It;s Time to Call Out Dan Cleary

I think you are being a little unfair with Cleary. I've seen him starting to bang more this round and he has been an effective checking forward. There are also two big reasons for a drop in offensive production. That cage/mask/protector infringes on his vision when a puck is in his skates, like the one he missed last night. When he came back he was dropped to the 3rd line. Before the injury he was playing the 2nd line and Franzen was on the 3rd. He wasn't going to bump Franzen with his roll. The 3rd line is a checking line centered by Draper. Sorry, Draper is good player but is of no help when it comes to offensive stats. He plays on the 2nd powerplay unit which is currently shorthanded as Franzen normally centers that unit. Cleary is averaging 17 minutes of ice time not 20

Whether or not he had the surgery is a personal choice on his part that you shouldn't question. He was going to do what was best for his long-term health as he should.  While he and everyone else would like him to have better stats give him a break. He came back to help the team. His jaw is not 100% healed yet, and let's see how you return after losing 30 lbs. while not able to eat.

The worst thing the Wings did was give this guy a contract extension, WHILE HE WAS INJURED.  Come on Holland, THINK.  Cleary looks tenative in the scrums and he hasn't lite that light, now has he?  I always felt he was, maybe a B player, not a corner stone.

He needs to "Announce his Presence" tomorrow, cause it will be sometime before Franzan returns.

We all want secondary scoring and Franzen is out right now. Filpula, Sammy, and Cleary.....witch seems to still be in pain....they all need to step up!!!

GO WINGS!

If that same exact play happened with the #1 line, you would say that Turco made a spectacular save against Zetterberg or Datsyuk, but because it was against Cleary it was all Cleary's fault.

I'm a huge fan of Cleary, and before the playoffs, i said that him and Franzen needed to step up in a big way to take some pressure of our top line. Franzen really took that to heart apparently, and was scoring enough for the both of them. With him out, Cleary needs to assert himself on that second line, or be demoted...maybe sat, though i'm not sure about that one. It's now his job to take over where Franzen left off. If he can't do that, then he doesn't deserve to be on that second line. As was mentioned earlier, Hudler and Helm have both been playing phenomenal, and I think would do some good on that line. Helm and Filppula would be great just because of their speed.

Bottom line is, Cleary has been tentative since he came back. This is understandable, yet unacceptable in the playoffs. If you can't contribute, you sit. He missed a golden opportunity to put that puck in, and if Datsyuk, Zetterburg or Holmstrom would have made that mistake, I wouldn't let them off the hook either.

Cleary has played well enough earlier this year to start on that second line. If he doesn't up his game, Babs should move someone else in that spot. The Wings need a win tonight.

Go Wings!!

Amazing! Cleary notches a shorty last night and instantly killed this discussion!

It was a bullsh!t discussion anyway! Cleary may not be scoring like he used to but he works his a$$ off and contributes by doing anything he can even if it is just playing a role while others do most of the scoring.

One thing I have to ask of those people who think he should be scratched; who would you bring up in Cleary's place?