Remembering Derian Hatcher's tenure with Detroit

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

The United States Hockey Hall of Fame will induct Sterling Heights natives Derian and Kevin Hatcher on October 21st, and Derian, who briefly played for the Red Wings, discussed his short time in Detroit with the Free Press's George Sipple, recalling the fact that Hatcher blew out his ACL during the 2003-2004 season and never really recovered:

July 23, Detroit Free Press: “I signed a long-term deal, a five-year deal with hopes of ending my career there and it didn’t work out,” Derian said of his time in Detroit. “I got hurt, I think the second game in or the third game into the season and came back for the playoffs. The next year was the lockout year. It was tough. … I’m glad I did it. I’m glad I gave it a try. At the end of the day, yeah I’m a little sad maybe it didn’t work out. But, I hold no hard feelings.”

The Wings had to buy out the contracts of Hatcher, Ray Whitney and Darren McCarty to get under the then-imposed $39 million salary cap...

General manager Ken Holland said the Wings were excited to sign a player of Hatcher’s caliber to a long-term deal at the time.

“He was a unique package,” Holland said. “He was regarded as one of the meanest and toughest defenders in the game. Unfortunately he got injured and didn’t play many games for us.”

Really a shame that it didn't work out. I was at the game against Vancouver in which he tore his ACL, and was extremely disappointed when I heard the news.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Being a defensman for the Wings has got to be a cursed position.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Well, I'm glad Hatcher has fonder memories of his time here than I do.

Game 6 in Calgary, 2004. Hard to forget that disaster.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

Well, I'm glad Hatcher has fonder memories of his time here than I do.

Game 6 in Calgary, 2004. Hard to forget that disaster.

My view exactly. He sucked when he was here. Everyone skated circles around him. Goalies could have skated circles around him. Better to try to forget he was ever here then remember as you aptly phrased it, "that disaster."

[Lamothe 5]

Well, I'm glad Hatcher has fonder memories of his time here than I do.

Game 6 in Calgary, 2004. Hard to forget that disaster.

Agreed. I for one was clapping when his lame ass was bought out. No hard feelings Derian, but given your performance, I had no desire to keep you around. His stances against the player's union also contributed to my lack of support for him.

[dragonballgtz 273]

Well, I'm glad Hatcher has fonder memories of his time here than I do.

Game 6 in Calgary, 2004. Hard to forget that disaster.

I remember watching it thinking,turn around turn around befo.../rage

[Yak19 303]

Its funny how on the NHL website they have video clips looking back at Hatcher's and Roenick's careers but in one clip when Hatcher throws a hit on Crosby they show the hit twice and they end the video by showing Crosby's OT goal 5 times... how is this a tribute to Hatcher?

[soultrain 43]

i can remember how stoked me and my cousin were when he signed....yeah after the injury he turned into real s***...he wasn't as much of a bust as lazy lang.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

I recall Illitch paying him 10 million to go away.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

i can remember how stoked me and my cousin were when he signed....yeah after the injury he turned into real s***...he wasn't as much of a bust as lazy lang.

I was very excited when he signed, but not so much with the way things turned out.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

My view exactly. He sucked when he was here. Everyone skated circles around him. Goalies could have skated circles around him. Better to try to forget he was ever here then remember as you aptly phrased it, "that disaster."

pretty sure he lost in his tilt with iggy in that series too. hatcher was a meat head. the only time he was an effective dman is when him, just like pronger could effectively get away with murder in the prime of the clutch and grab era. once obstruction came into play, stories changed.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

He was unlike any player we had since Konstantinov, only much bigger.

Unfortunately, it never panned out because of the injury. In retrospect, we got lucky in the long run, because after the lockout he started sucking because of the speed of the game. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing for us that he got hurt.

[newfy 695]

I was pumped to have him. Hatcher was one of those few guys in the league who were intimidating, physical and could play the game top notch. I was so pumped when he came here but it was so disappointing seeing him get hurt.

He sure was a mean SOB but that ACL tear was just too much to recover from I guess

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

He sure was a mean SOB but that ACL tear was just too much to recover from I guess

I don't remember if he was rushed back for the playoffs or whatever, but he definitely wasn't ready. That might the slowest I've ever seen a professional hockey player skate.

He seems to be getting a bad wrap in this thread but it's obviously not his fault his knees exploded. He probably would have had a decent '04 season if he had been healthy. Of course it worked out anyways since he was useless post-lockout.

Just another case of the Red Wings defensemen hex.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I don't remember if he was rushed back for the playoffs or whatever, but he definitely wasn't ready. That might the slowest I've ever seen a professional hockey player skate.

He seems to be getting a bad wrap in this thread but it's obviously not his fault his knees exploded. He probably would have had a decent '04 season if he had been healthy. Of course it worked out anyways since he was useless post-lockout.

Just another case of the Red Wings defensemen hex.

He looked pretty less than stellar after the lockout as well.

[NGKEIB 32]

His tenure in Detroit wasn't a success, but I was watching the World Cup of hockey 1996 finals recently (need some hockey in the summer...), and he was great then. Fair enough, he could get away with a lot of stuff, but in the first game he had two goals, and wasn't afraid to jump up in the play.

[Superman54 91]

Well, I'm glad Hatcher has fonder memories of his time here than I do.

Game 6 in Calgary, 2004. Hard to forget that disaster.

I was right behind the net when that goal went in. I remember Hatchers fat ass just standing there, while the puck was sitting in the crease, idiot. Cujo played his heart out that game.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

pretty sure he lost in his tilt with iggy in that series too. hatcher was a meat head. the only time he was an effective dman is when him, just like pronger could effectively get away with murder in the prime of the clutch and grab era. once obstruction came into play, stories changed.

That likely was the case with Hatcher given how slow he was even before his torn ACL, but Pronger has still been a force in the post lockout NHL.

[Barrie 900]

Wow some harsh words for someone who was injured! Yea he didn't play well in the 2004 playoffs, but neither did a lot of our other guys. Let it go!

I was a fan of the signing. It's to bad the lockout and the salary cap made his time in Detroit very brief! I would have like to seen him finish off his career as a Red Wing.

[Zion 93]

Thanks for bringing back the nightmares...

[cjm502 165]

My dad played against the Hatcher Brothers quite a bit in the juniors and he said they were some of the scariest mofos he ever had to play against. Luckily for my dad he was on defense 75% of the time.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

My dad played against the Hatcher Brothers quite a bit in the juniors and he said they were some of the scariest mofos he ever had to play against. Luckily for my dad he was on defense 75% of the time.

He sure beat up on the Sharks like that. I'm between disliking him for being a sadist and being glad because it was the Sharks...

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Hatcher was a mean SOB who could've had a penalty called for him practically every shift.

On paper, he was exactly what the Wings need. A big, mean, nasty defenseman. Unfortunately with the recovery from the torn ACL and the new NHL, he just couldn't keep up.

[eva unit zero 271]

Hatcher was always so overrated and overpaid. He was a good defensive defenseman, but he was never a top notch defenseman and never worthy of Norris consideration.

Definitely rode Zubov's coattails in Dallas.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Hatcher was always so overrated and overpaid. He was a good defensive defenseman, but he was never a top notch defenseman and never worthy of Norris consideration.

Definitely rode Zubov's coattails in Dallas.

Agreed.