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http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Heatley+role+never+diminished+Clouston/1931859/story.html
Ottawa Senators coach Cory Clouston denied Wednesday that winger Dany Heatley's role diminished on his watch.
In a media availability at Scotiabank Place, Clouston suggested any moves he made were meant to help the team, not punish the player.
“As far as a diminished role, it was very slightly diminished and, in my opinion, it wasn’t diminished,” Clouston said. “It was to try and spread out the scoring, as it’s been printed on several occasions.
“Everybody knows (Heatley’s) production actually went up over the last while as well,” he added.
On Friday, Heatley told reporters that he requested a trade from the Senators in the spring because he was unhappy with his role on the team. It's believed a slight reduction in ice time and a demotion to the second power play unit were big factors in his decision.
Clouston said Heatley was always respectful in their meetings, during which both men spoke their minds and discussed what a bigger role meant.
“Basically we needed from Dany what we needed from everybody else,” Clouston explained. “Come into camp with the right frame of mind, be a team guy, work extremely hard and if those things were done then absolutely his ice time was not going to be diminished by any way, shape or form.”
Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray’s inability to swing a fair deal this summer means No. 15 could be just weeks away from a return to the nation’s capital.
Clouston said he’s preparing for that possibility. One issue Clouston wasn't ready to discuss was the status of Heatley's assistant captaincy, however.
“We’ll wait and see on that. Until we see the whites of his eyes in the dressing room, we’ll address it then.”
Ottawa Senators coach Cory Clouston denied Wednesday that winger Dany Heatley's role diminished on his watch.
In a media availability at Scotiabank Place, Clouston suggested any moves he made were meant to help the team, not punish the player.
“As far as a diminished role, it was very slightly diminished and, in my opinion, it wasn’t diminished,” Clouston said. “It was to try and spread out the scoring, as it’s been printed on several occasions.
“Everybody knows (Heatley’s) production actually went up over the last while as well,” he added.
On Friday, Heatley told reporters that he requested a trade from the Senators in the spring because he was unhappy with his role on the team. It's believed a slight reduction in ice time and a demotion to the second power play unit were big factors in his decision.
Clouston said Heatley was always respectful in their meetings, during which both men spoke their minds and discussed what a bigger role meant.
“Basically we needed from Dany what we needed from everybody else,” Clouston explained. “Come into camp with the right frame of mind, be a team guy, work extremely hard and if those things were done then absolutely his ice time was not going to be diminished by any way, shape or form.”
Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray’s inability to swing a fair deal this summer means No. 15 could be just weeks away from a return to the nation’s capital.
Clouston said he’s preparing for that possibility. One issue Clouston wasn't ready to discuss was the status of Heatley's assistant captaincy, however.
“We’ll wait and see on that. Until we see the whites of his eyes in the dressing room, we’ll address it then.”
So true!!
