The longer this dance lasts the more likely it will be that the ugly duckling will cut a little rug with the prom queen, or in this case the drama queen. Other teams are just kicking the tires and trying to dump their cap trash on Ottawa, and why shouldn't they? A team like San Jose is in cap hell and they are also in a win now mode so they don't want to gut their roster of cheap and effective talent.
Other teams are trying to get Heatley at a bargain basement price and using his perceived ego, high salary, drop off in production over the last 3 seasons, and last but no least the fact that the Oilers seem to be twisting in the wind as a suitor. This drops the asking price unless he changes his mind and Murray makes one last round around the NHL for a better deal before Dany boy is Edmonton bound. If every other potential Heatley trade partner refuses to budge and keeps offering Murray crap, it will come down to Heatley accepting the trade to Edmonton, suiting up in Ottawa under some VERY uncomfortable circumstances, and sitting out and not collecting his NHL paycheck.
The only other potential course of action for Heatley is if he decides to go the KHL route. That would REALLY hurt his value around the NHL as it would be a sign of a player that runs away from a lucrative contract because he can't get his way. It would be pretty damn close to career suicide for Heatley. Steve Tambellini has targeted the player that he coveted the most this off season and he is clinging onto what little hope there is left like an Opihi (limpet) on the rocks in the pounding surf.
If all goes to plan for Tambellini and Co., they will still get their man, and perseverance will have paid off big time. That is of course if he appreciates the fact that he was given an opportunity in Edmonton more so than Chris Pronger appreciated signing his then big 5 year deal with the Oil. It's a major roll of the dice, but even a pro athlete with an ego bigger than Rexall Place can appreciate someone saving them from a truly uncomfortable situation, right?
2 comments:
Hey BBO,
I think one thing that will ensure Heatley does not go to the KHL is the Olympics. The KHL isn't likely to sign an NHL player under contract to begin with (based on what we've seen going on with Hudler, who's an RFA), but if they do, Heatley will almost certainly be suspended by the IIHF.
Which means no Olympics. I'd actually laugh if Heatley tried to go that route. As you say, it'd be severely damaging to his career.
It sure would and it would firmly cement him as a problem child which would take his already low league value and drive it into the Yashin gutter.
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