Ken Holland: The most overrated gm in the NHL

[sherbert1421]

yes i said it. Ken holland is officially the most overrated gm in the league now.

bertuzzi, sammuelsson, modano, re-signing quincey and now re signing cleary. this is the last straw. I'm fucking done with him

When Daniel Cleary left six million dollars and two years on the table last fall in Philadelphia to return to Detroit, there was an agreement made that it would be ameliorated by the Red Wings.

That's why Cleary is getting another contract with the team, despite a season that saw even his biggest fan leave him a healthy scratch.

The Wings announced a one-year deal for Cleary today. It's worth $1.5 million in base salary with $1 million in bonus money.

Cleary, 35, had four goals and four assists in 52 games in 2013-14. His lack of production eventually lead to head coach Mike Babcock scratching Cleary in late January, and Cleary never played another game. He ended up dealing with a knee injury in spring, too.

So why is Cleary being brought back onto a team that already had a dozen NHL-contract forwards on it, which will grow to 13 when restricted free agent Tomas Tatar signs, and 14 when unrestricted free agent Daniel Alfredsson also in all likelihood returns?

Loyalty.

The Wings offered Cleary an extension in June of 2013, with contracts ranging from two to three years in length. Cleary rejected those, and ultimately had a verbal agreement in September to join the Flyers for three years and $8.25 million, pending being signed once training camp was over due to Flyers' salary cap issues.

A day before Wings camp was to start in Traverse City, Cleary flew to Traverse City and met with Babcock and general manager Ken Holland. With Babcock pushing for Cleary's return, Holland gave Cleary, a Wing since 2005, a one-year deal worth $1.75 million. Along with that came a verbal agreement that Cleary would be taken care of the following summer – meaning now – for leaving money and term on the table in Philly.

Detroit Red Wings re-sign Daniel Cleary to one-year deal: 'I'm happy' | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

this was holland after re signing cleary

he is basically admitting this is a bad signing. WTF!!!

i'm so looking forward to watching cleary rack up the worst corsi on the team and tearing it up on the 1st powerplay unit

Fun fact: cleary was the only player last season to log 50 or more minutes of powerplay time and record exactly 0 points. he was actually outscored by the opposition on the powerplay!

meanwhile, overripe stud prospects like sproul, marchenko, jurco will continue to rot away in the ahl

but we gotta have that loyalty!

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

I do NOT get that re-signing.

 

[Phantomphan]

Would have been another misfire on Holmgren's part. At least the Flyers dodged this particular bullet.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Terrible by the Red Wings - time to move on and start letting these younger guys play - Mike Babcock loves them too

 

[phoenixrising]

I do NOT get that re-signing.

I'd rather they had kept Tootoo instead. I would have loved to see Babs put him in the second game of the Boston/Detroit playoffs, he would have been just what they needed, a good headknocker.

 

[sherbert1421]

I do NOT get that re-signing.

this is worse than any signing we have seen in free agency so far solely on the fact that holland admitted that this was a signing out of loyalty and not to improve the team

 

[sherbert1421]

Terrible by the Red Wings - time to move on and start letting these younger guys play - Mike Babcock loves them too

babcock is part of the problem too. he likes cleary even more than holland does

I'd rather they had kept Tootoo instead. I would have loved to see Babs put him in the second game of the Boston/Detroit playoffs, he would have been just what they needed, a good headknocker.

agreed. unfortunately babcock put tootoo in his doghouse

 

[Cobiemonster]

babcock is part of the problem too. he likes cleary even more than holland does

I dunno, I think it's Holland's fault - he's the one who signed these older guys(Cleary, Bert, Samuelsson) and Babcock keeps asking for a righty on defense and Holland never does it

I mean, Babcock was benching the older guys and was playing the younger guys during the season, he can't be the problem - and he also made it clear that he loves coaching the younger players because they are playing with more to prove

 

[pixburgher66]

That is a frightening quote from Holland. You're giving him the deal this year because he spurned Philly for Detroit last year? He was a healthy scratch with single digit point production on the year. All that means is it was the wrong choice to bring him in last year, let alone this year. "Thanks for letting US waste money and a roster spot on you buddy! Here's a cool million!"

Holland drafts well, but frankly that's on the scouts and development staff more than the GM, and I'd sort of agree that his moves in the past 5 or so seasons have bombed or been mediocre. Biggest FA deal he's given? Weiss? Alfie I guess?

 

[Cobiemonster]

[tweet]487457727187542016[/tweet

lmao

 

[4thstreet]

to join the Flyers for three years and $8.25 million, pending being signed once training camp was over due to Flyers' salary cap issues.

Thank God,this didn't go through!!

 

[Cobiemonster]

[tweet]487457727187542016[/tweet

lmao

 

[Cobiemonster]

to join the Flyers for three years and $8.25 million, pending being signed once training camp was over due to Flyers' salary cap issues.

Thank God,this didn't go through!!

Yeah it was talked about last year - I can't believe Homer was that dumb to give him a contract like that

Glad he's not the GM anymore

 

[Harry Crack]

I am ambivalent about the GM , but give me that Coach any day !

 

[Harry Crack]

I am thinking someone has compromising pictures of someone- no other explanation

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Haha I made this argument before FN collapsed and spent a day arguing with people who still think he's a genius and plucking superstars from obscure corners of the world. Good to see there are some folks who can remove the red-tinted goggles for a minute and ask aloud how a team can spend $16 million a year on Howard, Weiss, Quincey and Cleary.

 

[RP-29]

Haha I made this argument before FN collapsed and spent a day arguing with people who still think he's a genius and plucking superstars from obscure corners of the world. Good to see there are some folks who can remove the red-tinted goggles for a minute and ask aloud how a team can spend $16 million a year on Howard, Weiss, Quincey and Cleary.

Truth.

And I admit I had been one of those loyal fans defending him, but this Cleary signing is indefensible. My only hope is Jurco has a monster camp and preseason and forces Babcock and Holland to plant Cleary's ass in the pressbox until the inevitable injury opens a spot for him on the ice.

And if anyone wants to see some real venom towards Holland by Red Wings fans, peruse the comments sections of Detroit Red Wings Hockey - MLive.com articles. If this was the 1600's Holland would've been put to death by now.

 

[Abe Vigoda]

Why should Sather and Holmgren be the only ones with bone-headed moves, spread the wealth around the NHL....

 

[Canuck eh?]

Haha I made this argument before FN collapsed and spent a day arguing with people who still think he's a genius and plucking superstars from obscure corners of the world. Good to see there are some folks who can remove the red-tinted goggles for a minute and ask aloud how a team can spend $16 million a year on Howard, Weiss, Quincey and Cleary.

I don't think anybody disagreed with you Danny. They just didn't want to admit you're right.

 

[Canuck eh?]

Truth.

And I admit I had been one of those loyal fans defending him, but this Cleary signing is indefensible. My only hope is Jurco has a monster camp and preseason and forces Babcock and Holland to plant Cleary's ass in the pressbox until the inevitable injury opens a spot for him on the ice.

And if anyone wants to see some real venom towards Holland by Red Wings fans, peruse the comments sections of Detroit Red Wings Hockey - MLive.com articles. If this was the 1600's Holland would've been put to death by now.