With the exception of the NFL Draft, arguably, no other day in sports combines excitement, hope and newsworthy stories for all teams more than the first day of free agency in the NHL. The day is special because every NHL city can get excited about the prospects of better days through free agent signings. After getting beaten up for 82 games, fans of poor clubs can look forward to hoping that their team adds another piece to the puzzle. Mediocre teams can improve very quickly with the addition of a few free agents. Lastly, good teams can use their contender status to lure free agents hoping that the one elusive final piece is out there in the market. While the NHL entry draft is about building for the future and long-term goals, the free agent season is about short-term, immediate hope. On July 1st, most of the Canadian clubs, in particular, were very active including the Sedins staying in Vancouver, the Leafs getting more truculent players, Montreal buying a new team, Edmonton adding a new number one goalie and Calgary being this year's belle at the ball because of their Jay Bouwmeester signing. (By the way, before Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and the subsequent media overkill of the word, I had no idea what "truculent" meant. Heck, I would have guessed that if you tagged an "e" and an accent aigu on the end then "truculenté" sounds like an appetizer on a French menu.) However, there was one squad in the NHL that was still in the media spotlight but for their fans, it was for the wrong reason. The Ottawa Senators spent their first day of the free agent frenzy trying to unload Dany Heatley after he requested to be traded. Heatley, who now will become the NHL poster boy for selfishness, nixed a trade to the Edmonton Oilers only further to cement himself as the most hated man in hockey.
You may not know Heatley for his on ice accomplishments but you probably remember him for his off-ice transgressions. In the summer of 2003, Heatley was responsible for a car accident that killed then Atlanta Thrashers teammate and close friend Dan Snyder. He was charged with vehicular homicide; he pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane, and speeding. To put it mildly, Heatley has a history of poor judgment and this current ongoing saga only adds to it. Earlier this summer, Heatley had asked to be traded. While he has five years and $37.5 million left on a contract he signed in Oct. 2007 (that includes a no movement clause), Heatley wasn’t happy with his perceived diminished role (seen in his decreased goal scoring) under new head coach Cory Clouston. Along with being demoted to the second power play unit and his ice-time cut to 12-to-14 minutes per game, the one-dimensional Heatley was also asked to work on the defensive part of his game that was clearly lacking. Clouston has been initially successful (albeit perhaps at the expense of Heatley), as the Senators finished the season 19-11-4 under the new coach. Apparently, winning games is not enough for Heatley as his trade demand shows an unwillingness to sacrifice himself or adjust for the greater good of the team which is criminal in a sport like hockey where bruises, stitches and broken bones are badges of honor. Heaven forbid Heatley would even put as much effort in the opposing zone as his own. After all, he is ONLY getting paid $7.5 million. Perhaps if he got paid $15 million then he would play both ends of the rink. Clouston was pushing for Heatley to reinvent himself possibly for the better. Scoring goals is great but preventing them is also important. Forget about the playoffs and bringing credibility back to a once mighty franchise, the only goal Heatley truly cares about is his next one.
His ridiculous trade demand was bad but his vetoing of a proposed deal to Edmonton was even more asinine. Heatley desperately wanted to leave Ottawa but apparently, not enough to go to Edmonton. He reminds me of the typical 17 year old boy who thinks "I only want to go to the dance if I can take the good looking one." What more can the guy ask for? He wanted to be traded and even though Ottawa did not have to oblige his request, they did, but then he invokes his no movement clause which you figure would have been irrelevant now. What a spoiled brat. Another thing, you cannot help but feel a little bit sorry for Edmonton. Even one of their own, a Western Canadian kid, does not want to play there. Although Heatley's reasoning for not wanting to go to Edmonton has not surfaced, the fact is that he is another example of a hockey player who does not want to play in the city of champions. You can add the Heatley saga to the tales of Chris Pronger and his wife and the Michael Nylander botched contract situation as examples of Edmonton solidifying itself as the ugly girl at the NHL dance. I understand that it is cold in Edmonton and maybe there is not much to do (hockey players are known party animals... note: sarcasm), seriously, all things considered, is Edmonton really THAT much more unappealing than Minnesota or Carolina? Even the Wild ended up signing a marquee scorer in Martin Havlat.
An athlete asking for a trade is not uncommon but an athlete receiving his trade demand wish and then vetoing that deal because he wants even more is rare. How can he go back to Ottawa after all of this? Heatley has alienated every Senators' fan as well as his coach, GM and most likely his teammates. Heatley does not care about the Ottawa Senators; all he cares about is himself. Heatley's Bill Murray Space Jam attitude toward defence ("Whoa hoa hoa! I don't play defense"), along with his selfish attitude, makes me wonder if maybe Edmonton lucked out by not getting Heatley. The one-dimensional sniper is clearly looking out for himself and in hockey, that kind of attitude makes you public enemy number one.
