employee telling them to just wait where they are. "Are we meeting players?!" She had finally figured it out. While they were waiting she felt she had accidentally bumped into someone behind her. She turned to say she was sorry to them. But nothing came out of her mouth. It was Nicklas Lidstrom that she had bumped into!! (This was during his last season when he wasn't playing due to his ankle) He saw she was trying to apologize and told her it was no big deal. Other players like Pavel and Zetterberg had walked through the hallway where they were waiting. Finally Dan Cleary came out and asked "Are you Carrie?" I don't remember much of what else happened (I wasn't there, just heard the stories afterward), but he was super nice to her, took a couple of pictures, and signed some things. The jersey says "To: Carrie Best Wishes Your friend, Dan Clear 11" He also had a signed bobble head sent to our house a couple of weeks later. I always teased her about wanting to meet Cleary over anybody else, but she really enjoyed the whole experience

Sometimes its easy to forget that while Dan Cleary the player has long since outlived his usefulness as a Detroit Red Wing, that Dan Cleary the man is actually a great person and a wonderful ambassador for not just the Red Wings but professional athletes in general. That story above my post is a good reminder of that. In no way do I want him taking a roster spot up on the team anymore, but I'll always respect how he turned his career around with the Wings and his contributions to the team over the years.

I cant speak for anyone else, but I'm not losing any sleep at the thought of Chicago being brought down a peg. I'm sick and tired of seeing them in the finals. This is a perfect example of why cap management is so important in today's NHL. Being reckless now can screw you later.

If I could like this post a thousand times, it still wouldn't be enough.

Canadian ratings are down, but that has more to due with Rogers being awful than the product being bad. Ratings in the US are soaring

Sorry for your loss, robo. Thanks for sharing that awesome story.

I think you may have misinterpreted my comments. They have won 3 Cups, which is exactly my point. Chicago sacrificed their future a bit (not completely) to win in the moment and it 100% worked. BUT when you make the moves they made (ie. Hossa contract, Toews contract, Kane contract etc.) at some point when your young guys are due for a new contract (ie Saad) you wont be able to sign them. This is exactly why I have been against Holland signing vets to dumb contracts, because a bad contract in lets say 2012 could lead to losing Tatar, Nyquist etc. in 2014, 2015, or Jurco in 2017 etc. .

Ok my bad then sorry, yeah Rogers is well just annoying and tsn crushed them again with their trade dead line. See that's the difference I don't care about the other teams, if the Wings win in let's say a 7 team league that's way more entertaining than watching them aging and struggling to make the playoffs and on top of that not being THE July 1 team, not long ago this was our second Christmas Don't get me wrong the Blackhawks can go down as much as much as possible but I don't think punishing successful teams is the right thing. For sure I feel a bit of satisfaction watching other teams going through the same crap we've gone through since 2009

Wait.Weren't ratings up quite a bit last year. And the seahawks are a super team now, because they draft really well and had a pro bowl quarterback making under 1m dollars. Once his contract kicks in they'll lose some of their depth... And the patriots are an anomaly, bill belichik is a wizard, and they constantly cheat. Plus tom Brady is probably the best quarterback the leagues ever seen, so that also doesn't really apply. Plus. The blackhawks are basically a dynasty, the kings could have been another one had they bought out Richards before last season and used that money to bolster their lineup... So we kind of have super teams.

Difference is ratings are down, GMs are starting to get fed up so it's not just fans anymore. I mean I'm not an NFL fan but even I know who the Patriots, Seahawks are a league needs super-teams.

I'm much the same, met Danny a bunch living home. He's a beauty, and there really isn't anything better than having a Newf suit up for your favorite team. But he is done, and it's time to move on. I hope he stays in the organization as a scout/trainer/coach for a long time.

Sorry to hear about your sister roboturner, great story though. I'm one of the bigger Cleary fans around here I'm sure, being a fellow Newf and all... I've met Cleary several times, as my cousin trains with him when he come home every summer. I also have a personalized autographed Cleary jersey hung up on my wall. And I was actually in the little parade that went through his hometown (Harbour Grace) when he brought home the Cup in the summer of '08. He truly is an amazing individual, and as much as I would love Cleary to be "able" to play next season, he really is done, and he should hang them up. I would love nothing more, for him to be offered some sort of job (strength and conditioning coach) within the organization...

I once had a hamster who was a huge Cleary fan. If anyone else scored, he'd be politely interested, but if Cleary scored, he'd get up and do the hamster dance. I used to sing the Danny Cleary song to him, and once when he got out, he waited in a hole in the wall behind the bath tub until I sang the whole thing to him before he would come out. I pretended to end it after one verse, but he wasn't fooled. He went right back in the hole until I'd finished it properly. I really wish that he'd do something else withing the organization, but if his heart is set on playing, I guess that's what will make him happy. He did fight Chris Pronger and get the nasty eyeball. That deserves something.

I used to love Dan Cleary and this whole situation has kinda turned me off towards him... but I certainly blame Holland as much as I blame Cleary... but this situation would never keep me from going to games.

Wait,..so you're saying you had the means and resources to go to games, but chose not to, because of Dan Cleary? Please tell me he's a jaded ex lover you don't want to run into because that's the only way that makes sense.

Omg I'm dying. Is it weird to say I love you?