What is Dany Heatley Doing to the Fans?

It’s very difficult from a fan’s perspective to imagine why veteran scorer Dany Heatley would refuse a trade to the ever- improving Edmonton Oilers. For the past few weeks this two time 50 goal scorer who slumped last year with only 39 has gone public in saying that he wants to be traded from the Ottawa Senators. While no clear explanation has been given for the sudden trade request there have been numerous rumors that he did not get along with his coach Cory Clouston and that he wasn’t happy with his ice time. Meanwhile in trying to accommodate this eight- year veteran Ottawa GM Bryan Murray recently worked out a deal with Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini that would have seen Heatley go to the Oilers in exchange for young forwards Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner and defenceman Ladislav Smid. Instead of readily accepting the trade out west especially after the Oilers recent signing of elite goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, Heatley shockingly decided to not waive the no- trade clause. As a result of this former Atlanta Thrashers first round pick in 2000 still being Senators property as of July 1, the Senators were forced to pay up a 4 million-bonus clause from his contract. A frustrated Murray said that he is now not that interested in getting rid of his disgruntled forward who scored only 72 points in what was his fourth campaign in the nations capital. When asked where that now leaves Heatley who still has five years remaining on a contract that will pay him 31 million, Murray responded, “Nowhere, he’s an Ottawa Senator. Certainly I’m disappointed that there was a commitment made both ways a couple of years ago that Dany would be here for a long part of his career. He’s a good player, he’s a good guy—my reaction would be that he probably has not had the total advice that he’s need to be a committed guy in Ottawa.”  Murray also had previous discussions with New York Rangers GM Glen Sather about Heatley but that went out the window when Sather instead opted to sign former Minnesota Wild sniper Marian Gaborik to a five year free agent contract worth 37.5 million.

It could be a very difficult year for Heatley if he is not traded and comes back to the team that he wanted to be traded from.