Keenan told The New York Times that he and his lawyer, Rob Campbell, met with Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch in Detroit on Saturday. Keenan said he did not reach an agreement to join the Red Wings, but said another meeting was planned this week.
Keenan, who left the Rangers on Friday over a contract dispute, did not reveal details about his talks with the Red Wings. But he is believed to be interested in becoming the team's coach and general manager.
"My options right now have to be completely open," said Keenan, who guided the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. "I don't have a job."
During the Stanley Cup playoffs, Keenan emphatically denied reports that he would leave the Rangers to become Detroit's general manager. Scotty Bowman currently is coach and general manager of the Red Wings.
In an interview with The Times in Windsor, Ontario, just across the river from Detroit, Keenan disputed the contention by Rangers' ownership that his departure was sudden and "capricious."
Keenan said the Rangers had sufficient time to prepare themselves for his move, which he claimed was triggered by the team's failure to deliver a bonus check worth nearly $1 million.
"After all the calls Rob (Campbell) had made, after all the inquiries I'd made, I still didn't have any answers," Keenan said. "I even called the (Rangers) offices in Rye (New York) and had them open all my mail, looking for it."
Campbell said Keenan's contractual problems were not "something that came up overnight."
"The situation evolved over a period of time and we are not the ones who breached the contract," Campbell said.
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