New career development for Danny Cleary
He’s entering 13th year with organization, but the first when he officially isn’t a player
As expected, Danny Cleary is remaining with the Detroit Red Wings’ organization. Just months after officially retiring as a player, the 38-year-old Newfoundlander is taking on a new job in Detroit’s hockey operations.
It comes as no particular surprise, but Newfoundlander Danny Cleary has officially joined the Detroit Red Wings’ hockey operations department.
Over the weekend, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press Tweeted the news the 38-yearold native of Riverhead, Harbour Grace will serve as director of player development. Cleary will actually be a co-director, sharing duties with Shawn Horcoff.
This will be Cleary’s 13th straight year in the Red Wings’ organization. The first 10 were as a player with Detroit, where he had 124 goals and 275 points in 609 games and winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 2008. The last two were with the Red Wings’ AHL farm club, the Grand Rapids Griffins. He appeared in 35 games for the Griffins in 2014-15, but last season, although listed as a player, didn’t dress for a single game as Grand Rapids won the Calder Cup. Instead, he adopted sort of mentorship/coaching role as he prepared to transition into a new job, one that was officially revealed as the Red Wings as they started their training camp.
Cleary and Horcoff are not only co-workers, they are also very good friends, having once been teammates with the Edmonton Oilers and roommates when they played together for Mora of the Swedish Elite League during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.