Dany Heatley: next steps and options

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.

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.