Emery up-front on OTR

http://watch.tsn.ca/off-the-record/off-the-record---july-16/#clip194215

Interviewed from Fenway at the presser for the Winter Classic.

Emery on Heatley:

I hope Heater sticks around though, and I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mind that either, right now.

wprager wrote:Emery on Heatley:

I hope Heater sticks around though, and I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mind that either, right now.

I'm not so sure if Heatley is going to like sticking around... he'll be facing a lot of questions from the media day in and day out with regards to this whole situation.

Sooner or later he's going to have to answer some questions.

I was surprised by Emery's comments to say the least.

I wonder if his comments are based on any contact with Heatley.

His comment "Heater's a competitor" (or something like that) to me sounded like Heatley just wants to go to a contender.

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:Emery on Heatley:

I hope Heater sticks around though, and I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mind that either, right now.

I'm not so sure if Heatley is going to like sticking around... he'll be facing a lot of questions from the media day in and day out with regards to this whole situation.

If Heatley undergoes a huge PR makeover -- i.e., does an apology across the board, provides a re-commitment to the team, makes donations of time and money to local charities, and throws people like his agents / GF / whomever else was "giving him the bad advice" under the bus -- I could see him being accepted back, easily.

Bottom line, teams and their fans like winning. A healthy, happy Heatley makes us stronger. He is a 50-goal scorer, and the offered returns for him so far have been nothing short of underwhelming.

Needless to say, it would have to all be done right. No easy task, and I'm not convinced a reconcilement is at all imminent. I'd still think a trade, with EDM if necessary, is on the way.

It would have to be one hell of a PR campaign and a very convincing explanation/apology by Heatley.

Winning is good. I think it would be a rough start for him, but if he committed to the team, showed the effort and got back to business, I'm sure the fans would come around.

Stay tuned... we just may get to see it all in action if he can't be moved.

shabbs wrote:It would have to be one hell of a PR campaign and a very convincing explanation/apology by Heatley.

Winning is good. I think it would be a rough start for him, but if he committed to the team, showed the effort and got back to business, I'm sure the fans would come around.

Stay tuned... we just may get to see it all in action if he can't be moved.

Whatever happens, he's going to have to show his face and start speaking again sometime soon.

Senschip recently posted the closest thing to an interview with Heatley since the trade demand become public:

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories.php?id=199318

You have to think that when reporters start beating at the door of your private home, it's probably time to make an official statement (to whatever effect) just to get rid of the hassle.

Hoags wrote:I was surprised by Emery's comments to say the least.

I wonder if his comments are based on any contact with Heatley.

His comment "Heater's a competitor" (or something like that) to me sounded like Heatley just wants to go to a contender.

He definitely said he'd been in contact. Unfortunately from the context it's not clear if he meant contact since going to Russia or, more recent, since the trade demand.

Hoags wrote:I was surprised by Emery's comments to say the least.

I wonder if his comments are based on any contact with Heatley.

His comment "Heater's a competitor" (or something like that) to me sounded like Heatley just wants to go to a contender.

That makes be furious. He's a competitor so he wants to be traded to a contender, yet, by what's happened with his situation, he feels that he can't lead this team into contention?

That = loser.

wprager wrote:Emery on Heatley:

I hope Heater sticks around though, and I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mind that either, right now.

Oh man, I missed that quote. Why are we in the middle of this soap opera Dung storm?

I think the "He's a competitor" comment means that he can get all hot under the collar. All "competitors" are like that; the successful ones are the one who can focus all that negative energy into some positive outcomes.

"He's a competitor" can be PC for "He's a hot-head".

Let's take a step back - Emery defending Heatley?

Not sure that this is the kind of help I'd want.

wprager wrote:I think the "He's a competitor" comment means that he can get all hot under the collar. All "competitors" are like that; the successful ones are the one who can focus all that negative energy into some positive outcomes.

"He's a competitor" can be PC for "He's a hot-head".

Meh... I see it as "He's someone who hates to lose..."

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:I think the "He's a competitor" comment means that he can get all hot under the collar. All "competitors" are like that; the successful ones are the one who can focus all that negative energy into some positive outcomes.

"He's a competitor" can be PC for "He's a hot-head".

Meh... I see it as "He's someone who hates to lose..."

Well, under Clouston they won more than before. He should have been happy .. er.