From Dave Waddell of the Windsor Star...Detroit signs Patrick Eaves, and a lot of people are talking. As J.J. from Kansas points out, a lot of people are billing this one as "the second coming of Dan Cleary". I don't know want us to get that far ahead of ourselves, but it's hard not to. Especially when Kenny Holland starts singing the praise of his new acquisition...
"I think Patrick is one of those guys like we've had that just needs a fresh start. He's scored 20 goals in this league before and we feel we play a style he'll fit into."
There's more kind words...a lot more, actually...
"We love his potential. We need some players on the team that are cheaper ones too. Given his history, we know he has lots of skill. Our feeling is Patrick is a young kid who maybe has lost his confidence a bit after some injury problems. We think he can come here and find his confidence with the players he'll get to play with."
As for what yet another potential turnaround possible...
"I think we've had success with guys like this because of the leadership and talent in our dressing room. It's an easy room to get comfy in. It's filled with good people, a winning tradition, it's team first and guys make sacrifices. Because of our stability, players coming in get to feed off that. We're not asking them to do something they've not done before."
Greatest professional organ-i-zation in sports. Got it.
It's also rumored that Kenny is looking to make at least one more move with roughly $1.2 mil left to work with. If that's the case, Abadabbadoo will most likely be starting the season off in Grand Rapids.
In Kenny We Trust.
We're spoiled, we Red Wings fans. Where else do fans have to temper themselves against getting too excited about a $500k signing? Where else do fans look at sixth or seventh-round picks as real future players?
ReplyDeleteFor Eaves, I've thought about it and I'm giving him Thomas Kopecky leeway. I want to see what he can do with a full healthy season. Kopecky had one, worked his tail off, and still came up short. Now that he's gone, I neither miss him nor dislike him. Kopecky still has more potential than he realized in Detroit, but I never had need to doubt his drive and that's what matters. If Eaves can provide that, then I say welcome to the family.