Holland to offer DMac a contract

[uk_redwing 495]

I like Downey a lot too but he is only better than Mac at fighting everything else is overwhelmingly in favor of Mac.

Downey also has better discipline, is a better hitter, much better at pumping up the players in the locker room, and is much more easier to fall in man-love with.

[BlueMonk 102]

Downey also has better discipline, is a better hitter, much better at pumping up the players in the locker room, and is much more easier to fall in man-love with.

Damn straight!

I wish Mac well whatever happens, but Downey fulfilled his role with the team very well and I'd love to see him back. It's not like they have to dress him every game. As the 2007-8 season proved, you can have part-time role players like Downey on the roster who aren't necessarily super gifted but bring other important qualities to a championship team.

[jvxp 0]

I honestly think this is a charity contract. In my opinion Downey is a better player AND fighter. Aaron Downey is a great guy and a great teammate. This isnt what I wanted to see happen.

I agree. I would like to see both signed but if I had a choice at this point in there careers I would sign Downey.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I honestly think this is a charity contract. In my opinion Downey is a better player AND fighter. Aaron Downey is a great guy and a great teammate. This isnt what I wanted to see happen.

Don't get me wrong, I like both guys. From a fighting standpoint I would rather stick with Downey at this point.

However, to say the Downey is a "better player" is absolutely ridiculous.

Downey is the worst skater on the team and has the worst hands on the team. McCarty is a much more accomplished skater and he handles the puck considerably better. No way any sane person can call Downey an overall better player.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Downey also has better discipline, is a better hitter, much better at pumping up the players in the locker room, and is much more easier to fall in man-love with.

This is crazy. Better in the locker room? Unless you are in the locker room STFU!

Better hitter, yeah I'd give him that. Although I would say Downey knows his main role is to hit and eventually to fight. The other guys out there have to play with the puck, carry the puck, pass the puck crisply, receive the puck, shoot the puck, etc.....

Watch them skate, Downey is an atrocious skater and I swear there is good old fashioned concrete poured into his gloves. Stone hands.

Like I said, for the role looking to be filled I would rather have Downey. But he is in no way, shape or form a more well rounded or better player than McCarty.

Lest we forget we're an up tempo, strong defense, puck possession and rush team and Downey doesn't help in any of those areas. He's the weakest link on the team when it comes to anything involving the puck or playing tight D. He goes out of his way to make hits, ends up on his ass a whole lot b/c his balance isn't that great and can't keep up with the puck possession. This automatically disqualifies him from being a better player than anyone on the roster.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Well thank God we have your condescending tone and rude demeanor to enlighten us.

I don't see anything wrong with Crymson's post. And frankly, there are enough fuggin idiots on this board that a little condescension and rudeness is sometimes the only way to show them how idiotic they are.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Honestly, as long as this is a depth move I'm all for it. The lesson that the youth learned last season and the experience they gained from that time all through the playoffs this year, I've become an even bigger believer in letting your youth take over, but having DMac as a #13 guy is beyond solid given the experience he brings to the table.

In other words, let the kids continue to play and DMac is a great option given an injury or if someone needs a break due to poor play.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

downey needs to be back

[hockaholic 1]

downey needs to be back

Downey doesn't bring anything special...

Watch this funny clip of Downey... He falls twice and dances around! Nice

Edited June 8, 2008 by hockaholic

[ben_usmc 253]

Did you watch him play much this year? Rarely did he take silly penalties and would only fight if the game conditions were perfect. He rarely went to the penalty box alone, unlike McCarty. I don't know if I've ever seen such restraint by an "enforcer" before.

The energy he brought to the ice was noticed by fans and teammates alike. McCarty brought nothing to the ice. I'd take that over the three or four goals that McCarty will score next year anyday.

agreed but I don't see them leaving Downey out to dry

[uk_redwing 495]

This is crazy. Better in the locker room? Unless you are in the locker room STFU!

Did I touch a nerve?

Downey has been praised by nearly everyone involved with the red wings for his antics in the locker room. Did McCarty ever recieve such praise this year? no.

So unless you know what your talking about before you try an appalling comeback..."STFU"

[therock48880 14]

Did I touch a nerve?

Downey has been praised by nearly everyone involved with the red wings for his antics in the locker room. Did McCarty ever recieve such praise this year? no.

So unless you know what your talking about before you try an appalling comeback..."STFU"

Downey is very well noted for his positive locker room contributions. I thought that was common knowledge.

Here's a couple quotes about him:

"the Detroit Free-Press tells us that tough guy Aaron Downey, 33, has added plenty to the team chemistry too. His personality has meant as much to the Winged Wheel as his willingness to fight for his teammates."

"“He’s a positive maintenance person,” coach Mike Babcock said. “He makes the people around him better because he works hard. He’s professional. He’s an upbeat guy. He’s great on the bench. He’s great in the locker room."

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/tipsheet/...iner-motivator/

[therock48880 14]

If this was the case with McCarty bringing nothing to the ice, then Downey would have been playing in the playoffs, and McCarty wouldn't have.

DISCLAIMER: Yes I do like Aaron Downey.

It's no secret that fighting VERY rarely happens in the playoffs. Downey's best asset is his willingness to stick up for teammates. If fights were prevalent in the playoffs, Downey would have played over Mac. In terms of next year, I'd take the locker room presence, energy, willingness to stick up for teammates, and his ability to not take stupid penalties over whatever D-Mac can provide. McCarty may end up with 10-15 points next year, but how many will the opponents score because he's sitting in the box for taking a stupid hooking penalty?

One thing that gets overlooked with McCarty is that he is very injury prone. Even this year, he missed a couple weeks with a rib injury. Granted, he won't be playing every night, but at 36-37 years old, it appears that his body is breaking down and I don't think he'll provide much for the team. Hopefully, I'm wrong about that.

[kylee 727]

woohoo! sounds good to me. come back again mac!!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

It's no secret that fighting VERY rarely happens in the playoffs. Downey's best asset is his willingness to stick up for teammates. If fights were prevalent in the playoffs, Downey would have played over Mac. In terms of next year, I'd take the locker room presence, energy, willingness to stick up for teammates, and his ability to not take stupid penalties over whatever D-Mac can provide. McCarty may end up with 10-15 points next year, but how many will the opponents score because he's sitting in the box for taking a stupid hooking penalty?

One thing that gets overlooked with McCarty is that he is very injury prone. Even this year, he missed a couple weeks with a rib injury. Granted, he won't be playing every night, but at 36-37 years old, it appears that his body is breaking down and I don't think he'll provide much for the team. Hopefully, I'm wrong about that.

I really only recall one game where McCarty just played downright awful with plenty of penalties, the final game in the WCF against Dallas I believe.

I like the prescence that Downey brings on the ice and off the ice. I was lucky to watch the CBC broadcast of the post-game SC celebrations interviewing everybody and the like on YouTube and they were commenting on Modano wanting Downey to stay in Dallas in his brief stint there, and how Downey accepts his role being a stick-up man and a 4th liner.

McCarty just brings a little bit more to the table offensively than him, and I think the penalty troubles outside of that one game against Dallas are a bit overblown.

I'd love for both to stay. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk though if Downey departs b/c even though I like what he brings, what he brings other than fighting/sticking up isn't much from what we've seen.

And before anybody responds back at me with, "Well SWF, I guess you just want to see our team play soft again and get run over and not have anybody stick up for the team!" remember that this team rarely retaliates or does stupid stuff after a whistle to a degree to where games sprawl out of control physically or with a whole bunch of penalties. They've won and won fairly handily without having to resort to that all that much.

Again, I like Downey very much, but the attachment that is had towards him by people just because of "enforcement skills" and very little else is a bit overboard sometimes.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Good news. If there not re-signing Downey as well, bad news.

[55fan 5,133]

I'm tickled to hear DMac may be coming back. I love Downey too, so I hope he's back as well.

Maybe if Mac has a full summer of training and camp as well, he'll be in good enough shape to take Drake's place if Drake retires (has anyone heard anything about that?), in which case we get to keep both.

[therock48880 14]

I really only recall one game where McCarty just played downright awful with plenty of penalties, the final game in the WCF against Dallas I believe.

I like the prescence that Downey brings on the ice and off the ice. I was lucky to watch the CBC broadcast of the post-game SC celebrations interviewing everybody and the like on YouTube and they were commenting on Modano wanting Downey to stay in Dallas in his brief stint there, and how Downey accepts his role being a stick-up man and a 4th liner.

McCarty just brings a little bit more to the table offensively than him, and I think the penalty troubles outside of that one game against Dallas are a bit overblown.

I'd love for both to stay. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk though if Downey departs b/c even though I like what he brings, what he brings other than fighting/sticking up isn't much from what we've seen.

And before anybody responds back at me with, "Well SWF, I guess you just want to see our team play soft again and get run over and not have anybody stick up for the team!" remember that this team rarely retaliates or does stupid stuff after a whistle to a degree to where games sprawl out of control physically or with a whole bunch of penalties. They've won and won fairly handily without having to resort to that all that much.

Again, I like Downey very much, but the attachment that is had towards him by people just because of "enforcement skills" and very little else is a bit overboard sometimes.

I think when you see players publicly come out and say how valuable a guy is to a team, their value is beyond the number of points they score. Z, Lids, Chelios, Datyuk, etc... have all publicly stated Downey's importance this season, not to mention the love affair that the Stars still seem to have for the guy. And, I'm just not convinced McCarty will be able to provide much of anything.

Maybe if Drake retires, Downey will be able to come back too. However, the depth of the organization makes that seem unlikely to me.

[barabbas16 499]

That loyalty, while it has its drawbacks at times, is key to our success and is what makes this organization unique amongst all teams. Why do you think players take less money to play in Detroit, and why do you think the locker room is always so close-knit?

I don't understand what people don't get about this.

THANK YOU!

WTF people? I couldn't even get through the whole thread reading everyone trashing this move. I'm glad I finally found someone with some sense here. We're not talking about signing some random 4th liner/reserve forward here. We are talking about Darren fricking McCarty! Darren McCarty! I don't know about any of you, but a huge reason I love the Wings IS the loyalty. They are a class organization and this is a class move. It's not like he'll be playing in the top six or anything. He has MORE than earned this contract. And people are getting upset about signing him? About helping him out? No one is thinking he's going to be a top six forward or anything, but he can still contribute in a 4th line role and no one deserves to be offered that role more than him. Not Aaron Downey. Nobody. I don't dislike Downey - I don't. But, he hasn't given a fraction of what Darren McCarty has given to this team. So, shut the hell up and freaking cheer your butts off for D-Mac....next season...and right now.

[robat 13]

I don't dislike Downey either. I would like for them to both come back as they are key role players. Downey is the ultimate team player, but McCarty has more expierence than Downey, being through the 3 previous cup, and then this one. I guess if I had to choose one or the other it would be Mac. But on the other hand what Downey said in his interview about choosing to be happy every day, even if he may not be playing was neat to hear. I guess I'm on the fence about this one.

[LeftWinger 5,153]

THANK YOU!

WTF people? I couldn't even get through the whole thread reading everyone trashing this move. I'm glad I finally found someone with some sense here. We're not talking about signing some random 4th liner/reserve forward here. We are talking about Darren fricking McCarty! Darren McCarty! I don't know about any of you, but a huge reason I love the Wings IS the loyalty. They are a class organization and this is a class move. It's not like he'll be playing in the top six or anything. He has MORE than earned this contract. And people are getting upset about signing him? About helping him out? No one is thinking he's going to be a top six forward or anything, but he can still contribute in a 4th line role and no one deserves to be offered that role more than him. Not Aaron Downey. Nobody. I don't dislike Downey - I don't. But, he hasn't given a fraction of what Darren McCarty has given to this team. So, shut the hell up and freaking cheer your butts off for D-Mac....next season...and right now.

...well, well...

...if you're talking about a team being loyal to someone who has been loyal to them and is in need of help, then why don't they offer me a contract? I need lots of financial help, I've been loyal to them since the late 70's...

...McCarty has earned nothing for this team. It's like what have you done for me lately? McCarty of the 90's has earned lots, McCarty from last year was one more give-away away from me throwing a shoe through the televsion. Aaron Downey has earned his place on this team. The ONLY reason the Wings offered him a contract is because they never wanted to get rid of him in the first place, but yet when it came down to it, he WAS expendable. Darren should be happy with the Cup that Downey helped him get. Just how many people did McCarty beat down prtectinghis teammates? NONE, as a matter of fact he got beat down himself. Downey barely lost ay of his fights all year, he desevered to play in the playoffs more than Darrenm and you see when push came to shove, Darren was riding the press box as well, so yeah, I would say that the Wings REALLY needed him to win the Cup. He is only getting his name on the Cup becuase he happened to play in the Finals when Franzen was hurt, and played s***ty too! If Franzen were to stay healthy then Darren wouldn't even be considered for the Cup...

...I think Darren Helm outplayed McCarty for his roster spot, and obviuously so did Babcock. McCarty should retire, Downey should be signed and he can be the 13th or 14th forward. If either of these guys are signed, where are they gonna play anyhow? They still have a healthy Kopecky coming back...

...Downey over McCarty and Meech over Quincey...

[YoungGuns1340 1]

i just hope he isnt consistently in the starting 12.... we have younger...better players that could fill the role that he will provide...though i do think hed be great as a 13th or 14th forward

i'd like the lines to look something along the lines of this....

dats-z-homer

flip-franzen-huds

malts-drapes-cleary

helm-abdelkader-leino

kopecky

d-mac

Why do you assume Leino gets a spot? Thats about as sure a thing as Grigorenko getting a spot.

[barabbas16 499]

...well, well...

...if you're talking about a team being loyal to someone who has been loyal to them and is in need of help, then why don't they offer me a contract? I need lots of financial help, I've been loyal to them since the late 70's...

...McCarty has earned nothing for this team. It's like what have you done for me lately? McCarty of the 90's has earned lots, McCarty from last year was one more give-away away from me throwing a shoe through the televsion. Aaron Downey has earned his place on this team. The ONLY reason the Wings offered him a contract is because they never wanted to get rid of him in the first place, but yet when it came down to it, he WAS expendable. Darren should be happy with the Cup that Downey helped him get. Just how many people did McCarty beat down prtectinghis teammates? NONE, as a matter of fact he got beat down himself. Downey barely lost ay of his fights all year, he desevered to play in the playoffs more than Darrenm and you see when push came to shove, Darren was riding the press box as well, so yeah, I would say that the Wings REALLY needed him to win the Cup. He is only getting his name on the Cup becuase he happened to play in the Finals when Franzen was hurt, and played s***ty too! If Franzen were to stay healthy then Darren wouldn't even be considered for the Cup...

...I think Darren Helm outplayed McCarty for his roster spot, and obviuously so did Babcock. McCarty should retire, Downey should be signed and he can be the 13th or 14th forward. If either of these guys are signed, where are they gonna play anyhow? They still have a healthy Kopecky coming back...

...Downey over McCarty and Meech over Quincey...

Well, then maybe you should give the Wings a call and see what they say....smartass. The main point I was making is that a big reason I root for the Wings is how the organization is run....Konstantinov...Fischer.....Osgood....McCarty...and so on, you know the deal. I'm talking about like Wings for life type loyalty. If that doesn't have any pull on why you're a Wings fan, then whatever.....but it does for me.

But yeah, Downey's way better than McCarty.....that's why Babcock put him on the ice instead of D-Mac. If Franzen had stayed healthy, then Darren's name would be on the Cup because he played in Game 4 for Holmstrom. That would be besides the other 3 times it's on there. I don't dislike Downey, but I completely disagree with you if you say that he's come close to earning more than McCarty has.

When it comes down to it....all anyone likes about Aaron Downey is that he drops the gloves. We could not have Downey OR McCarty next season and they'd sign some guy nobody even knows, but if he drops the gloves, you and all of those other guys will love him. Downey.....I like him....but he's just another guy. Darren McCarty is a huge part of Detroit Red Wings history and he can still contribute to this team INCLUDING dropping the gloves 10 times next season or however many few fights Downey had....and probably play more than 4 and a half minutes a game too.

[The Enforcer 13]

I've been staying out of this discussion because D-Mac is one of my favorites. I'd like them to re-sign him, but also Downey, too. Downey to me is the enforcer we need, and Mac the physical checker we need on the third-fourth line, so they both have a role if Drake retires. We need these guys to repeat.