Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3437
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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 Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: NO CLEAR CALL: Dan Cleary's contract status |
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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080205/SPORTS05/802050384
| Quote: |
I think everyone knows how much I like it here, how much of a fit it is for me," he said. "I really want to be here for a long time, and I believe things will get done."
That confidence may ebb as the numbers are laid out before him. The Wings want to get Cleary done at around $2.5 million a season, and in return will offer plenty of term. But do the math in the Sharp deal, and that adds up to Cleary's camp knowing he might make $1.4 million more on the open market this summer.
"That's a lot of money," Cleary said. "That's something I would have to talk with my family about and make a decision about. It'd be a tough spot."
Others on the team have done so. Nicklas Lidstrom has, for several years, taken $1 million to $2 million less to play in Detroit, because the Wings give him something else he wants.
"I've had some discussions with Kenny over the years even before I've signed contracts," Lidstrom said, "and one of the things I've always asked him is, are we going to be competitive? He's always told me they're going to do whatever they can to win here, and that's the main reason why I've wanted to stay. Maybe I could have gone somewhere else and made more money, but this is where I want to play and this is where I have a chance to win."
Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Tomas Holmstrom all have made the same decision, but Cleary's situation is different. Lidstrom has made tens of millions during his career. Draper, Maltby and Holmstrom all have had lucrative contracts, too. That isn't the case for Cleary.
"Now he's in a situation where this is probably the biggest contract that he is going to sign," Draper said, "so you can understand where he's coming from. But you don't have to tell him. He's been in different organizations, he knows how this organization is run and he loves it here and he is hopeful that something gets worked out."
Cleary has established himself as a top-six forward who will play in front of the net on power plays and kill penalties. This season he has shown the one thing lacking last season: consistency.
"You kind of saw last year what kind of player he could be," Henrik Zetterberg said. "But this year he's been steady all through the year and really become a good, all-around player for us. Hopefully we can lock him up for many years."
That Cleary loves being in Detroit is certain. But at what price? |
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