DETROIT — Brad May spent this past summer wondering if he'd ever get a 1,002nd chance.The veteran of 1,001 regular-season NHL games was without a team, without a training camp, without a contract through July, August and most of September. This morning, however, May was skating at Joe Louis Arena with the Grand Rapids Griffins, brought into town by the Detroit Red Wings on a professional tryout.
Oh lord, here we go again...
"I've been through a lot of different things, but I've never had a summer like this. The phone wasn't ringing off the hook. I wasn't waking up to messages every day. This happened and it was right. Now it's work. It's out of my control. That's what you have to do as a player, just show everything you have.''--Brad May
A pipe dream, you say? Not according to Kenny Holland:
"He brings a physical element and that's something we don't have. Now, he's 37 and he wants to see what he's got left and so do we.''
May went on to try and butter us up a little...
"First of all, I want to play; I want to make this team. The second thing is to be part of this tradition, a winner. I had a great opportunity to win a few years ago and it's infectious. You want to do it again.''
Flattery will get you nowhere, Brad...except with me. I don't care who it is, I love seeing/hearing compliments for this organ-i-zation (obviously).
Drapes and Malts have to wonder what the hell is going on if they bring in a 37 year old to fill a grinder role on the team. Bertuzzi was supposed to bring the grit, wasn't he? Ericsson can scrap, he tuned up Corey Perry about 8 rows in front me during game 1 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
Do we really need/want this guy?
There comes a time when you have to draw the line between being a reclamation center and a rest home.
ReplyDeleteStill, nothing hurts giving him a chance to earn a spot. If he can't, then nothing's lost. If he can, then it shakes up the kids who were ahead of him on the depth chart on lost their places by being outworked by a 37 year old.
The only way this situation goes bonkers is if he plays in place of Draper or Maltby.
It's just a tryout. He probably wouldn't play much more of a role than Downey played last year anyways.
ReplyDeletewe need this guy to sacrifice to the truculence of the leafs in that next pre-season game. better him than someone who should actually play for the wings in meaningful games. not saying that may would lose in a fight to any given toronto pugilist, just saying better may taking the risk than someone else.
ReplyDeleteIf the Wings are considering a 37 Brad May, why not hust sign Downey?
ReplyDeleteI don't think May brings any more scoring than Downey and I really don't think he fights any better.
So why not stay with in the team and go with the guy who has already shown that he is willing to throw down to protect the Hank, Mule, Pavs investment.