Mr. Me First

Talk to Dany Heatley once and you understand you're not talking to a MENSA candidate.

That's okay. As probably more a few coaches have told Heatley along the way: don't think, it just hurts the team.

But where Heatley really kept his synapses in reserve this time was his timing concerning a request to have his hockey contract traded to another NHL club.

I get the part where he doesn't want to live in Ottawa. Neither would I. I get the part where after being allowed to freelance continuously during his years as a heroic Senator he might chafe at the notion of being asked to play a larger team game.

Geez, if he'd known he'd have to play in three zones he'd have asked for more money.

No, the part where I don't get Heatley's timing is when it comes to the fact that just about every Canadian hockey player is trying to be on their best behaviour these days in hopes that Steve Yzerman might find them worthy of being part of the Olympic effort next winter.

Instead, Heatley is painting himself as a me-first individual to Yzerman, a guy who played through all the hard years in Detroit and never played for any other club even when it meant taking less money at the end of his career.

To me, Heatley was one of those 2006 Team Canada members who needed to be replaced anyway for the sake of moving forward with a new team attitude and dynamic for a tournament that promises to be a killer. For the same reasons I'd be moving on from guys like Joe Thornton and Marty St. Louis and maybe even Chris Pronger as well.

But most people would have all four of those players pencilled in to their 2010 Canadian lineup

Now, who knows? Heatley has played for two NHL teams and asked to be traded twice. He must have missed those basic lessons on personal responsibility and commitment during grade school, opting instead for a lucrative life of off-ice recklessness and playing mostly for himself. In terms of hockey, he scores goals, and that's about it.

In '06, Todd Bertuzzi was the lightning rod for criticism of Wayne Gretzky's last Olympic squad, both because he didn't belong because he wasn't good enough and because his previous acts as a professional athlete made him an unworthy Olympian.

This time, we might be saying the same about Heatley.

Comments

[mario]

I asked this question of you last week damien. But do you think public opinion will allow us to leave those off the roster such as Thornton, Pronger etc.... because if we lose the gold this will be considered the reason.

I hope team canada grows a backbone and decides that having a Toews on the team to be apart of the youth movement is important.

Danny H. to be honest is a natural goal scorer, but these olympics is going to require two way responsibility and for that reason alone he cant be included.

TAKE ALL THE STAALS!!!!!!!

[Adeel Ahmad]

Damian -did Dany steal your girlfriend or something? "...not talking to a mensa candidate?" I'm not accustomed to such cheap shots from you. Your name-calling isn't only mean it's unprofessional. If a good journalist is going to make comments like that then they should back the comments up with some concrete examples and I'm sorry - him being asked to be traded twice doesn't justify dissing the man's intelligence. I don't even know Mr. Heatly but you are coming off as such a bully (with a personal vendetta and a medium) that I feel like you need to be reminded of journalistic integrity. C'mon D - I usually like your stuff but it really seems like you just found out that Dany destroyed your Seinfeld DVD box set or something when you wrote this.

[D-Man]

Agree 100% with Damien.

[Steve Howe]

Heatley is truly overrated. That doesn't suggest he is unworthy of being a pro. He is a very good sniper. 7million players shouldn't 'disappear' on the ice for long stretches. His overall game does not support his stature or his paycheck. My guess is that he didn't get along with Hartsburg or Paddock either. Yet this guy has received a fairly easy ride from the good ole' boy Canadian hockey media. It is refreshing to read reports like Cox's that don't sugar coat the obvious.

[Conn Smythe]

Agree with you on Heatley, Thorton, Pronger...but not St.
Louis. Not after how he played in the Worlds.

[The Goat]

Mr. Cox,

It's times like these I wonder what inside information you might be privy to that we are not.
Your article takes several personal shots at Heatley including a none-too-subtle allusion to the Dan Snider incident and Heatley's subsequent trade.
Your tone sir, is a marked departure from your usual dispassionate, objectiveness.

[Dan]

Heatley is one of the most overrated snipers in the nhl. If he's not scoring, he's invisible. Who would trade for this guy's massive contract? Hopefully not the Leafs, as I've seen suggested elsewhere.

[Tree]

I agree with this Damien - but why the shot at the City of Ottawa? I grew up in Ottawa, moved to Toronto for 10+ years, and recently returned to Ottawa. For those that haven't done this, here's a lesson: Ottawa is smaller, but just like Toronto. People are the same, city has most of the same amenities, and where Toronto has stuff Ottawa doesn't, the same can be said about Ottawa having stuff Toronto doesn't.

On to Heatley - he's been exposed. It was widely reported that there were some coach killers and locker room distractions in Ottawa over the past 2 seasons. Emery shouldered most of the blame, but now we know Heatley also falls under the same category. Having 2 very prominent players acting like prima donna's definitely impacts the team. What I wish you would have stated: Heatley is being selfish and will obviously never accept a role that requires doing anything other than playing one-dimensional offensive hockey. His problem with Clouston is simple: Clouston is demanding accountability at both ends of the rink from his players (a problem many identified over the past 2 years with this squad). Now we know why the fall happened with the Sens - selfish, me-first players like Heatley and Emery (and anyone else???) putting themselves ahead of the team. Ottawa will be a better team without him.

[John Mullrooney]

You must be joking when you say Heatley may not be considered for Team Canada. The guy is surely a lock on the team. Take a look at his NHL and International numbers. At the All-Star break Thornton and Getzlaf we're basically salivating at the chance to have Heatley as a winger in the 2010 Olympics.

Secondly, comparing Heatley's request, not demand, for a trade to Bertuzzi and Steve Moore is unfair, unprofessional, and ridiculous for so many reasons, I don't even need to explain.

Is it April 1 today?

[Devil's Advocate]

A little harsh. I don't think either Mensa or the off-ice recklessness comments need to be made.You obviously don't like he is doing business and I'd assume that he wouldn't approve of the way your doing your with those words and the tone that comes across. And how much of the way his request is being handled publicly is really Heatly and how much of it is his agent? He's not the first and not the last person to ask to be traded. I would love to have the guy on my Canadian team for no other reason than what you pointed out. How many guys on team Canada can say that the 39 goals scored and 72pts he put up for a crap team was an off year? Not many...

[DB]

Just a point of clarification, Heatly asked to be released from Atlanta, not traded. That way he could have decided where he wanted to be. Now I guess he will be loathed in 2 cities.

[Flexecutioner]

Usually I'd say it isn't the place of sportswriters to criticize athletes as human beings based on speculation, but in this case, I applaud it. You'd think that after the tragic Dan Snyder incident and the subsequent support he received from the Snyder family and the whole community, he'd be a little more grateful for the opportunities he's been given and would become a more selfless player and person.

Clearly he has not.

Heatley deserves to have his character thrown to the sportswriter hounds for yet again revealing just what a lousy human being he is. I'd trade his 50-goals a year for someone with a little more integrity any day of the week.

[iceberg]

At least he's not complaining because Hockey Canada didn't make the right reservations for him. Unlike a senior US player did in 06.

Bring back the amateurs.

[Blow Hard]

Olympic hockey team surmising is the most over-hyped activity next to the Obama inauguration. Why should Heatley worry about whether he'll be selected for a two-week tourney in Feb 2010 compared to worrying about where he's going to play the next significant chunk of his professional career?
I'd have him on my Olympic roster. For a short two weeks I'd rather have the egotistical but dangerous Heatley over the more polite but not so dangerous Simon Gagne, or someone like that.

[Peel Fan]

It's rather rich: a Hamiltonian taking a shot at the quality of life in Ottawa.

[Alberto White]

Adeel Ahmad,

What Mr Cox says is not a cheap shot. Heatly has been convicted of impaired driving, one of his teammates died. Trust me, that kind of idiocy is not even average intelligence, let alone a member of Mensa.

Just my two cents.

[Stephen]

"Ottawa is smaller, but just like Toronto."

Except for the fact that it's a WHOLE LOT COLDER. Geez, we can't get NBA players to come to Toronto, imagine what'd happen if they had to play in Ottawa during the wintertime? NHL players are probably the same way. It's a perfectly fun city, but it's not a pleasant place to live between December and February.

[Conn Smythe]

'Talk to Dany Heatley once and you understand you're not talking to a MENSA candidate.'

Funny, but from listening to you ponificate on the radio, you make Heatley sound like a Mensa candidate.

[Steve C.]

Remember Sundin Damien? You seemed to love him yet he never got any criticism from you. Heatley and Sundin are very similar aren't they: Neither would qualify for MENSA and both have shown their true selfish nature. Why does only Heatley deserve this from you?

And will you please get off the Olympics!! It's the NHL FINALS.

[Kullervo]

DC: "In terms of hockey, he scores goals, and that's about it." That's about it? That's about it? Hmmm, good point, deep thinker. Because we all know that they don't give two points to the team that scores more goals in a game, but rather to the team that has better intangibles. Reminds me of Jno. Muckler scoffing at the possibility of acquiring Mark Recchi to beef up the Sens' secondary scoring: "All he does is score goals." Lessee, that year Sabres took the Sens out in 5 and the Sens scored a total of 7 goals in the last four of those games, after losing the opener 7-6. Yep, must be only us yahoos that think that scoring goals is important.

[Bryan M]

Damian, I agree with you that Heatley is less than full team player. Indeed, Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic he's not. But the Mensa comments and reference to off-ice recklessness? Sorry Damian, you're crossing the line. If Dan Snyder's family can forgive him, treat it as the past. I know it's a blog, but you're still a journalist. Call him out for his actions but don't take cheap shots at him.

One thing to keep in mind is that he has played the World Hockey Championships multiple times, and had performed well then. I like players who find it in themselves to play for their country after a long NHL season. For comparison's sake, as much as I like Jarome Iginla and his style of play and consistency, I'm disappointed we don't see him play the WC.

That said, Heatley's no lock for Vancouver. We do need complete players, and I'd rather take youngsters like Toews and Getzlaf and well-rounded veterans like Ryan Smyth than one-dimensional players.

[Tim from Alberta]

No olympics for Heatley.............you folks must have short memories.I seem to remember Heatley,Getzlaff and Nash playing togeather in the world cup a couple of years ago.Seems to me that they totally dominated.......or am I wrong.
seems to me that they should certainly be,at least,considered for 2010.
Alberto White had best check up on what Mr. Heatley was charged with in the Snyder affair.As to your comment on Mr. Heatley's IQ......don't throw rocks,if you live in a glass house.

[Tree]

Alberto White - please do your homework, Heatley was NOT convicted for impaired driving. He was not impaired (although that seems to be a popular misconception in Toronto). He was convicted of reckless driving. BIG difference.

Stephen - Ottawa actually isn't much colder than Toronto; however, it does get WAAAAAY more snow then I'd ever seen in TO (this December alone Ottawa got more snow than Toronto did in total during my last winter there - which was one of TO's worst in years!).

[Shabadoo]

Hey Alberto,

I'm a Sens fan so I've got no great love of Heatley at this point, but to be fair he was NOT impaired at the time of his accident. Any other opinions you may have on the matter may be valid (i.e. too young in a too expensive car going too fast, etc…) but perpetuating a myth about impaired driving is not fair at all.

Just my $0.02

P.S. Also a little confused about Cox's diss of Ottawa. Not the most exciting city in the world, I grant you, but it's also an exceedingly beautiful place to live, with wonderful opportunities for outdoor activities in a ridiculously close proximity, and (due to it’s place as the nation's capital) has a lot more cultural and nightlife activities than would normally be available within a city of this size. Sure, if you want to go after-hours clubbing until 6am and eat at excessively expensive restaurants that change names every six months, then it's not the city you want to be in, but an outright dismiss of the city seems a little harsh.

[Greg]

Look, Heatley is a bum.
The whole Ottawa team is a mess. Alfredsson runs the show with FIsher and Heatley but Alf won't kick butt when needed and hasn't been heard from when things go wrong. Why isn't Alf commenting on Heatley?

This is an inbred town where hockey management hires family and friends over success.

Dany, get out of Ottawa and get to a real city, one where they are sophisticated enough to appreciate you!