“Yeah, I’ve had those talks with myself,” Cleary chuckled. “More than once, too.
“But the drive from home, that’s the easiest part. Man, I’ve gained a lot of respect for the American Hockey League, and the players in the AHL.
“To say it’s demanding in terms of travel may be an understatement. We had one trip, a nine-hour bus ride from Grand Rapids to Iowa. I’m like, ‘Boys, I don’t think I’m gonna make it.’
“And then the bus broke down. So in many ways, it’s been tough, but a lot of fun in a lot of other ways. And I’m still having fun.”
Related story:
Cleary looking at coaching ... eventually
Cleary’s Grand Rapids Griffins are in the AHL’s Central Division final against the Lake Erie Monsters. The Griffins remained alive in the series with a big 5-4 win Tuesday night in Michigan, a game in which Grand Rapids rebounded from a 4-1 deficit.
The Monsters lead the series 3-1 with Game 5 Saturday night in Cleveland, home of the Monsters.
The last time Cleary was in the AHL, he was 21 and finding his way down a road that would lead to 938 career NHL games, the most of any Newfoundlander.
During a five-year period from 2006-07 through to 2010-11, when the Red Wings were among the NHL’s elite, the Riverhead, Harbour Grace product was one of Detroit head coach Mike Babcock’s go-to guys.
In addition to enjoying 40-plus point seasons, Cleary was one of the Red Wing’s best defensive players, saw time on both the power play and penalty kill, and took faceoffs in key situations.
Cleary was so good he was invited to the 2010 Olympic team’s summer evaluation camp.
But age — he’s 37 — and a litany of injuries have finished his days in the NHL. Yet he’s still chasing a championship, albeit a Calder Cup.
Cleary still has a love for the game, but make no mistake, there are business reasons behind his suiting up for Grand Rapids, too.
In 2013, Cleary was offered a three-year, $6.25 million contract by Detroit before he became an unrestricted free agent.
Curious to kick the tires on the open market, Cleary declined, and was eventually extended a three-year, $8.25 million offer from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Despite the money, he was having second thoughts. He and his family were settled in Detroit and he considered himself a Red Wing. Cleary told Babcock and general manager Ken Holland as much when the three met in Traverse City, where the Wings had already opened camp.
Holland offered Cleary a $1.75 million deal to play in 2013-14, with a handshake agreement to make up for some of the money lost by turning down the Flyers.
Cleary got another one-year contract in 2014-15 for $1.5 million, and last fall — despite appearing in only 17 games for Detroit the previous season — was given another one-year deal at $950,000, money which did not count towards Detroit’s salary cap.
Cleary has more than his share of aches and pains. His knees are shot, and a pair of barking shoulders will only allow him to sleep on his back at night.
He was limited to just 35 games in Grand Rapids this season, a year in which he scored but three goals and 12 assists.
But his value to the Griffins is measured in more than numbers. There’s the veteran leadership he’s brought to the Red Wings’ farm club, in an unofficial player-assistant coach role.
“I’ve got to say, we’ve got a real nice team here,” he said. “When I got here, we were 1-8, and I said, ‘What’s going on here?’”
The Griffins turned it around, and finished with 44 wins. They beat the Milwaukee Admirals, the top team in the Western Conference in the regular season, in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
“When the playoffs rolled around, I said, ‘Guys, there are 16 teams who think they have a chance (to win). The reality is any team that plays Toronto in the first round has no chance.
“‘But we’ve got a real shot here.’ I told them, ‘Two things: good teams find a way to win. And if there’s anybody who can put together a run in the playoffs, we can.’”
Cleary maintains there are a lot of future Red Wings in Grand Rapids — Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Martin Frk, Robbie Russo and Ryan Sproul are all highly regarded — and he embraces the idea of being a mentor in the room.
During his latest tenure in the AHL, he’s seen how players react when they’re called up, and when they don’t get the call. He has seen how some players are older than their years, while others — first- and second-year pros — still have some growing up to do.
“It’s been eye-opening, a great experience,” he says. “I tell every one of them that you have to be patient. You have to be ready to play in the NHL, and to do that, you have to do the work down here first.
“We have guys here who will play 10 years in the NHL. Others will play two or three. Some won’t play at all. Balancing those three in the room is unique.
“I’m excited to be part of that experience.”
“Yeah, I’ve had those talks with myself,” Cleary chuckled. “More than once, too.
“But the drive from home, that’s the easiest part. Man, I’ve gained a lot of respect for the American Hockey League, and the players in the AHL.
“To say it’s demanding in terms of travel may be an understatement. We had one trip, a nine-hour bus ride from Grand Rapids to Iowa. I’m like, ‘Boys, I don’t think I’m gonna make it.’
“And then the bus broke down. So in many ways, it’s been tough, but a lot of fun in a lot of other ways. And I’m still having fun.”
Related story:
Cleary looking at coaching ... eventually
Cleary’s Grand Rapids Griffins are in the AHL’s Central Division final against the Lake Erie Monsters. The Griffins remained alive in the series with a big 5-4 win Tuesday night in Michigan, a game in which Grand Rapids rebounded from a 4-1 deficit.
The Monsters lead the series 3-1 with Game 5 Saturday night in Cleveland, home of the Monsters.
The last time Cleary was in the AHL, he was 21 and finding his way down a road that would lead to 938 career NHL games, the most of any Newfoundlander.
During a five-year period from 2006-07 through to 2010-11, when the Red Wings were among the NHL’s elite, the Riverhead, Harbour Grace product was one of Detroit head coach Mike Babcock’s go-to guys.
In addition to enjoying 40-plus point seasons, Cleary was one of the Red Wing’s best defensive players, saw time on both the power play and penalty kill, and took faceoffs in key situations.
Cleary was so good he was invited to the 2010 Olympic team’s summer evaluation camp.
But age — he’s 37 — and a litany of injuries have finished his days in the NHL. Yet he’s still chasing a championship, albeit a Calder Cup.
Cleary still has a love for the game, but make no mistake, there are business reasons behind his suiting up for Grand Rapids, too.
In 2013, Cleary was offered a three-year, $6.25 million contract by Detroit before he became an unrestricted free agent.
Curious to kick the tires on the open market, Cleary declined, and was eventually extended a three-year, $8.25 million offer from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Despite the money, he was having second thoughts. He and his family were settled in Detroit and he considered himself a Red Wing. Cleary told Babcock and general manager Ken Holland as much when the three met in Traverse City, where the Wings had already opened camp.
Holland offered Cleary a $1.75 million deal to play in 2013-14, with a handshake agreement to make up for some of the money lost by turning down the Flyers.
Cleary got another one-year contract in 2014-15 for $1.5 million, and last fall — despite appearing in only 17 games for Detroit the previous season — was given another one-year deal at $950,000, money which did not count towards Detroit’s salary cap.
Cleary has more than his share of aches and pains. His knees are shot, and a pair of barking shoulders will only allow him to sleep on his back at night.
He was limited to just 35 games in Grand Rapids this season, a year in which he scored but three goals and 12 assists.
But his value to the Griffins is measured in more than numbers. There’s the veteran leadership he’s brought to the Red Wings’ farm club, in an unofficial player-assistant coach role.
“I’ve got to say, we’ve got a real nice team here,” he said. “When I got here, we were 1-8, and I said, ‘What’s going on here?’”
The Griffins turned it around, and finished with 44 wins. They beat the Milwaukee Admirals, the top team in the Western Conference in the regular season, in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
“When the playoffs rolled around, I said, ‘Guys, there are 16 teams who think they have a chance (to win). The reality is any team that plays Toronto in the first round has no chance.
“‘But we’ve got a real shot here.’ I told them, ‘Two things: good teams find a way to win. And if there’s anybody who can put together a run in the playoffs, we can.’”
Cleary maintains there are a lot of future Red Wings in Grand Rapids — Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Martin Frk, Robbie Russo and Ryan Sproul are all highly regarded — and he embraces the idea of being a mentor in the room.
During his latest tenure in the AHL, he’s seen how players react when they’re called up, and when they don’t get the call. He has seen how some players are older than their years, while others — first- and second-year pros — still have some growing up to do.
“It’s been eye-opening, a great experience,” he says. “I tell every one of them that you have to be patient. You have to be ready to play in the NHL, and to do that, you have to do the work down here first.
“We have guys here who will play 10 years in the NHL. Others will play two or three. Some won’t play at all. Balancing those three in the room is unique.
“I’m excited to be part of that experience.”