Bryan Murray Vs Dany Heatley: Who Blinks First?

Yeah but he waited the year and then came back. That was s saga...

comparing Yashin to Heatley is like apples to oranges, either way, they were both rotten, so should be thought of in the same regard, a kick in the Donkey on the way out and bring on the return, Yashin's was nice, hopefully if things go well, so will Heatley's be.

beerandsens wrote:^If he stays do we even have room to add via free agency? Ideally he gets dealt for the best available offer... Minnesota seemed interested but Murray will have to stop asking for Burns.

If he stays in Ottawa though it will be interesting. On ice I'll be happy because he'll be scoring goals but I have my doubts when it comes to the team being a cohesive unit.

A couple of things to think about. First Murray has given his agents permission to make a deal on their own. This does a couple of things, first it allows BM to work multiple offers at the same time without showing his personal hand, it's the agents that are trying to get value by suggesting names. Second, it proves to the agents that Murray isn't blowing smoke. In fact that there really isn't a market for a whinning forward who doesn't want to work.


Also Heatley has to be very careful. Refusing to show up and play for Ottawa (should a trade not happen) will mean his Olympics are over. Also any shot at a future trade is severlyl hampered as he is further reducing his value. His best chance is to show up, play hard as the team and coach asks, and hopefully with decent stats he can increase his value to a point where he is wanted.

Lastly, there is some concern in the Heatley camp that should he refuse to show up, he'll have to return the 4 million owed to him July 1st, as it's part of a salary for the upcoming year and as such by not showing up he'll be suspended and have to return all money paid to that point.

Good points...

Three views of the situation, with one day left before the scheduled $4MM payment to Dany Heatley:

TSN's Bob McKenzie claims that two teams have interest in Dany at this point.

SUITORS DWINDLING
Bob McKenzie, TSN.CA, June 29, 2009

Dany Heatley could be traded before July 1, but it's going to take a significant offer from the New York Rangers or the Edmonton Oilers -- the two clubs seemingly most interested in the goal-scoring winger -- to get it done.

Sources say the Ottawa Senators do not have a trade offer from those teams, or anyone else, that is deemed worth of acceptance and the list of suitors looks as though it's getting shorter rather than longer.

The St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings appear to have pulled out of the sweepstakes, leaving the Rangers, Oilers and Sharks as considerations.

Heatley is owed a $4 million signing bonus on July 1. If the Senators pay it, and absent an improved trade they will have to, Ottawa may simply decide to hold onto Heatley in spite of his desire to play elsewhere or the post-July 1 acquisition price will go up accordingly and the team getting Heatley may have to take back other players in order for Ottawa to reconcile their accounts.

---

The Citizen's Wayne Scanlan reports on a letter sent to the newspaper in support of Heatley.

'Everybody is crucifying Dany'
If it's Tuesday, then Dany Heatley is being flogged somewhere.
Wayne Scanlan, The Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 2009

On the Internet. On talk radio. In a newspaper.

That's how it has been for the National Hockey League scoring star since his trade request from the Ottawa Senators was made public during the Stanley Cup final.

Tom Molloy, an international hockey coach and former neighbour of the Heatleys, says the one-sided Heatley bashing from fans and media has been difficult for the family.

"Dany's parents (Murray and Karin) dropped over to our place the other day," Molloy said by telephone from Calgary. "They said, 'Everyone is crucifying Dany.' His mother is very upset. And the attacks are all personal stuff, about his character. Nobody mentions that this is a guy who gives up a month of his summer every year to play for Team Canada."

Molloy wrote a letter to The Citizen sports department because the Heatleys told him they didn't have "a forum" to express the other side of the story.

The Heatley camp, including the two-time 50-goal man himself, doesn't see the merit in speaking out so close to the July 1 launch of NHL free agency and a potential trade. Molloy is trying to get out the story of a strong player wanting to be a go-to guy.

"Nobody talks about all the good he has done," Molloy said, "or that his teammates like him."

According to Molloy, Heatley was with many of those teammates at a "bachelor party" last week for Senators centre Jason Spezza, Heatley's longtime linemate.

"This is an organizational thing," Molloy said. "Wade Redden was crucified in Ottawa despite all the work he did for underprivileged kids. They ran him off.
"Marian Hossa signed a contract (with previous Senators management) and then they traded him the next day to Atlanta.

"If I was the owner of the Senators, I'd be calling my manager in and say, 'Why don't guys want to play here anymore?'"

Molloy has 17 years of experience coaching hockey at the Canadian college and university levels, including eight years as a University of Calgary assistant in the 1990s. He used to instruct Heatley, and provide him extra ice at Molloy's international clinics for kids. One summer, the extra ice helped Heatley become a midget AAA scoring star in Calgary.

Molloy spent last season as a development coach in Salzburg, Austria, and he has co-developed a coaching video called Hockey Coaching ABCs.

Molloy's letter to the newspaper began this way:
"I can't express how disappointed I am in the press and hockey fans concerning Dany Heatley's request to be traded. I was talking with his parents ... and they can't believe the awful things that people are saying about Dany. He simply wants to play on a team that believes in his abilities.

"The new coach (Cory Clouston) has decided that Dany is a second- or third-line player, uses him on the second power play and plays him 14 minutes a game. Dany had many closed-door conversations with him and was told that the situation would improve, but it didn't in the two months they were together."

Though he was used on the second-unit power play, referring to Heatley as a "second- or third-line player" under Clouston is a stretch. Though his ice time did dip, Heatley usually played alongside Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson on the first line.

"I have been in this game for a long time and make my living coaching hockey," Molloy wrote. "I see Dany making the right plays and doing his job defensively. Dany isn't a hitter, but he wins his one-on-one battles using skill. I ask myself, 'How can a guy with the best one-timer in hockey, and great vision, be on the second power play?'"

Some other interesting tidbits from this Heatley family friend:

Heatley was injured in Game 1 of the 2007 Stanley Cup final against the Anaheim Ducks when Chris Pronger "cross-checked Dany and then sat on him." After that chest injury, Heatley was not effective the rest of the series, Molloy said.

The Senators' decline since '07 was a factor in Heatley wanting out.

"Two years ago, they looked like the old Montreal Canadiens," Molloy said, "but they haven't been able to right the ship since."

There is no question Heatley's power-play production fell off noticeably under Clouston. Past the halfway mark of the season under Craig Hartsburg, Heatley had 11 power-play goals. In the final 33 games with Clouston, Heatley scored four.

Heatley also saw his ice time drop in many games -- a shockingly low 12 minutes 44 seconds on Feb. 11 -- though he played significant minutes, 23:07 and 22:24 over the final two games of the season.

Molloy surmises, and this will make management cringe, that maybe the Senators wanted to force Heatley to move by making things difficult for him.

"Alfie is a god," Molloy said of Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, "and nobody wants Spezza in a trade."

Is it too late to resolve this mess and patch things up between Heatley and the Senators organization?

Said Molloy: "It never hurts to talk."

Wayne Scanlan can be reached at wscanlan@thecitizen.canwest.com

---

Finally, members may have heard Sens Assistant GM Tim Murray's interview on Team 1200 radio yesterday.

He reiterated that Heatley's agents had leaked Dany's trade request, and that they were being encouraged to try and arrange a deal, given the organization's difficulties in doing so.

Said Tim, "We haven't been offered close to fair value." He dismissed many of the rumours being circulated as "ridiculous".

That letter from Molloy is so unbelievably biased and full of errors. It's amazing how the picture can be painted depending on your point of view.

I love that he brings up Redden and Hossa as examples of how the team treats its players and then follows that up by saying the owner should ask why all these players want out of Ottawa???? What? Redden wouldn't waive his NTC because he wanted to stay to the bitter end. Hossa asked for a NTC to try to stay in Ottawa.

This is the part that drives me crazy, and maybe it's because out of all this bull$hit I am jaded, but I don't care.

"The new coach (Cory Clouston) has decided that Dany is a second- or third-line player, uses him on the second power play and plays him 14 minutes a game. Dany had many closed-door conversations with him and was told that the situation would improve, but it didn't in the two months they were together."

yeah of course it didn't improve, Dany's play didn't approve, there are no free rides Dany boy, at that point Cory was expecting you to buck up or shut up, you did neither, and here we are. I know his parents hate to hear what everyone is saying about their son, but maybe they should sit back and think that he brought this on himself. Face the music Dany, face the music, you acted like a spoiled little brat, and you are getting your just rewards for it all.

Well this guy wanted Dany's side of the story told and he had his opportunity. He just blew it. False statements coupled with sour grapes is all I see there.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Well this guy wanted Dany's side of the story told and he had his opportunity. He just blew it. False statements coupled with sour grapes is all I see there.

I agree Clutch, we might have been more receptive if he didn't put his own foot in his mouth with some of his examples and such, but whatever, everyone deserves to have their side of the story told, its just we won't buy it for one second. Melnyk would be fuming if he read this guy's comments about the owner going to the GM asking why players don't want to stay in Ottawa, sheesh, what a rat bastard.

"I have been in this game for a long time and make my living coaching hockey," Molloy wrote. "I see Dany making the right plays and doing his job defensively. Dany isn't a hitter, but he wins his one-on-one battles using skill. I ask myself, 'How can a guy with the best one-timer in hockey, and great vision, be on the second power play?'"

Maybe that's why he is co-coaching in Austria and Cory Clousten is in the NHL.

"Alfie is a god," Molloy said of Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, "and nobody wants Spezza in a trade."

At least he got the Alfie is a god part right (Hence he has his own church). Actually Molloy NOBODY WANTS HEATLEY IN A TRADE!!!!

Molloy only made things worse for Heatley with that letter to the paper.

Bah! That letter did nothing but piss me off more. Heatley still looks like a selfish turd! How Molloy thought a letter like that would help support Heatley's character is beyond me.

He's still good friends with his teammates and attended a bachelor party just last week? If he respected their friendship why bail on them? Why bail on the team or Clouston after only 3 months. You can't blame Clouston for trying different things during the last 3 months of a lost season. Call it experimentation and hope for better things next season. Nope... his feelings got hurt because Dany didn't get the impression he was being treated as a star player anymore. Oh please... cry me a Diddle river. He doesn't see Ottawa winning a cup obviously which means he doesn't have much faith in his "friend's" abilities on the ice.

Sorry for the rant....

I know eh? I saw that 3 month comment and thought the exact same thing. Wow you went a whole 3 months. I definitely think you should pack it in too there Heatley. Way to stick it out.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Molloy only made things worse for Heatley with that letter to the paper.

What do you expect from a retirement home resident/cat burglar?

If it's Tuesday, then Dany Heatley is being flogged somewhere.
On the Internet. On talk radio. In a newspaper.
That's how it has been for the National Hockey League scoring star since his trade request from the Ottawa Senators was made public during the Stanley Cup final.
Tom Molloy, an international hockey coach and former neighbour of the Heatleys, says the one-sided Heatley bashing from fans and media has been difficult for the family.
"Dany's parents (Murray and Karin) dropped over to our place the other day," Molloy said by telephone from Calgary. "They said, 'Everyone is crucifying Dany.' His mother is very upset. And the attacks are all personal stuff, about his character. Nobody mentions that this is a guy who gives up a month of his summer every year to play for Team Canada."
Molloy wrote a letter to The Citizen sports department because the Heatleys told him they didn't have "a forum" to express the other side of the story.
The Heatley camp, including the two-time 50-goal man himself, doesn't see the merit in speaking out so close to the July 1 launch of NHL free agency and a potential trade. Molloy is trying to get out the story of a strong player wanting to be a go-to guy.
"Nobody talks about all the good he has done," Molloy said, "or that his teammates like him."
According to Molloy, Heatley was with many of those teammates at a "bachelor party" last week for Senators centre Jason Spezza, Heatley's longtime linemate.
"This is an organizational thing," Molloy said. "Wade Redden was crucified in Ottawa despite all the work he did for underprivileged kids. They ran him off.
"Marian Hossa signed a contract (with previous Senators management) and then they traded him the next day to Atlanta.
"If I was the owner of the Senators, I'd be calling my manager in and say, 'Why don't guys want to play here anymore?'"
Molloy has 17 years of experience coaching hockey at the Canadian college and university levels, including eight years as a University of Calgary assistant in the 1990s. He used to instruct Heatley, and provide him extra ice at Molloy's international clinics for kids. One summer, the extra ice helped Heatley become a midget AAA scoring star in Calgary.
Molloy spent last season as a development coach in Salzburg, Austria, and he has co-developed a coaching video called Hockey Coaching ABCs.
Molloy's letter to the newspaper began this way:
"I can't express how disappointed I am in the press and hockey fans concerning Dany Heatley's request to be traded. I was talking with his parents ... and they can't believe the awful things that people are saying about Dany. He simply wants to play on a team that believes in his abilities.
"The new coach (Cory Clouston) has decided that Dany is a second- or third-line player, uses him on the second power play and plays him 14 minutes a game. Dany had many closed-door conversations with him and was told that the situation would improve, but it didn't in the two months they were together."
Though he was used on the second-unit power play, referring to Heatley as a "second- or third-line player" under Clouston is a stretch. Though his ice time did dip, Heatley usually played alongside Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson on the first line.
"I have been in this game for a long time and make my living coaching hockey," Molloy wrote. "I see Dany making the right plays and doing his job defensively. Dany isn't a hitter, but he wins his one-on-one battles using skill. I ask myself, 'How can a guy with the best one-timer in hockey, and great vision, be on the second power play?'"
Some other interesting tidbits from this Heatley family friend:
n Heatley was injured in Game 1 of the 2007 Stanley Cup final against the Anaheim Ducks when Chris Pronger "cross-checked Dany and then sat on him." After that chest injury, Heatley was not effective the rest of the series, Molloy said.
n The Senators' decline since '07 was a factor in Heatley wanting out.
"Two years ago, they looked like the old Montreal Canadiens," Molloy said, "but they haven't been able to right the ship since."
There is no question Heatley's power-play production fell off noticeably under Clouston. Past the halfway mark of the season under Craig Hartsburg, Heatley had 11 power-play goals. In the final 33 games with Clouston, Heatley scored four.
Heatley also saw his ice time drop in many games -- a shockingly low 12 minutes 44 seconds on Feb. 11 -- though he played significant minutes, 23:07 and 22:24 over the final two games of the season.
Molloy surmises, and this will make management cringe, that maybe the Senators wanted to force Heatley to move by making things difficult for him.
"Alfie is a god," Molloy said of Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, "and nobody wants Spezza in a trade."
Is it too late to resolve this mess and patch things up between Heatley and the Senators organization?
Said Molloy: "It never hurts to talk."

He's got a point, but he's way over the top with it. Sure, Heatley is being criticized way more than he needs to be, but on the flip side Molloy is not really telling it like it is. Dany Heatley *could be* a much, much better player by buying into the coach's game plan.

His shifts *are* too long and his backchecking *is* very poor, and he spends way too much time waiting for a pass instead of trying to make a play, take the puck away, etc. We've all seen him do it and be very effective at it.

I've always felt that when he plays with Spezza, he plays complacent, wait for the shot, hockey. That's why when Spezza is injured, his point totals shoot up, because he creates his own chances.

But really, for me, that article just seemed to solidify the stance that he doesn't see himself as part of a team. He doesn't care that the team was winning, what he cares about is that they were winning without him contributing. You can be sure that his 'closed door' meetings with Clouston, Clouston wasn't promising him more minutes unconditionally. If Heatley wants more minutes, he needs to earn them. He seems to think that his contract entitles him to certain priviledges, like 20 minutes a game, and being left alone. He's wrong... Buddy needs to get over himself.

I also don't understand the mother's point of, because he plays for team Canada during the summers, he has character. It should be an honour to play for your country, if you don't think so, leave, and give the spot to someone who will take pride in the fact.

I can't believe that Molloy letter. He says "Alfie is a God", well, he also plays on the 2nd line from time to time, and he doesn't Wing Dang Doodle and complain about it!

This Molloy guy and Dany's parents have absolutely no argument here. He plays for team Canada, well so do a whole whack of other players. His ice time dropped off, do your job, play hard and you'll be rewarded with more ice time!

That letter just makes Dany's trade request look that much more rediculous and childish. If Dany and his parents want people to lay off, all he has to do is speak for himself. Explain his actions and move on. Stop hiding behind your parents and former coaches.

If Dany wants out because Ottawa is a "sinking ship", this won't be the last time he wants out of an organization. The guy doesn't want to stick around to help the Senators or his teammates get out of their funk, so he's requested a trade, taking the easy way out. Good riddance Dany, if that's the case. He deserves the bashing for his incredibly selfish actions!