Tuesday, June 9, 2009

More Heatley Fallout


In the post below I described the scenario of Dany Heatley not getting along with coach Cory Clouston as "bizarre", but Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun was correct and got the scoop before anyone else as far as I can tell.

According to TSN, who have filled in some of the details, Heatley was particularly upset with his minutes being reduced and being demoted to the 2nd power-play unit:

"The veteran forward became unhappy with his role in Ottawa last season, especially after the Senators made a coaching change. Heatley discussed his concerns about what he felt was the limiting of his ice time, and his shift from the first power-play unit to the second unit with head coach Cory Clouston in the Senators end of season meetings.

Both sides agreed some time away would help remedy the situation. So, the issues were left to settle while Heatley represented Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.

Heatley returned and continued to consider his future before finally approaching Senators management with his trade request."

Many in the media are going to accuse Heatley as putting himself before the team, but this type of conflict happens all the time in the NHL - usually behind closed doors.

Star players don't like to see their minutes drop, I don't care who they are. But it often doesn't escalate to the point where a trade is demanded.

So I'm going out on a limb and guessing that there is a little more to this than just ice time.

Heatley has taken significant heat from the local media (particularly from the Team 1200 radio station which has been nearly rabid in their attack) and his attitude seemed to sour quite quickly. He was often defensive, if not outright surly during his infrequent relations with the media and you could really sense that this young man was somewhat unhappy.

It's unfortunate because Heatley is an elite talent and the Senators are going to be worse off without him.

But if he wants to leave, Murray has to deal him. He risks poisoning the already negative and chaotic atmosphere around this suddenly flailing organization even further.

With Stanley Cup hopes getting dimmer (which is probably not making Daniel Alfredsson very happy) the Senators find themselves in full continental drift at this point in their history.

With loyalty and tradition being casually tossed to wither in Kanata farm fields (uniforms, logos, theme songs, coaches and players), the Senators aren't too far away from a permanent state of mediocrity (although they are lucky to have passionate and caring fans, even if emotion tends to make them over reactive at times).

Bryan Murray is a respected hockey man who deserves some further rope, but even he might be starting to wonder what the hell is going on with this once stable and proud franchise.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

If it were up to me, Bryan Murray's rope would have been cut long ago.

Heatley signed for 6 years, a short while ago. He did that at a time when he could have picked his destination.

I'd bet the problems go deeper than ice time. Ice time gets solved if the player plays better. Don't forget, the team wants to give Heater ice time because they are paying him big time.

I think that the overall vibe around the club is bad. As a fan, I don't have confidence in the direction.

I don't blame Heater. He's getting older. If he's not happy here, he should let the team know.

Now, Melnyk needs to make some decisions. Things were good two years ago, now they're not.

Tons o' Fun said...

Sour Sue!

Canucnik said...

We would not let our power hitter have his slump.

We could not get him a big DEFENCEMAN to play with and run his power play.

Last xmas 15 and 19 looked around the room and realized they didn't have enough...Alf promised a change...it was the wrong change.

And...and...the biggest reason of all...we shall eat no more contracts and you have enough over paid defencemen already.

I shall start to write the history of the Sens second incarnation tomorow...I may finish on July 1st...

pg said...

The sens will be better off without this whiner. "He cut my ice time just cause I was playing like a lazy sack of shit!! Doesn't he that IS my top speed?? Doesn't he know that that's what I call my back-checking hypnosis? I just kind of wave the palm of my hand at the guy with the puck so I can hypnotize him into give me the biscuit? I pratically frikkin' invented that! Then I never have to touch anyone!!"

Now however, with Heachoo's imminent departure, the sens are at a crossroads (they were anyway, but now they have to deal with it straight up), things should get interesting. I'm just praying we don't get some geezer like thornton or smyth coming back. We need youth, speed, and more than anything d. But now that I say that. I guess we need a top line winger as well. But then, with our top five pick coming back...

pg said...

Sorry, forgot this: if BM fucks this up, he has got to go. A fuck up could literally set us back years.

Anonymous said...

All I have to say is get him outta there!

I was excited when we got him for Hossa, I thought he was the finisher Ottawa needed before they traded for him.

Although after meeting Heatley and the team as a whole(in a scenario I cant post on the net)I realized this guy is a FUCKING JERK! and had no idea why they gave him the "A" this year.

I remember him looking like a castoff on the show Survivor. He sat by himself in the corner and only talked to a few number of guys. Kinda like what Havlat looked like before they trade his ass away for nothing.

Trade him for Perry in Anahiem, Or Vancouver for Kesler, Burrows and Bieska, or Florida for Booth and the rights for J.BO, or even Atlanta for Kovalchuk! Ha

Anonymous said...

IF BM FUCKS THIS UP???

YOU MEAN WHEN BM FUCKS THIS UP!!!

This is the exact reason BM should have been fired last year. He has consistently demonstrated he cant make important personel decisions.

EM you listening to this?!! Get off the phone with the SEC and FIX your frakin franchise.

Anonymous said...

Hit the road Dany.

We'll go back to having Spezza as the whipping boy. After him, LeClaire and Kuba.

Can't wait for July 1!