Daniel-Cleary-5-15-13

Unrestricted free agent Daniel Cleary (right) wants to return to play for the Detroit Red Wings next season.

(AP File Photo)

DETROIT –

Losing Game 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks was tough enough for Daniel Cleary.

But taking off his Detroit Red Wings' sweater – perhaps for the final time – after the season ended Wednesday night at the United Center?

Well, that was really difficult.

Cleary is among the Red Wings' five unrestricted free agents and whether or not he can agree to contract terms remains to be determined.

But after cleaning out his locker Friday at Joe Louis Arena, the 14-year-veteran made it clear where he wants to be – in Detroit for a ninth season.

"My thoughts are I love Detroit, obviously," said Cleary 34. "That's an understatement. Got a great relationship with Kenny (Holland, the Red Wings' general manager). He said we have to get talking. So we'll figure it out pretty soon."

Cleary, a member of the Red Wings' 2008 Stanley Cup championship team, was Detroit's second-leading scorer in the playoffs with four goals and six assists in 14 games.

He said leaving Detroit would be difficult.

"Yeah, it would be," said Cleary, who made $2.8 million this season. "Taking off the jersey in Chicago, I had to take a minute. I don't know. I don't want to get too emotional but certainly the relationship I have with Detroit is very special."

What what would it take for Cleary to return?

"I want the same as what Pav makes, the same term," Cleary joked in reference to Pavel Datsyuk, the Red Wings' highest-paid player at $6.7 million. "So we'll start there."

Here's a capsule look the Red Wings' other unrestricted free agents and what they had to say about next season.

• Damien Brunner: In his first NHL season, the 27-year-old Brunner led the Red Wings in playoff goals with five after scoring 12 during the regular season.

"I can't say anything bad about the Detroit Red Wings," said Brunner, whose base salary was $925,000 this season. "I guess I have to think about it in the next couple of weeks and talk to my agent and Kenny and then we'll see what's going on.

"It's hard for me to say (what will happen). We'll see what's coming. I'm exciting about talking to them about my future."

• Valtteri Filppula: After recording career-high totals in goals (23) and points (66) last season, Filppula had nine goals and eight assists in 41 regular-season games before getting two goals and four assists in 14 playoff games.

Talks between the seven-year veteran and the Red Wings broke off months ago when he asked for more than $5 million, which the Red Wings aren't willing to pay. Filppula made $3 million this season.

"To be honest I haven't given it too much thought yet," said Filppula, 29. "We'll start talking. We have to see what feels right for me. We'll see. But the season just finished so I haven't given it too much thought.

"I just have to wait a little longer till summer and see what happens. Like I said before, it's been the only team I've played (for in the NHL). Nothing but positive things to say about it. It's been a great place to be."

• Drew Miller: A broken hand near the end of the regular season sidelined the six-year veteran for the first eight games of the playoffs but he returned to score the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks in Game 3 while providing help on the penalty killing units.

"I would like to stay," said Miller, 29. "I gotta talk to (coach Mike Babcock) and to Kenny Holland, figure out what their approach is to coming back. I don't have much more to say other than I'd like to come back.

"But being in a position to have options is something that could possibly be looked at but my first choice would be to stay and come back."

Miller made $837,500 this season.

• Ian White: The seven-year veteran obviously fell into disfavor with Babcock early in the campaign, appearing in just 25 regular-season games and none in the playoffs.

He didn't sound like somebody who plans on returning to Detroit.

"I spoke with them a few times," said White, who made $2.875 million this season. "The only think I can think of is I'm a small defenseman and I've been hearing that my whole life, 'You've got to be big to play' and all that. They decided to go with their big defensemen and that didn't include me.

"I assumed I wasn't going to play (in the postseason). I hadn't played in a month before that. Why all of a sudden I get in the playoffs when we had real crucial games down the stretch too where I wasn't out there? I didn't think I'd be the first one in the playoffs that's for sure."

Babcock certainly sounded like someone who is counting on White next season.

"Whitey, it didn't go the way Whitey wanted it," Babcock said. "Whitey's a real good person, a real good man. We wish him luck.''

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