So the consensus on Shanny's #14 is a no?

[unsaddleddonald 357]

The Mlive article got me thinking about this.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/08/poll_who_should_be_the_next_fo.html#incart_river

The majority seems to think that #14 in the rafters is a no-go.

So what works against Shanny the most?

• Not playing his entire career here? This is bull to me for Shanny because anyone who knows of Brendan Shanahan thinks of him as a Red Wing and it's not close.
• The selectiveness of the Red Wings when it comes to retiring numbers? The guys who are up there are legends.
• The fact that the Wings won't retire #91? Maybe if he didn't act like such a ****...

Reality is that when he was here, he was arguably our best player and without question our #1 goal scorer. I personally think he should be retired, but I'm only at about 55/45 with it. I think the argument that works against him the most is the Wings' selectiveness.

Edited August 5, 2013 by unsaddleddonald

[vladdy16 2,154]

I agree Shanny was great and I was pleasantly surprised at how seamlessly he fit in here right away, but I think the bar is set pretty damn high for sweaters in the rafters and he just doesn't quite make it.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Anytime that there is even a debate whether someone's number should be retired I feel like they shouldn't be up.

[unsaddleddonald 357]

I agree with both of you, and again, it sounds like we're talking about the prestigiousness of Red Wings' retired numbers.

I just feel like the impact he had from day 1 was very significant. I mean, he was given the "A" before he stepped into the lockerroom and he left only to allow the organization to move forward.

[Din758 371]

I would imagine now a days it takes 15+ years of playing here to even be considered. If I had to pick, Shanny would be my next pick of all former players to be up there, but doesnt really make the cut for me outright.

[Jedi 1,865]

Shanny is the perfect example of why the Wings need a "Ring of Honor" in the new arena. Gives the Wings a way to honor guys like Shanny, Homer, etc, who certainly deserve great recognition, but don't quite meet the standard set by Stevie and Nick.

[Guest The Axe]

He meets the following criteria:

1) stanley cup

2) 1000 pts

3) a letter on his jersey

He misses #4 = 15 seasons with the Wings.

[amato 3,210]

i think the fact that nyquist has been wearing 14 is a pretty clear indication there aren't really plans to have it retired..

I really wish feds had a better ending to his time here though, he deserves 91 retired.

[Serratoni 49]

i think the fact that nyquist has been wearing 14 is a pretty clear indication there aren't really plans to have it retired..

I really wish feds had a better ending to his time here though, he deserves 91 retired.

Yes. Fedorov before Shanny and Fedorov will never make it.

[VM1138 1,921]

There's no doubt we all love what Shanny did for us. The guy was Wing royalty for almost ten years. But alas, retired numbers should he reserved for very, very special cases. There will be lots of fantastic players playing for the Wings. I feel like you have to really define the Wings to be retired. Yzerman and Lidstrom did, perhaps Shanny didn't.

[55fan 5,133]

We wouldn't have to lower our standards very far to include Shanny, but we would have to lower them, so let's not do that.

The more discussions I have like this, the more I wish we did have that "ring of honour".

No one will ever see the number 14 on a Red Wing and think, "ah, Meech".

[Guest Crymson]

#14 was back in circulation two seasons after Shanahan left. It was apparent then that he would not receive the honor in question.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Crymson

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

I thought he left because they wouldn't make him captain. I could be wrong though, but if true his number shouldn't be retired

[Guest Crymson]

I thought he left because they wouldn't make him captain. I could be wrong though, but if true his number shouldn't be retired

I don't recall ever hearing this. I doubt he believed that he was in line for the captaincy at any point. It was apparent to everybody that either Lidstrom or Zetterberg would come after Yzerman.

[rick zombo 3,739]

I thought he left because they wouldn't make him captain. I could be wrong though, but if true his number shouldn't be retired

I think if we're going to speculate, the best theory is that he left because he didn't get along with Babcock. Same as Scheider and Lang. Although I think in the case of all three of theses guys, the Wings weren't overly worried about them leaving either.

[Ram 240]

HHOF does not equal JLA rafters. Reserved strictly for DRW legends.

I honestly think after Nick, we will not see another number up there for a very long time.

[55fan 5,133]

It's been a long time, but I vaguely remember that after Stevie retired, Shanny felt that it was time to hand the reigns to Z and Pav- the next generation, if you will.

He felt that his time here was done when Stevie left. Or something to that effect. Granted, that might have been what he told the press, and he might have had other reasons. Who knows?

Anyway, that's what I remember hearing from back then. Any verification- one way or the other- would be appreciated.

[kylee 727]

i think the fact that nyquist has been wearing 14 is a pretty clear indication there aren't really plans to have it retired..

I really wish feds had a better ending to his time here though, he deserves 91 retired.

Derek Meech before him...

[slavetothehotlight 11]

The standards for jersey retirements are super high for the Wings and most teams. I think next to us the AVS might be the next most strictest team.

[VM1138 1,921]

It's been a long time, but I vaguely remember that after Stevie retired, Shanny felt that it was time to hand the reigns to Z and Pav- the next generation, if you will.

He felt that his time here was done when Stevie left. Or something to that effect. Granted, that might have been what he told the press, and he might have had other reasons. Who knows?

Anyway, that's what I remember hearing from back then. Any verification- one way or the other- would be appreciated.

That's what I remember, too. The official story was that he felt his era was over. Time to make room for the new Red Wings like Datsyuk. That being said, it could've been because he didn't want to deal with Babcock. I forget, did he go to Jersey after us? Was their coach more laid back?

[ogreslayer 1,069]

The standards for jersey retirements are super high for the Wings and most teams. I think next to us the AVS might be the next most strictest team.

The same Colorado Avalanche that retired Ray Bourque's number based on the 2 seasons he played there? I think that disqualifies the use of the word strict in reference to their jersey retirement requirements.

And on the topic of Shanny, I hold the same opinion that others here have already stated. He won't get his number retired & do think that the Wings need a ring of honor. That would allow for the organization to still honor players that did make a significant contribution but fall short of being the type of not just great but generational player/leader that the Wings will put in the rafters.

[Guest Crymson]

I think if we're going to speculate, the best theory is that he left because he didn't get along with Babcock. Same as Scheider and Lang. Although I think in the case of all three of theses guys, the Wings weren't overly worried about them leaving either.

Neither Schneider nor Lang left the team because of Babcock, and I doubt Shanahan did so either. Schneider departed because the Ducks offered him a big contract and a chance to play near his home in southern California, and Lang left because the Wings decided not to offer him another contract.

The best "theory" matches exactly what Shanahan said: that he identified more with the team as it was than with the team as it was becoming, and that he accordingly felt that it was time to move on. If clashes with coaching had the capacity to make Shanahan leave a team, then he would have long since departed from the Wings; Bowman was an extremely abrasive coach, one with whom Shanahan had well-known issues. I do not recall hearing any reports of Shanahan and Babcock feuding.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Crymson

[ogreslayer 1,069]

That's what I remember, too. The official story was that he felt his era was over. Time to make room for the new Red Wings like Datsyuk. That being said, it could've been because he didn't want to deal with Babcock. I forget, did he go to Jersey after us? Was their coach more laid back?

Shanny signed a 1 year, $4m deal in 2006 with the Rangers & played 2 seasons there before heading back to NJ for a year. Tom Renney was head coach.

The official reason Shanny gave for moving on, in addition to saying he wasn't beating down the door to leave Detroit in the first place, was that he felt like he identified a little more with the past than the future of the Wings success. Now the speculation I remember from around that time was that he didn't get along with Babs (and that rumor had been going around quite a bit with a good chunk of the vets) and/or that he wanted to get to a bigger market & sow the seeds for his post playing career either in the media or with the NHL head office.

[turbowhistle86 155]

i think the fact that nyquist has been wearing 14 is a pretty clear indication there aren't really plans to have it retired..

I really wish feds had a better ending to his time here though, he deserves 91 retired.

We are saving the 91 for Stamkos....

[Nev 1,085]

It's been a long time, but I vaguely remember that after Stevie retired, Shanny felt that it was time to hand the reigns to Z and Pav- the next generation, if you will.

He felt that his time here was done when Stevie left. Or something to that effect. Granted, that might have been what he told the press, and he might have had other reasons. Who knows?

Anyway, that's what I remember hearing from back then. Any verification- one way or the other- would be appreciated.

No, you are dead right, that is exactly what Shanahan said, that he felt like it wasn't his team anymore. He also said subsequently that his decision to sign with New York was in large part impacted by trying to build a foundation for his post-playing career. He was thinking of the media, turns out it led to working for the NHL.

If he had stayed, and continued playing on Pavs wing and retired a Wing, then he would have serious consideration to have #14 retired. Lest we forget he'd just potted the quietest 40 goal season in NHL history thanks to Datsyuk's playmaking. As it is, he is way below Fedorov and Osgood on the retirement ladder, and they aren't going up any time soon.