The "I Support Dan Cleary and Brad Stuart" Thread

[Broken 16 381]

Cleary is the Martin LaPointe of this era. Overpaid mucker with a good attitude. There are about 100 Dan Cleary clones in the NHL. This is all my opinion based on what I've seen from him thus far this season. My tune may change by the time the playoffs are over. I doubt it though.

I do agree with the OP about Stuart though. A punishing blueliner is vital in the playoffs. I expect him and Kronwall to go ballistic in the playoffs. *fingers crossed*

[beepbeep 3]

Cleary is the Martin LaPointe of this era. Overpaid mucker with a good attitude. There are about 100 Dan Cleary clones in the NHL. This is all my opinion based on what I've seen from him thus far this season. My tune may change by the time the playoffs are over. I doubt it though.

I do agree with the OP about Stuart though. A punishing blueliner is vital in the playoffs. I expect him and Kronwall to go ballistic in the playoffs. *fingers crossed*

Let's hope so because they are both overpaid for what they have done so far this year...........Rafalski's defence has SUCKED big time also........

[Guest micah]

Clearly you are upset about the opinion that one of your favorite players is expendable, however that does not give you the right to make fun of someone who is handicaped or a perticular type of handicap. Please choose your words more wisely from now on.

Being as he's an American, this gives him the right:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

He has every right to make fun of the handicapped. That doesn't m,ake it right, nor does it mean that he has a right to do it here, but he certainly has the right to do so. Why do you hate America?

I like Stewart and Cleary, but I wouldn't be sad to see Stewart go. Cleary hasn't become the guy I thought he'd become, and his play has been a little dissapointing, but I still like him.

Edited April 13, 2009 by micah

[puckloo39 5,686]

I think Cleary and Stuart will both step it up in the playoffs, be stellar in the wins, and this thread will be moot.

[dat's sick 1,002]

I used to like Cleary, and I will forgive him a little bit if he steps it up in the playoffs, but the last couple of months I would argue that he's been one of the worst players on the team. He never wins battles around the boards, when he has the puck he either holds on to it for to long and gets stripped of it or makes a bad play to create a turnover, and he doesn't bring enough physical play and grit to make up for it. He's not playing like a top 6 forward, he's playing like a 3rd or 4th liner and for that he could be replaced by someone cheaper.

[egroen 384]

I liked Cleary a lot more when he was fighting to earn a place on this team. Still hope we see more of the '07 postseason Cleary than the '08.

Holland has said he will make a trade.

Draper, Stuart, Cleary, Rafalski all have NTCs at this time.

I doubt any of them are moved, though I certainly would not be heart-broken if Holland found a way to get one of them to waive it. Maybe Stuart would for a West Coast team?

Filppula, Kronwall and Lilja do not have NTCs, as well as Meech and Lebda.

Filppula and Kronwall make enough that it would be tempting to trade them, though Kronwall has been an "untouchable" in trade offers for years. Lilja is just too much of a value to realy consider trading, and Meech and Lebda will only be traded to clear room for Ericsson, not for cap space.

Hudler is somewhat tradeable (trade his rights prior to free agency, for example) and there is RFA compensation should he receive an offer sheet.

The owners and the NHLPA will vote as to whether to trigger the automatic 5% increase in the cap this summer - it could happen, as revenues did increase this year accordingly. Holland could enjoy as much as a $59.5 salary cap next year - which will go a long ways in preserving as much of this team as possible.

[vangvace 12]

If you think you can replace Cleary with a Kopecky then your mentaly ill.

Clearly you are upset about the opinion that one of your favorite players is expendable, however that does not give you the right to make fun of someone who is handicaped or a perticular type of handicap. Please choose your words more wisely from now on.

I think what you refer to are the fans have a memory or attention span of about two games. It's quite retarded.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

I think Cleary and Stuart will both step it up in the playoffs, be stellar in the wins, and this thread will be moot.

Agreed.

But it's so very funny and typical as always that Cleary has *one* off season (if you can even call it that) and suddenly he sucks and needs to be traded. Ay yi yi.

Of course I am talking about the other posters in this thread, not you, Loo!

[Reds4Life 51]

It's not that Cleary sucks, because he does not. But he makes too much for what he brings and trading him away for pick(s) means more space for the better players (half of Hossa for example )

[servo 15]

To many people wanted them traded and overall just hating on them.

two words.. YOU SUCK!

Cleary and Stuart are vital !!

absolutely! You don't win championships without role players. You will see a completely different Stuart than you have all season.

[Guest Shoreline]

absolutely! You don't win championships without role players. You will see a completely different Stuart than you have all season.

Liar! You only win championships with people who either never have won them or have no playoff experience at all. Oh, and you obviously win them with goons punching their way to the cup.

[Vladifan 680]

Only thing I'd throw in here is that for whatever reason that has absolutely no basis in logic, intuition or smarts, I think Cleary's gonna have a stellar playoff season.

I can only hope the same thing happens for Stuart. AND the Wings.

[VM1138 1,921]

Cleary's career has nosedived since his injury. Sadly. He still works hard but it's just not clicking for him. Maybe the playoffs will bring a return to form.

Stuart, however, is being bashed for no good reason. He's still vital to thsi team. Every player has a bad year once in a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see a return of the smash brothers for the playoffs.

[Guest Shoreline]

Cleary's career has nosedived since his injury. Sadly. He still works hard but it's just not clicking for him. Maybe the playoffs will bring a return to form.

Stuart, however, is being bashed for no good reason. He's still vital to thsi team. Every player has a bad year once in a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see a return of the smash brothers for the playoffs.

Which injury? He's been injured like every season he's been with the Wings, and this year he has just about the same amount of points as last season. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're saying Stu gets a bad year while if Cleary has just about the same productive season as last year, his career is nosediving? I hope I'm just not quite following what you're trying to say. For the most part, fans of this team are way too hard on it's players.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Shoreline

[Z and D for the C 712]

So who do you move? Flipulla, Cleary, Stuart. Those are the only 3 players that have significant cap hits, who aren't key to the team.

I completely disagree about Flip's "key-ness" to the team. With ZDH together, as they should be, there is no one to center the second line. Franzen needs to play wing. Hudler is a poor center for the second line. That leaves Flip.

[Chunkylover 26]

I think these guys will play better now that the playoffs have arrived, and will get better with each new round should they be so deserving.

I would like to offer a perspective on the soft Wings; probably not a new one, but not one I've heard recently. Look at how beat up San Jose, Flames, and Montreal are right now, or how beat Nashville was as they intensely tried to make the postseason. There is no guarantee that they will get those injured players back before they are ousted, and their impact could be tempered by rust.

The Sharks and Flames specifically are praised for being built for the playoffs because they play tough during the regular season, but look at how many injuries they endured, many that will carry over into the first round. I would argue that they are stupid for playing playoff hockey before the playoffs start and the Wings are wiser for waiting.

Cleary and Stuart are tough and smart and I think we'll all be saying that at the end of this years run.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

Whoa whoa whoa. The Cleary bashing in this thread needs to stop -- immediately. I don't care if you like Cleary or not, but holy cow.. have some respect. He's one of the hardest-working players on our team. On any given night, the entire team can be asleep, and Cleary is still out there working his a** off, doing everything he can to get this team going. The amount of pure motivation that guy has is second to none. Sure, he may not be the biggest producer on our team - he's certainly no Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but the man works hard for every single point he gets - and every minute he's on the ice, you can bet your bottom dollar he's putting his heart and soul into whatever he's doing.

Also, Cleary just signed a five-year extension with the Wings and if I'm not mistaken, he has a NTC that he'd have to waive. Stuart has one too - and we all know how much his family was angry that he moved from Cali in the first place.. so the chances of him waiving it are probably slim to none.

[Chunkylover 26]

From Scott Burnside at ESPN.com:

2. The M.A.S.H. factor. Now, one of the reasons the Flames may have fallen off the map in the final stretches of this season was their spate of crippling injuries, mostly along the blue line. That, and the fact GM Darryl Sutter put his team so tight to the salary cap, it couldn't bring up players from the AHL to fill in. Regardless of the cap issues that forced the Flames to play short-handed for much of the last couple of weeks, they have been missing some major helpers on the back end, including Dion Phaneuf who missed the final two games of the season. Cory Sarich and Robyn Regehr also missed time down the stretch and their availability and/or overall health is unknown heading into the playoffs. That's not taking into account useful defenseman Dan Giordano, who will miss the rest of the season.

Up front, Curtis Glencross is still out with a leg injury and Rene Bourque, a former Blackhawk, is hoping to be back for the postseason, which would be a huge boost for the Flames.

This is what I mean when I say teams are dumb to play playoff hockey in the regular season.

[Guest Shoreline]

Well that sure does explain how the Flames gave up the NW #3 spot.

[Shaman 713]

How are they vital? I mean, their both good players, and their salaries are fair. BUT Cleary is easily the most replaceable forward currently signed. Flipulla has far more potential. And Stuart is easily the most replaceable D-man. Kronwall, Rafa and Lidstrom are all in the top 10 for scoring this season (obviously because their all on the powerplay), but he has a horrible +/-, and his defensive play has been far from superior. We have Meech, Ericcson ready for the NHL. Getting rid of Lebda or Lilja in place of Ericcson or Meech gains nothing in terms of the CAP, and really, nothing in terms of improving the defense.

The point is, if Holland doesn't move salary, Leino, Hudler, Sammy, Conklin, Kopecky and Hossa are all gonners. With the signing of Franzen, the Wings have about 4 million in cap space to sign 4 MORE forwards, and a back-up goalie. 4 million, 5 spots to fill = 5 Entry level players.

So obviously, it would be idiotic to lose Leino, Hudler, and Hossa for nothing. So you must move players from the active roster. No one will take Osgood, Draper or Maltby. So who do you move? Flipulla, Cleary, Stuart. Those are the only 3 players that have significant cap hits, who aren't key to the team.

Trading Cleary and Stuart would mean an extra 6 million in cap space, that's about 10 million total that you could easily use to sign Hossa or Leino and Hudler.

What would you rather have? Hossa or Leino and Hudler or Cleary and Stuart? No one is going to pick Stuart and Cleary, with Ericcson ready to go and Cleary (40 points a year).

Sorry, if we put meech in for stuart our team will be in the range of fail....this year his stats are G 41 Goals2 Assists5 PTS7 -12

over 82 games it would be 4 goals 10 assists 14 points and -24, great improvement, Id much rather have Stuart, kthx

[beepbeep 3]

I completely disagree about Flip's "key-ness" to the team. With ZDH together, as they should be, there is no one to center the second line. Franzen needs to play wing. Hudler is a poor center for the second line. That leaves Flip.

On what do you base your statement that Hudler is a poor center for the second line?

[Krayzie_Bone 58]

I remember a few years ago tons of people wanted Pavel Datsyuk traded because he dident do anything in playoffs. I am glad they dident listen to those people.

[Statts 4]

I remember a few years ago tons of people wanted Pavel Datsyuk traded because he dident do anything in playoffs. I am glad they dident listen to those people.

Datsyuk for Gomez straight up!!!

P.S. Why is next years roster even being discussed? The Wings are in the PLAYOFFS!!

[Casey 145]

Before even looking at the names, just one question. Are they wearing the Winged Wheel?

Then I'm behind them, win or lose.

[Gutierrez 7]

Whoa whoa whoa. The Cleary bashing in this thread needs to stop -- immediately. I don't care if you like Cleary or not, but holy cow.. have some respect. He's one of the hardest-working players on our team. On any given night, the entire team can be asleep, and Cleary is still out there working his a** off, doing everything he can to get this team going. The amount of pure motivation that guy has is second to none. Sure, he may not be the biggest producer on our team - he's certainly no Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but the man works hard for every single point he gets - and every minute he's on the ice, you can bet your bottom dollar he's putting his heart and soul into whatever he's doing.

Also, Cleary just signed a five-year extension with the Wings and if I'm not mistaken, he has a NTC that he'd have to waive. Stuart has one too - and we all know how much his family was angry that he moved from Cali in the first place.. so the chances of him waiving it are probably slim to none.

This.