Dany Heatley Traded to San Jose; Cheechoo and Michalek to Ottawa

We always knew there was more to the Dany Heatley saga in Ottawa. Nobody would become as big of a problem as he did because he was dropped from the first power play unit to the second.

It took a couple of days but we are finding out more about the story behind the trade. Bryan Murray spilled the beans on Toronto radio station The Fan 590.

This makes more sense than being concerned because he wasn’t playing as much as he used to. Heatley has always been known as being a selfish player. This situation just reaffirmed that perception.

Dany Heatley is ecstatic after finally being traded to the team he’s wanted to go to all along. Yahoo! Sports’ Puck Daddy has all of the details:

Reaction to the trade has been mixed, with most thinking that San Jose got the better end of the deal with the hope that Heatley will finally help the Sharks get over their playoff troubles of years past. Jonathan Cheecho and Milan Michalek have had disappointing seasons lately, but if they find their scoring touch again in Ottawa then it would seem both sides came out even. In any event, there’s no doubt that there is an overwhelming sense of relief inside the Senators’ locker room.

According the TSN, Dany Heatley has actually been traded to the San Jose Sharks:

Giving up Cheechoo and Michalek is a steep price to pay for Heatley, a player with incredible potential but who has shown time and again has serious attitude issues. He has done this once before, basically whining his way into a trade to get out of Atlanta. A two-time 50-goal scorer, Heatley has a $7.5 million cap hit this season and still has five years remaining on his six-year, $45 million contract.

Since both GM’s involved in the Dany Heatley trade that John Buccigross of ESPN broke last night are strongly denying that there is any deal in place, the question is: what’s next for Heatley and the Senators?

Captain Daniel Alfredsson, who said earlier in the week that a trade would be the “best scenario,” said that Heatley would be welcomed back in the Senators’ locker room, on one small condition: he is willing to work hard. Alfredsson, speaking at charity golf event in Ottawa, went on to say that regardless of what happens, the situation is going to be a distraction. From the Ottawa Citizen:

Rich Hammond of Inside the Kings relays this message from LA Kings GM Dean Lombard:

The two-word text-messaged response from Dean Lombardi, in regard to the ESPN-reported Marleau/Frolov-Stoll/Heatley trade: “Complete bull.’”

ESPN has since amended their link, now saying that both primary GMs involved in the trade are denying the deal has happened.

Sources close to John Buccigross and ESPN are confirming a complex deal involving the Senators, Sharks and Kings.

The 28-year-old forward was part of a three-team deal that will send the Sharks’ Patrick Marleau to the Los Angeles Kings and the Kings’ Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll to the Ottawa Senators.

Rumors of Dany Heatley being moved to the San Jose Sharks have been swirling recently. Today, John Buccigross of ESPN added fuel to the fire with this Tweet: “Dany Heatley will probably be a Shark tonight or tomorrow..”

The Sharks are precariously close to the salary cap ceiling, so a deal for Heatley would have to have to involve someone like Partick Marleau or a theoretical third team upon whom some salary could be off-loaded.

Bruce Garrioch of the Sun Media is reporting that Murray is unlikely to get a deal done before camp starts and that Heatley will most likely report to camp.

This causes many issues for the Senators just because of all that has been said this summer by Heatley and the organization. With the spotlight growing on this situation as camp starts and will continue on, the ability of the players being able to handle this distraction will be tested. If the Senators struggle out of the gate, that distraction will get even worse.

Alfredsson mentions that a trade before training camp would be the best course of action, although it’s unlikely at this point.

With what seems like the entire NHL, its fans and players rushing to lambaste Heatley for his actions this summer, former teammate Ray Ferraro came to the aid of the controversial winger.