Dan Cleary is back for another kick at the can.
Cleary, who turns 38 in December, has agreed to a one-year deal with Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, the club announced on Friday. The contract comes just one week after the Red Wings announced they were bringing Cleary to training camp on a professional tryout.
A Stanley Cup winner with Detroit eight years ago, Cleary hasn’t played in the NHL since ’14-15, and spent all of last season with the Griffins. He performed reasonably well, scoring 15 points in 35 games.
“I really enjoyed what I did last season, being in that role, helping the young kids grow into being future Red Wings,” Cleary said earlier this summer, per the Detroit News.
Cleary also told the News “I am, and always will be, a Red Wing at heart,” suggesting that he’s more than happy to help out the organization whatever way he can.
Given he’s won Cup and has over 900 games on his resume, he would be a quality mentor for some of Detroit’s AHL-bound prospects.