Dany Heatley: next steps and options

Jason Gregor
July 02 2009 12:37PM

heatley-questions

The Oilers haven’t backed off from acquiring Dany Heatley, but it sounds like they will have to sweeten the pot if they are going to get him out of Ottawa. The price has just went up according to Sens GM Bryan Murray.

Whether that means the Oilers have to add in some prospects, or take another salary off the books of the Senators is unclear. The unique thing about this deal is that even though the Sens have paid Heatley $4 million, if they trade him before the season starts that money won’t count against their cap.

The team that gets Heatley will only have to pay him $4 million in salary this year, but he is a $7.5 million cap hit on their books.

"Edmonton is the only option that has been presented to us, and you can't tell that there aren't more," J.P. Barry told Sportsnet.ca.

Well I’m not sure how many other options they truly have. The Rangers aren’t interested now that they have Gaborik, and supposedly Glen Sather had targeted Gaborik over Heatley anyways.

The Canucks can’t take him now that the Sedins’ have re-signed for a combined cap hit of $12.2 million per year, and the Wild landed Havlat.

So who are the other options?

I’m betting you think it’s the Kings. They have lots of cap space, are stacked with young players Ottawa would like and are a sexy location for Heatley.

But watch this.

Does that sound like the Kings are interested?

I don’t think so. Sorry Dany you won’t be living the life in LA.

I’ve been told that Heatley has seen this, and it is clear that the Kings are an unlikely destination.

So who else is there?

The San Jose Sharks possibly. But they have 15 players signed for $51 million already. Patrick Marleau has one year left on his deal, the Sens aren’t in love with Cheechoo, and so will the Sharks give up Clowe, Setoguchi and a D-man for Heatley? That would be pretty steep.

The Coyotes and Predators won’t be in the mix, so that doesn’t leave him many options.

Heatley needs to decide today, and so do the Oilers. I think it is time the Oilers ask for a decision from his camp. Is he in, or out?

And then the Oilers need to live with the decision, move on and look at other options to try and improve their team.

They offered a great deal to Ottawa, and the Sens wanted it — for a moment even Heatley seemed like he was willing to come, but he got cold feet and now he is dragging them on the beach in Kelowna.

Enough is enough. Make a decision a move on.

The decision needs to come today, and I think the Oilers need to make it, because it is evident that Heatley can’t make it himself.

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Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on the TEAM 1260. He also does play-by-play for the Edmonton Rush and MMA commentary on HDNET Fights. He thinks the Instigator rule is stupid, Bettman is narrow-minded, +/- is overrated, goaltending equipment is a joke and that every team should have Ice Women. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor
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Reply #451 Shaun Doe July 03 2009, 11:35PM
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heavyd wrote:

So smyth gets traded to la, so this means that they don’t want Heatly either, I can’t see any other options for Heatly except Oilers.

This trade is interesting as it moves out Tom Preissing, who was one of LA's more recognizable offensive D-men. Add to this trade the rummblings that J.J. wants out and could be moved and suddenly the Kings look VERY interested in Souray (If you believe earlier rumours). I wonder if there is a trade in the works.

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Reply #452 RossCreek July 03 2009, 11:56PM
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Curious wrote:

How would you like to have 3000 acres of crop which you have $150 an acre worth of crop inputs into getting worse and worse every day and $80/acre worth of crop insurance. How would like to have 100 cows eating tree leaves because the grass is gone and having to spend $100 a bale to feed them? But who cares about that, as long as the grass on the golf course is a-ok, things are great according to your information station.

Kudos. ~as long as those golf courses stay green, everything is under control. It's not like farmers actually do anything but complain~

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Reply #453 RossCreek July 04 2009, 12:02AM
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Shaun Doe wrote:

This trade is interesting as it moves out Tom Preissing, who was one of LA’s more recognizable offensive D-men.

He only played 22 games last season, so I don't think they'll miss him too much. Think he was more of a salary dump in this deal that Colorado HAD to take back for getting Smyth off the books.

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Reply #454 wagthedog July 04 2009, 11:30AM
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I just thought I'd add that I am sooooo sick of sub par players being made captains of the Oilers. These hack third stringer defensemen as captains are insults to our history. It's time for a player with actual passion AND skill to head the Oilers say someone like Souray.

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Reply #455 wagthedog July 04 2009, 11:34AM
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And Horcoff, I love him but he is no first liner by any standards. Time to let him go, maybe if we are very lucky we will get someone descent for him.

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Reply #456 rob July 04 2009, 06:16PM
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anybody think smytty to la, then edmonton flips LA a d man like souray to aquire a scoring left winger?

conspiracy thory or not?

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Reply #457 David S July 04 2009, 11:18PM
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wagthedog wrote:

I just thought I’d add that I am sooooo sick of sub par players being made captains of the Oilers. These hack third stringer defensemen as captains are insults to our history. It’s time for a player with actual passion AND skill to head the Oilers say someone like Souray.

Uhhh...Moreau is a forward. But yes, he's a hack when you look at alot of other captains. I'd love to see Souray as our Captain, but it looks like he won't be around too much longer.

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Reply #458 wagthedog July 05 2009, 01:17PM
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@ David S:

"Moreau is a forward" Haha my bad! I'll be choked if we lose Souray.

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Reply #459 Jack Bauer July 05 2009, 05:54PM
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Robin Brownlee wrote:

HockeyFan? How about greasy little dweeb hiding behind a fake name? Listen up, Poindexter. Next time you drive by to deliver a rip job intended to draw a reaction, come up with some better material.

Thats funny, you are sounding and acting exactly like how your ripping him for sounding and acting. Funny how life works like that.

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Reply #460 swany July 05 2009, 08:33PM
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Gregor that original deal can still work if Heatley decides to come here, Daly and the NHLPA said it would let the team aqiuring Heatley to pay back that 4 mil to the Sens as it's part of his salary and not a bonus so there is no reason for it not to work.

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Reply #461 Garett July 05 2009, 10:59PM
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I can't see the Sharks going after Heatley. At this point, I think it will take one of a select few extremely desperate teams to put up a trade of worth to land this head-case 50 goal guy. If Buffalo was not so cheap they might try, but the Oilers are the most desperate team in the league with the apparent rampant diseases and radiation keeping other high end talent away. It seems we will take anything with top end talent, regardless of the ramifications. I am really on the fence with this one, but I do believe with the likes of Quinn and Renney behind the bench that they could help make the Oilers look like genius' and the real winners of this potential trade... Or am I thinking wishfully?

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