Ken Holland says he's close to offering Darren McCarty a contract before next week's trade deadline. I have one word for that: awesome.
The naysayers will complain that I'm living in the past. Mac's time was years ago, he's not the player he was, he's out of condition, yada yada yada. Well then why is everyone in the hockey world making such a big fuss about Peter Forsberg's possible return? Talk about living in the past. I'd sign Darren McCarty to a contract tomorrow over Peter Forsberg.
Very few players wore the winged wheel sweater with more passion and heart and pride than McCarty. Yes, he had problems. Yes, he made some bad decisions. But the guy is now giving it his all, trying to turn his life around and put things in order.
Two events always come to mind when I think of McCarty: his pummeling of Claude Lemieux in retribution for Lemieux's cheap hit on Kris Draper and his scoring the Cup-winning goal in '97, beating Flyers' superstar Janne Niinimaa in a great dispy-doodle move and then deking out Hextall to win it all.
While I don't for a second doubt the current Wings' commitment to winning the Cup this year, they need a little more grit, just a touch more volatile passion. Danny Cleary and Aaron Downey have it, but Cleary's out with a broken jaw and Downey's minutes aren't that high. McCarty can ignite a home crowd the minute he steps on the ice. With all the injuries and the still-fresh losing streak, Detroit needs that right now.
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