Daniel Cleary
Daniel Cleary was selected in the first round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, 13th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks. He had a great junior career with the Belleville Bulls of the OHL. Just one year removed from junior, Cleary was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a package that landed Boris Mironov in Chicago.
Cleary played parts of four seasons in Edmonton. Cleary's $1 million contract was bought out by the Oilers in the summer of 2003. He was signed to a smaller contract by the Phoenix Coyotes and played in Sweden during the 2004-2005 NHL lockout. Following the lockout, Phoenix did not offer Cleary a qualifying contract. Cleary was invited to the Detroit Red Wings training camp and made the team.
Cleary's best season came in 2006-2007 with the Red Wings, as he scored 40 points in 71 games (20 goals and 20 assists). Cleary is a depth player, essentially, that can fill holes in the lineup for any team. He was once considered one of the top prospects to come out of junior, but he's never matched his incredible OHL production in the NHL. Cleary contributes on the fourth line without being a liability.
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