Darren McCarty is back where he wants to be.  He impressed Red Wings management and friends on the Red Wings team with his intensity and power; remember the "unforgettable" goal that would bring the Cup back to Detroit in 1997. That was the end of the drought after 42 years people were putting Gretzky, Lemieux, and Yzerman in the same sentence.  Because Yzerman in Detroit is the Red Wings and the fans made him one of the most popular athletes ever in Detroit Sports history, but that has something to do with Darren McCarty.  The Cup came to Detroit while Yzerman was captain.  McCarty is known to Detroit Red Wings fans as D MAC.  Here are some reasons why beside the one of helping Detroit's Captain win the Stanley Cup three times.

     Darren has the type of personality and work habits that typify what Detroit as sports city (Detroit is one of the best sports cities in the USA with ticket sales and television ratings) and a place to work.  It is not a stretch to write that Darren McCarty's work habits and "blue collar" style of play is what makes him so popular with Red Wings fans throughout the state of Michigan.  One thing about Michigan that everyone knows around the world is that people here work hard and hardly ever sleep.  That is what makes the automoblie capital of the US and world a hard to place to play sports professionally and in college.  People want the teams and athletes to win and be the best and put effort in to it all.  Darren McCarty brought that level of play to the ice every time he played in the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

     Darren McCarty after the 2002 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes was up to negotiate a new contract with the Red Wings a team that he had fun playing for and fans of that team liked seeing him in games against Colorado Avalanche and of course all the other games in the schedule.  Fans thought the deal would get done.  Then we read in the papers and online that it did not.  D MAC was going to Calgary Flames for the 2002-03 season.  Okay that happens.  Players and people in jobs move on it is part of life.  The first game of McCarty's experience with the Flames at Joe Louis Arena he is given an ovation and then cheered the rest of the game when his line are on the ice.  This continues for the rest of Darren McCarty's career in the NHL every time he is on the ice with the Flames fans at the home of the Red Wings cheer him.  This does not happen for Sergei Fedorov who is one of the most prolfic scorers and talented two way forwards in Red Wings history.  The only player who has earned this type and level of respect from the fans is Chris Osgood.  Darren McCarty has earned alot of respect from the fans realizing that made D MAC appreciate the Red Wings and fans even more.

   Then some regretted choices brought Darren some hardship.  But like Detroit and Michigan right now going through some hard times he is back and is given a second chance a fresh start at a career like the people who spend hard earned money on the Wings tickets want from life.  This what makes sports so great it is exemplary of a city, a state, a nation.  Hard economic times and  layoffs working hard to get back in there or the game.  This is the Red Wings and Darren McCarty.  A chance to get back to the finals since 2002 for both the Red Wings and D MAC.  See now why the return of Darren Mccarty is important for Detroit and the NHL.  It is significant because it is a way to see that second chances do happen in life and that sports is a part of life that everyone makes time for.  Life is a spectator sport and it is good to see and know that the past and mistakes are sometimes forgotten.  This is why some might look at the Red WIngs and Darren McCarty as Americas team in the NHL and D MAC as America's hardest worker in sports.  There are some hard working people making your cars that you drive that already know D MAC is the one player in sports who gives it all for "eight hours".  That would be the people of Detroit.

                                               
               Welcome back D MAC!!