Detroit has a surplus of forwards and a shortage of salary cap space, but that doesn’t mean they want to part ways with Daniel Cleary.
Brendan Savage of Mlive.com says the team would like to bring the veteran forward back into the fold, but would have to lose salary to do it. The Wings are currently at $66 million on their payroll and have to be down below $64.3 million at the start of the season.
The Wings also have an unbalanced number of forwards.
According to CapGeek.com, the Red Wings currently have 16 forwards under control at the moment either via contract or as restricted free agents.
To bring Cleary back as the 17th, that would mean moving out more than a couple players. As it is, Wings GM Ken Holland still has to get Gustav Nyqvist and Joakim Andersson signed to new deals as RFAs and wanting Cleary back only adds to the intrigue.
Trades on the horizon in Detroit? If the Wings are going to bring Cleary and his bad knees back to Motown, there’s going to be some action.