Detroit Red Wings
McLellan Explains Leonard Demotion Decision
Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan clearly understands why some fans are unhappy with the team’s decision to return John Leonard to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday night.
“Difficult decision,” McLellan said. “Very difficult. Some would say, well, you didn’t need to send him down because you had a roster spot. It does him no good sitting here and watching. ”
Fans are expressing frustration on comment boards at the decision because many saw Leonard, 27, providing secondary scoring that Detroit has lacked. He can skate, shows offensive instincts, and seems to have offensive flair.
He put up two goals and two assists for four points in seven games. Before being called up, Leonard netted 19 goals in 20 games for Grand Rapids. This is a player who knows how to get the puck to the net.
Closeness of GR Played a Role
“Are we comfortable in having him as early as a phone call? Right now, ‘Yes,'” McLellan said. “He’s a player that can play and play and help us. (But) we weren’t going to use him. We’re going to put (James van Riemsdyk) back in. As a result, (Leonard’s) there now. That doesn’t mean he’s there permanently. Things could happen with our roster.”
The Red Wings can carry 23 players, and Leonard’s demotion put Detroit’s at 22. With Grand Rapids a car ride away, the Red Wings have shown they are comfortable going with 22.
McLellan made it clear that the decision did not reflect any disappointment in Leonard’s play.
“What did we see in him? We saw what we expected to see from him,” McLellan said. “He had some pace to his game. Was an offensive threat. He handled himself well on the power play. There aren’t negatives to his game. I can’t sit here and say he’s got to do this or that to get himself back here. It’ll be opportunity and circumstance.”
The Griffins will play at home against the Milwaukee Admirals tonight, and presumably Leonard will be in their lineup. In listening to McLellan, it also would seem likely that we have not seen the last of Leonard in Detroit.
I would say this is a BS move on The Red Wings ( Yzerman) part. Leonard is 27 yrs old and will not get many more chances to make The Big Show. He done everything asked of him since being called up. If Yzerman does not want him with The Wings then he should have waived him or trade him giving him a chance to get with another team that has need. Classless move by Yzerman. JMO
Bad take. I’m sure he will be back soon. No need to throw all the temper tantrums.
Maybe he should have asked the other teams he played for to waive him if he wasn’t called up immediately.
Hey Charlie Brown, It’s not a temper tantrum, it’s called an opinion. That is what JMO stands for. Try posting one sometime, there must be a 6yr old around that could help you compose one
Actually, this response was more like a temper tantrum, Obie. We all get “emotional” when it comes to the Wings but, from what I’ve seen in the past, you’re better than this.
Obie, I usually agree with you on most of your post’s but… SY’s first obligation is to the Wings. Having said that, I feel bad for Leonard. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him. Keep the positive vibes.
Greetings Wing Fans,
Obie has a clear view on this one. Charlie, with all due respect, you get the Ray Charles trophy for vision. This was a bad call in every conceivable way.
It’s one thing to be waived for performance issues or lack of experience but Leonard was doing it and doing it big! This is your take Charlie, what about Marco Kasper, 29 straight games without a goal and he is still on a line.
Make no mistake Leonard would be completely justified in ask the Wings to cut him loose. When you call a man up and he delivers as intended and his reward is to be shown the door. The Red Wings should be ashamed.
This was a dirty move, and McLellan can flap his lips on behave of management all day long, but they just shafted Leonard and alienated a player that delivered.
Poor, Very Poor
PBB
👍 X2
Marco Kasper is a borderline bust. He proves it more and more every night. I saw the other day that he’s on a pace for a whole 10 points. It’s ugly man look at his stats.
One more game and if they sent him down he would go through waivers. He would get picked up. Likely they talked to him and told him and he understands.
Very likely working on trades to get a good D and Wings NHL forwards would likely be going the other way. No matter what they say there are things in the background going on. Not having the risk of too many players and having to send one down and losing him to waiver makes sense. Maximum flexibility at this point is good.
He can come back up once things are settled if they make trades or not. Hopefully Kasper find his game by then but if not then they know. Last year he hit another gear after new year so never know. I don’t see it as it looks like a Raymond type sophomore slump but again never know.
Tav u are right. I now understand why it was done.He was an emergency call up to replace Kane and can only do that for ten games. Then they would have to expose him to waivers before sending him down. Of course he would be claimed. That s why thus was done. I was as hacked off as Obie, but now I understand why this was done. I believe he will be brought back soon.
Leonard was not an emergency call up. He wa a regular recall. They sent Gustafsson down to clear a roster spot for him.
I would like to address my first post. Just letting you guys know that I stand 100 % behind all I’ve posted here in this thread. John Leonard is a 27 yr old who hasn’t much run-way left in his career if he want’s to secure an NHL job. He was called up by Yzerman and done all that was asked of him. He supplied some much needed secondary scoring and played a good checking defensive role. Certainly better than either Raz, Compher or Sod to say nothing of Kasper. His reward for this was being sent back to GR by Yzerman. Some on here say we may have lost him to waivers which is certainly true. But it is for this very reason that the PA fought to have waivers instituted in the WA. So teams could not keep players in the minors that could otherwise get a contract in the big league with another team. My stance is use him or let him get a job with some other team who may want him. For those on here that don’t know, Yzerman’s nickname in hockey circles is ” cut throat”. A nick name well earned.
To the Yzerlovers on here that will say ” look where we are’, I say we would have been here probably 3 yrs ago if we would have had a good GM.