The Hockey News: Jay Feaster's Blog: Jay Feaster's Blog: Trading for Heatley a mistake by San Jose

Jay Feaster's Blog: Trading for Heatley a mistake by San Jose

Dany Heatley will take his goal-scoring show to the west coast this season. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jay Feaster
2009-09-21 09:29:00

While it is still early, Bryan Murray is my front-runner for executive of the year honors this season. Murray took one very sour lemon and parlayed it into two refreshing glasses of lemonade by moving self-centered Dany Heatley to San Jose for solid NHLers Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek. The trade itself may not go down as one that rocked the sport, but, given the circumstances, Murray clearly pulled a rabbit from his hat and helped his hockey team in the process.

Historically, I have been a Doug Wilson fan. He seemed to understand the importance of chemistry and the need to acquire players who value the crest on the front of their sweater more than the name on the back. Last year’s acquisition of Stanley Cup champion Dan Boyle from the Lightning was such a move. No one is more committed to the “team concept” than Dan. While the Sharks crashed and burned again in the first round last season, I believed they had started to turn a corner.

The acquisition of Heatley makes me rethink the future in San Jose. Wilson looks more like a mad scientist running about the lab tossing chemicals into the beaker with little regard to their compatibility, or combustibility, for that matter. Oh, Doug said the Sharks did their homework - and then some - before acquiring Heatley. Really?

For a group that appears to need more leadership, grit and mental toughness, how is Heatley the answer? After signing a new long-term contract in Ottawa, (five years left, $7.5-million cap hit per season) Heatley decided he wanted out because he was unhappy with his “reduced role” under new head coach Cory Clouston. Imagine, a head coach with the courage of his convictions.

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What a shock to find a coach who believes that players, even superstar players who have scored 50 goals twice, must “earn” their ice time! Blasphemy! Second power play unit, reduced ice time, all designed not to keep Dany happy, but to help the team win more hockey games! Shocking!

If Sharks head coach Todd McLellan knows what is good for him he had better name Heatley captain of the team right now. What better way to keep Dany happy and show him he is loved? McLellan has already indicated he thinks he will place Heatley with ‘Jumbo’ Joe Thornton and Devin Setoguchi on the top line. Stop the presses! Did he have a choice?

What if he put Heatley with lesser lights such as Patrick Marleau and Ryan Clowe? Would the snub be enough for Dany to want out? Think Heatley will be on McLellan’s No. 1 power play unit? Is there any other option? (Because Heatley’s no-movement clause remains in full force in San Jose, he remains in control.)

McLellan’s job is no longer worrying about the group of players known as the Sharks. It is about the care and feeding of me-first Dany Heatley. Good luck, Todd. When the inmates run the asylum it’s usually the head coach who pays the price.

Jay Feaster is a former GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he took over in 2002 and helped build the team into a Stanley Cup champion in 2004. As he did last season, he will blog on THN.com throughout the 2009-10 campaign. Read his other entries HERE.

COMMENTS (24)

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robr_ducky Posted
(2009-09-24 17:05:25)

Welcome back ismell. Your attendance rebuttal was weak but it's a lot better than no response at all. I've been calling out the Sharks all Summer with no response ... seems like the support you are so proud of vanishes in the summer. By the way, our two teams' NHL attendance ratings over the last two years are in the same tier (nearly side-by-side), as if attendance gets your team's brutal playoff collapse(s) off the hook. See you on opening night!

ismellreallybad Posted
(2009-09-24 12:36:35)

What's the worst that could happen? The Sharks are eliminated in the playoffs and hear the same old drivel from the rest of the NHL? (Except the other 12 teams who have yet to win a cup either, of course). Give Dany a few months, and he'll be immune to it all. Here's looking forward to another entertaining hockey season, and unlike our friends to the south, showiing up to support our team before April rolls around.

csel333 Posted
(2009-09-23 12:30:26)

You seriously think benching Heatley would straighten him out?! He demanded a trade because his ice time was reduced - even though the team was playing much better. Heatley could care less about the team. If you bench him he'll demand a trade - unless he realizes that he's run out of rope and that routine may not work anymore - i.e. their may be no takers next time.

steve_ghb Posted
(2009-09-22 21:46:02)

I agree Murray got decent value for Heatley considering teams knew he had to make a trade. But I disagree that Wilson made a huge gaffe, and definitely disagree that the SJ coach has anything to worry about. In ottawa heatley was a supposed leader, and that team just seems to be so fragile that anyone rocking the boat causes them to crash and burn. In San Jose, if Heatley does pull any kind of attitude or something I'll bet the coach will have Wilson's blessing to sit him on the bench until he smartens the hell up, and it won't rip the team apart like it would in ottawa. It would have been nice to see the sens make him show up and play, suspend him if he refused, or bench him if he didn't work hard.

robr_ducky Posted
(2009-09-22 11:32:31)

I do agree with you justabill37 that your team is a bunch of divers, and I'm pleased that you hate the Ducks ... you should :-) I said it right after your team choked in the playoffs that I didn't think the President's trophy winning team needed to make significant changes to their roster, but I'm glad they did. It's hard to fault them for picking up the whiner Heatley who should fit in just fine in that locker room, but I'm glad to see Michalek and Cheechoo gone. Heatley could be a great fit but on paper but doesn't seem to fill their gaping hole of heart and grit. Hear's to another President trophy winning / first round knockout from an eight seed!

jmprimetime Posted
(2009-09-21 23:49:08)

hey Justabill37 - Sens went to the stanley cup finals WITHOUT Chara in 06/07. That was the year he signed in Boston. Get your facts straight bud.

aoystreck Posted
(2009-09-21 21:31:22)

The whole point Feaster's making here is that under the circumstances, Bryan Murray got good value. In a straight value-for-value trade, with no external factors affecting bargaining position, yes, Heatley would have commanded a trade value more in line with what Montreal offered for Lecavalier or what Anaheim got for Pronger: a roster player or two, solid prospect, and at least one if not 2 high draft picks. But after an underwhelming performance last season, well-publicized concerns about the player's attitude, and a hefty contract to assume (during a recession), the deck would have been stacked against Murray even if the public nature of the trade demand hadn't vaporized the illusion of a strong bargaining position. The question isn't "Are the Senators better with Cheechoo and Michalek than with a happy Heatley performing at his peak?" The question is what, given all the extenuating circumstances, Bryan Murray could have possibly been expected to get in return for a player everyone knew he had, for all intents and purposes, no choice but to dump, even if only for a bucket of pucks. There was no good outcome to be had for the Senators, but Bryan Murray did a commendable job of minimizing the bad.

aoystreck Posted
(2009-09-21 21:31:11)

Wow, there is some serious ignorance in these comments so far."It's almost guaranteed that Heatley won't be around much long (sic) after this season."? He's got 5 years left on his contract and is now even more untradeable than he was 3 months ago. "bitterness to get readers"? Because THN has such a clear bias in favour of the Sens? Please...THN writers are far more in the tank for the Leafs, just like most of the Toronto-based hockey media. "they even lost Chara after the cup loss"? Chara was gone a year earlier. Get your facts straight. Claude Lemieux has never been a locker room cancer, he's a pest that gets under the OTHER TEAM'S skin, but is a leader on his own team. His Conn Smythe trophy backs that up. "McLellan has been preaching accountability, whether it's on either end of the ice or in the lockerroms (sic)" Guess what, that's exactly the reason Heatley wanted out of Ottawa: they brought in a coach that demands accountability. "Sounds like your (sic) are still bitter about loosing (sic) heatley. Let it go man, let it go..." Who are you aiming that comment at? Feaster? Don't know why he would be bitter about the Heatley situation. "a proven goalscorer that can win games all by himself". Um, no. A proven goalscorer who can win games as long as he has an elite playmaking linemate who can put the puck on his tape before the opposing defencemen realize he's open. Yes, he'll likely have that in Thornton, but that just means the coach's hands will be tied as far as juggling lines is concerned.

nyquil Posted
(2009-09-21 21:07:53)

justabill37 says: "Ottawa after the Ducks beat them in 5 is a dead team. They need to rebuild, they even lost Chara after the cup loss. I hate the Ducks, and after that I can't stand Ottawa." Chara wasn't even on the team that made the Cup finals. Tough to take your take very seriously after a major gaffe like that.

rscha8 Posted
(2009-09-21 20:33:09)

I've closely followed Michalek and Cheechoo and feel that I can comment on what they bring to the game. First off, anyone who has watched the Sharks with any consistentcy the past two seasons can tell you that Cheechoo seems to have lost his game (almost immediately after winning the Rocket Richard trophy). If it was lack of effort, it would be easy to cite the reason, but Cheech gives his all and plays with a good deal of heart. Although he's had some injuries, they appear to have been relatively minor so that wouldn't appear to be that either. Instead, he just seems to be past his prime. He claimed upon leaving San Jose that it was time for a change, and that might be the spark needed, but honestly I just don't see him as a 1st line forward again. Then there's Michalek, a player who's game has been improving over the past two seasons. However, much like Marcel Goc (who the Sharks did not resign this year), Michalek doesn't seem to have enough of the finishing touch that makes for a true threat. I also think that Michalek's game was elevated by playing alongside Thorton (I know, no news there). Where Michalek appears to be different than Cheech is that he appears to still be developing, add to that he's fast as lightening (although I think Cheechoo has the stronger work ethic). Potnetially Michalaek will continue to grow, but most likely not ever into a season 50 goal scorer. So, what am I getting at? The Sharks traded two players who were underproducing for the respective roles/salaries/expectations. Personally, although I enjoyed rooting for them both and wish them well, I don't think that their absence will make too much of a difference to the team. On the other hand, while there is some potential negative ramifications with acquiring Heatley (should Featser's assertions about his lack of leadership/problem child attitude come to fruition) he nevertheless possesses the skill level to make a difference in the win column. So, does Heatley also need to be one of the strongest leaders off the ice? I guess time will tell. At this stage of the game though, I think Wilson took a well-calculated chance that come next playoff season, Heatley will likely provide more points than Michalek and Cheechoo combined (an assumption that I would bet too).

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