Cleary steps up for Red Wings

DETROIT, Mich – The Chicago Blackhawks were beaten by the Red Wings on Sunday. More specifically they were beaten by Dan Cleary, their former draft pick. In the 1997 NHL entry draft Cleary was picked 13^th overall by Chicago but languished for several years before Detroit picked him as a free agent in 2005 for a second chance on his career.
“Looking back on it, I mean, I was real close,” said Cleary. “It (the end) was right there. If I didn’t make Detroit, I don’t know where I would have been. But I tried to work hard and focus on making the team. Each year, like I said, my role has gotten more and more, ice time has increased, my responsibility. I just try to be good away from the puck defensively, and that’s the way I was needed to be in offensive situations.”
           

The 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are the coming out party for Cleary as he notched two goals en-route to leading the Wings over the Blackhawks by a 5-2 count. The win gave Detroit the early 1-0 series lead. Through Sunday’s contest, Cleary has five goals including the game and series-winner against the Ducks in Game 7. Cleary has been the spark the older Detroit roster has needed and his enthusiasm has injected a sense of personality in a team that is otherwise better characterized as a machine in mowing down the competition this post season. During the regular season Cleary picked up 14 goals and 40 points on the season with 46 PIM.  For the post season he has 11 points and 6 assists and is a +13 thus far. He is seeing a lot of action on the top line and is averaging about 16 minutes of ice time per game. Cleary’s early promise was based on his junior experience where he scored a hat trick in his first game as an under age 16-year old.  But the promise the Blackhawks used to base his draft selection was short-lived and he was sent to the Edmonton Oilers. 
“Against Chicago, I got drafted ’97,” said Cleary. “Dale Tallon is the (Chicago) GM now, he’s a scout there (OHL). I remember him from when they brought me in like when I was a young player. It’s nice. I wasn’t in Chicago very long, so no hard feelings. But it’s always nice to score against a team that drafted you.”
Seen as something other than one of the fancy players on the roster, he and teammate Johan Franzen are now the anchors of the offense that the bench and head coach Mike Babcock rely on. “ He’s had a good playoff,”  said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville in the post game press conference after Sunday’s game.  “He’s a dangerous guy, scored some big goals. That certainly slowed us down.” C hicago will need to make adjustments for Tuesday’s rematch at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit.  Cleary is on a tear and the Red Wings are eager to ride his efforts as they continue to defend last season’s Stanley Cup championship. Contact lou.lafrado@prohockeynews.com
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