Bryan Murray Vs Dany Heatley: Who Blinks First?

As we have a thread going on Bryan Murray's statements about Heatley's trade demands, I thought I would post not only the link to the two minute audio clip from the Press Conference today, but also the article by Allen Panzeri from The Ottawa Citizen.

The next question seems to be, 'Who Blinks First?'

Murray isn't beholden to Heatley's preferred destinations
Allen Panzeri, The Citizen, June 16, 2009

OTTAWA - Bryan Murray said it very nicely. He didn't raise his voice, though no one would have blamed him.

But there was no mistaking Murray's message. The Ottawa Senators' general manager said Tuesday he's not going to roll over and play the patsy for Dany Heatley and his agents.

Murray said he'll do his best to make a trade with one of the teams from the list of preferred locations that Heatley's agents have submitted to the Senators.

However, Murray said he's not going to do it if he has to take a deal that's inferior to another one on the table.

"They've indicated some teams that they prefer," Murray said. "I don't know that I'm going to be, at the end of the day, stuck to that list.

"If he doesn't want to be in Ottawa and there's another team that offers me a deal that I think is a better deal, then obviously I've got to put some pressure on them to accept that, or he may end up playing back here," said Murray.

"If the deal doesn't come down that we need to make, he'll have a choice at that point in time.

"I'm just not going to let him walk away for nothing."

Murray said while he doesn't really have a timetable, he's "encouraging" any interested teams to put together some proposals before next week's NHL entry draft in Montreal.

With draft picks also in play, that would give Murray the most options.

"If we're going to do a deal, that would be the right time for me to feel that maybe we could achieve something and get it done," Murray said.

Murray does have at least one eye on the clock. If Heatley is not traded by July 1, when the NHL free-agent market opens, the Senators will be on the hook for a $4-million US signing bonus, or half the money Heatley is due to get in 2009-10.

Collectively, the organization is still scratching its head over this developing situation. Murray said it "devastated" coach Cory Clouston - on the job only three months after taking over from Craig Hartsburg - to hear that Heatley didn't want to play for him.

When the season ended, Murray learned through his exit interview with Heatley that the winger had some problems with Clouston, mainly with being singled out for criticism. Heatley didn't think it was fair that the finger had been pointed at him.

Murray said Heatley was also miffed at getting dropped from the first power-play unit, and might have been concerned about the team's sagging performance, as well.

However, Murray thought these issues would be resolved through meetings between the coach and player.

Murray left it at that and Heatley headed off to play for Canada at the world championship in Switzerland.

Then, on June 4, Murray received a phone call from Stacey McAlpine, one of Heatley's agents, the player wanted out of Ottawa.

"It looked like we were going to have some meetings going forward," Murray said. "The next thing I know, we were told he wanted to be traded."

Murray, who wanted the request in writing, told Heatley's agent to send him a letter. He received Heatley's letter on Monday, June 8, the night before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, and Heatley's agents leaked the news to the assembled sports media.

Like many others, Murray remains puzzled. He said Heatley had never been a problem during his four seasons here. So this seems so out of character.

"I like Dany Heatley a lot," Murray said. "I think he's a great player and I think he's a good guy, and I was hoping he would get some advice from our side as well as his side.

"Problems always come up in hockey. There are always issues, but you talk about it, kind of resolve the issue, and you hope that people end up somewhat happy.

So it is out of character, from my point of view."

Murray said Clouston, who has not yet spoken publicly, has been particularly - and unfairly - hurt.

"He was devastated that he would be pointed at as the reason (for the trade request), and that's not totally true, (though) it is part of the reason," Murray said.

"The frustrating part for us is that we've gone through several coaches here that we couldn't win enough games with. We brought in a guy, the results we were very happy with, our team started to look like a real team again, and then to be blindsided, really, to his way of thinking, anyway, by one of your players not wanting to fit in, that's hard for a coach to accept."

---

The audio clip, from the Senators' NHL website, can be accessed by clicking here and downloading the file:

http://senators.nhl.com/ext/090616_BM_scrum-05.mp3

---

IMHO one of the more interesting aspects of this whole affair is the potential impact on other players' contracts going forward.

We've seen teams put pressure on players to waive their NTCs. However, this is the first time to my knowledge that an NHL player with such a sizeable contract, and no trade/no movement clauses to boot, has demanded to essentially be let out of the contract after just one year.

If Heatley succeeds, another question arises--can players simply demand to be traded if they decide they no longer like where they are playing?

It's fair to say this is no longer an 'Ottawa story'. This may well be a watershed event.

As the events unfold over the next few weeks--and who knows, perhaps the next few months or longer--the story goes beyond Heatley and the Senators, and brings into sharp focus the entire nature of the relationship between NHL players and their employers.

Will this affect the way contracts are structured in the future?

Will teams demand compensation if players fail to fulfil their contractual obligations?

Could contracts be voided, or contested in court?

Could players sue teams and vice versa?

Lest anyone think this is beyond the realm of possibility, they should remember that the battle between NHL players and management goes back to the very beginning of the league itself.

The infamous strike by the 1924-25 Hamilton Tigers and its brutal suppression was a foreshadowing of things to come.

Until the formation of the NHLPA, first in 1957 when it was smashed by the owners, and then revived in 1967 in its present form, National Hockey League pros were no more than bodies shuttled around at an owner's whim.

With previous work stoppages in 2004-05 (cancelling the season), a ten-day players strike in 1992 and a owners' lockout shortened season in 1994-95 (where the teams played only 48 games), the animosity can boil over without warning.

Is Dany Heatley an isolated case...or the tip of an iceberg?

---

NOTE: THE POLL IS MULTIPLE CHOICE

I think my favourite part of all this is the commitment that Murray is showing to Clouston.

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:I think my favourite part of all this is the commitment that Murray is showing to Clouston.

Well, it's not like he could throw another coach under the bus.

I agree though, he's right to have Clouston's back on this.

...and might have been concerned about the team's sagging performance, as well.

Whaaaat??! The team stopped sagging when Clouston cam e on board. Accordingly, if this was a big concern to Heatley, he should have been ecstatic.

Dave, isn't Pronger's situation almost identical? Or did he not have a NTC? Overall, I don't see this as a watershed moment. Players have been asking for trades forever. This one happens to be a star, but that has also happened before (Pronger). The whole enforcing the contract is completely in the player's favor. Why even bother calling them binding contracts when the player can ask to get traded or to re-negotiate (Yashin). What if the New Yor Rangers asked Wade Redden to renegotiate or quit paying him until he did? Sure, using the Yashin analogy, the team would still owe him the salary eventually, but they could "sit out" for a year.

Somewhere in that article it says that the agent leaked the story. Over in another thread DW is saying there's a rumour that the agent was upset because he (she?) was blindsided with this, leading to the belief that it was Heatley who leaked it.

Murray will make the guy play if the deal isnt right, glad he actually came out and said it though! Let him veto every good trade, go right ahead Heatley, I'll literally purchase my season tickets again just to boo is a$$ for 41 nights.

davetherave wrote:As we have a thread going on Bryan Murray's statements about Heatley's trade demands, I thought I would post not only the link to the two minute audio clip from the Press Conference today, but also the article by Allen Panzeri from The Ottawa Citizen.

The next question seems to be, 'Who Blinks First?'

Murray isn't beholden to Heatley's preferred destinations
Allen Panzeri, The Citizen, June 16, 2009

OTTAWA - Bryan Murray said it very nicely. He didn't raise his voice, though no one would have blamed him.

But there was no mistaking Murray's message. The Ottawa Senators' general manager said Tuesday he's not going to roll over and play the patsy for Dany Heatley and his agents.

Murray said he'll do his best to make a trade with one of the teams from the list of preferred locations that Heatley's agents have submitted to the Senators.

However, Murray said he's not going to do it if he has to take a deal that's inferior to another one on the table.

"They've indicated some teams that they prefer," Murray said. "I don't know that I'm going to be, at the end of the day, stuck to that list.

"If he doesn't want to be in Ottawa and there's another team that offers me a deal that I think is a better deal, then obviously I've got to put some pressure on them to accept that, or he may end up playing back here," said Murray.

"If the deal doesn't come down that we need to make, he'll have a choice at that point in time.

"I'm just not going to let him walk away for nothing."

Murray said while he doesn't really have a timetable, he's "encouraging" any interested teams to put together some proposals before next week's NHL entry draft in Montreal.

With draft picks also in play, that would give Murray the most options.

"If we're going to do a deal, that would be the right time for me to feel that maybe we could achieve something and get it done," Murray said.

Murray does have at least one eye on the clock. If Heatley is not traded by July 1, when the NHL free-agent market opens, the Senators will be on the hook for a $4-million US signing bonus, or half the money Heatley is due to get in 2009-10.

Collectively, the organization is still scratching its head over this developing situation. Murray said it "devastated" coach Cory Clouston - on the job only three months after taking over from Craig Hartsburg - to hear that Heatley didn't want to play for him.

When the season ended, Murray learned through his exit interview with Heatley that the winger had some problems with Clouston, mainly with being singled out for criticism. Heatley didn't think it was fair that the finger had been pointed at him.

Murray said Heatley was also miffed at getting dropped from the first power-play unit, and might have been concerned about the team's sagging performance, as well.

However, Murray thought these issues would be resolved through meetings between the coach and player.

Murray left it at that and Heatley headed off to play for Canada at the world championship in Switzerland.

Then, on June 4, Murray received a phone call from Stacey McAlpine, one of Heatley's agents, the player wanted out of Ottawa.

"It looked like we were going to have some meetings going forward," Murray said. "The next thing I know, we were told he wanted to be traded."

Murray, who wanted the request in writing, told Heatley's agent to send him a letter. He received Heatley's letter on Monday, June 8, the night before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, and Heatley's agents leaked the news to the assembled sports media.

Like many others, Murray remains puzzled. He said Heatley had never been a problem during his four seasons here. So this seems so out of character.

"I like Dany Heatley a lot," Murray said. "I think he's a great player and I think he's a good guy, and I was hoping he would get some advice from our side as well as his side.

"Problems always come up in hockey. There are always issues, but you talk about it, kind of resolve the issue, and you hope that people end up somewhat happy.

So it is out of character, from my point of view."

Murray said Clouston, who has not yet spoken publicly, has been particularly - and unfairly - hurt.

"He was devastated that he would be pointed at as the reason (for the trade request), and that's not totally true, (though) it is part of the reason," Murray said.

"The frustrating part for us is that we've gone through several coaches here that we couldn't win enough games with. We brought in a guy, the results we were very happy with, our team started to look like a real team again, and then to be blindsided, really, to his way of thinking, anyway, by one of your players not wanting to fit in, that's hard for a coach to accept."

---

The audio clip, from the Senators' NHL website, can be accessed by clicking here and downloading the file:

http://senators.nhl.com/ext/090616_BM_scrum-05.mp3

---

IMHO one of the more interesting aspects of this whole affair is the potential impact on other players' contracts going forward.

We've seen teams put pressure on players to waive their NTCs. However, this is the first time to my knowledge that an NHL player with such a sizeable contract, and no trade/no movement clauses to boot, has demanded to essentially be let out of the contract after just one year.

If Heatley succeeds, another question arises--can players simply demand to be traded if they decide they no longer like where they are playing?

It's fair to say this is no longer an 'Ottawa story'. This may well be a watershed event.

As the events unfold over the next few weeks--and who knows, perhaps the next few months or longer--the story goes beyond Heatley and the Senators, and brings into sharp focus the entire nature of the relationship between NHL players and their employers.

Will this affect the way contracts are structured in the future?

Will teams demand compensation if players fail to fulfil their contractual obligations?

Could contracts be voided, or contested in court?

Could players sue teams and vice versa?

Lest anyone think this is beyond the realm of possibility, they should remember that the battle between NHL players and management goes back to the very beginning of the league itself.

The infamous strike by the 1924-25 Hamilton Tigers and its brutal suppression was a foreshadowing of things to come.

Until the formation of the NHLPA, first in 1957 when it was smashed by the owners, and then revived in 1967 in its present form, National Hockey League pros were no more than bodies shuttled around at an owner's whim.

With previous work stoppages in 2004-05 (cancelling the season), a ten-day players strike in 1992 and a owners' lockout shortened season in 1994-95 (where the teams played only 48 games), the animosity can boil over without warning.

Is Dany Heatley an isolated case...or the tip of an iceberg?

He's not asking to be let out of the contract. He damn well wants that money. But he wants to earn on his terms. Meaning with as little effort as possible in the destination of his choice.

Heatley is nothing more than a spoiled little butt-plug. Last season, he was the high paid player in the league at $10 in salary (not cap hit). He wasn't getting spoonfed and didn't like it. He can eat my Donkey.

Murray won't blink. Fans will support the team if Murray holds a hard line with Heatley. The 4 million against the cap is concerning, but I think Murray makes a deal before the draft is done. The rumours will be out of control by this time next week.

Neely4Life wrote:Murray will make the guy play if the deal isnt right, glad he actually came out and said it though! Let him veto every good trade, go right ahead Heatley, I'll literally purchase my season tickets again just to boo is a$$ for 41 nights.

Wouldn't you rather tee off on a Heatley bobblehead? I think I could make some money here.

So, assuming Murray doesn't blink and there is no trade by draft day, does anyone honestly think that Heatley reports to camp? He'll get his $4M July 1, is it really worth the aggravation and heaped-on abuse for his regular salary? It would be for me, without a question, but then I don't have his bonus.

wprager wrote:So, assuming Murray doesn't blink and there is no trade by draft day, does anyone honestly think that Heatley reports to camp? He'll get his $4M July 1, is it really worth the aggravation and heaped-on abuse for his regular salary? It would be for me, without a question, but then I don't have his bonus.

He'll take the trade Murray will give him, garanteed 100%

If he doesnt show up for Camp, Heatley will be losing some serious cash... In the new CBA I'm pretty sure there is some rule that says players have to be in camp by a certain time or they cant play. If that happens you can pretty much count on Murray and Melnyk doing everything they can to get that 4 million dollar bonus back for this year.

wprager wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Murray will make the guy play if the deal isnt right, glad he actually came out and said it though! Let him veto every good trade, go right ahead Heatley, I'll literally purchase my season tickets again just to boo is a$$ for 41 nights.

Wouldn't you rather tee off on a Heatley bobblehead? I think I could make some money here.

And ruin my Taylor Made R7, nooooooooo shot.

wprager wrote:So, assuming Murray doesn't blink and there is no trade by draft day, does anyone honestly think that Heatley reports to camp? He'll get his $4M July 1, is it really worth the aggravation and heaped-on abuse for his regular salary? It would be for me, without a question, but then I don't have his bonus.

If there's no trade, then I wonder if Murray can call for some "team-building" retreat or something (within the rules, of course)...say about July 1st?

Heatley shows, he gets his $4M, but has to face each and every team-mate and explain.
He doesn't show, and the $$ are delayed/withheld.

Neely4Life wrote:

wprager wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Murray will make the guy play if the deal isnt right, glad he actually came out and said it though! Let him veto every good trade, go right ahead Heatley, I'll literally purchase my season tickets again just to boo is a$$ for 41 nights.

Wouldn't you rather tee off on a Heatley bobblehead? I think I could make some money here.

And ruin my Taylor Made R7, nooooooooo shot.

I'm suddenly happy that I hung onto my old POS driver - some no-name knockoff that would be just about right value for this sort of thing...