This Is Why You Suck: My Open Letter To Dany Heatley
2 Comments Published by Dany Heatley Speedwagon on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 11:53 PM.
I still remember that Tuesday afternoon in late august when word broke late in the day the Ottawa Senators traded for you. I had just left my office and was going to Guelph for the evening and spent the entire ride listening to the trade being broken down on my radio. It was earlier that afternoon when Ottawa made news with the re-signing of "star player" Marian Hossa only to turn around and trade him to Atlanta in exchange for you.
That moment symbolized a turning point in Senators franchise history. It was the transition from an organization that slowly built through the draft and prospect development to one that was on the verge of something big. An organization that was no longer willing to wait. An organization, that for the first time in their history had a superstar player.
Remember, at the time of the trade Spezza was still an unproven asset coming out of the lockout, particularily after being returned to junior twice in his young career. Chara, beyond his size, was still a relative unknown on the blueline throughout much of the league and Alfredsson had yet to exceed 80 points in a single season.
You demonstrated on various occasions, prior to joinning the Sens, that you had the tools to be a superstar in the league. In your rookie campaign with the Thrashers you won the Calder trophy with 67 points and showed a nack for goal scoring, netting 26. You built on that with 89 pts (41 of those goals) in a 77 game sophmore season which also included a trip to the allstar game where you found the net 4 more times and managed to take MVP honours. Injuries derailed your third season, yet you still managed 25 points in 31 games, that isn't even mentioning the untold emotional damage you dealt with on top of the physical. On the international stage you had success for Canada netting 20 goals and 32 points in 34 games for Canada at World Championships from 2002 to 2005. When the Ottawa Senators made the trade for you they were aquiring a player with a pedigree, the likes of which they never had prevoiusly.
Once you arrived in Ottawa things were even better than imagined. Alongside Spezza and Alfrdesson almost immediately you became one of the most potent offensive lines in the NHL, and possibly in Senators history. All three of you went on to score better than a point a game for those first 3 seasons together. Not only did you live up to the billing but you transformed the team around you. The Senators went from a trap oriented, defence first team under Jacques Martin to a team that could not only play better than average defence but also stymie opponents on offence. Everything finally clicked for Senators and in only the second season after the trade Ottawa (perenial playoff busts up to that point) went to the Stanley Cup final. Sadly the story there didn't have the ending we would have hoped for but so much promise was built in those first 2 seasons, future success seemed as if it was just around the corner.
With you in the fold Ottawa finally had "their guy". For me, I was on your side from the start. I got a Heatley sweater, a Heatley Shirtsey, my internet moniker was even inspired by you. (as well as my partiality to power ballad bands from Champaign, Illinois and my affinity for pushing the boundries of good taste) You were the Senators player I always wanted . The undisputed star I could point to on my team and say "Him! That's the guy who gets it done! That's the guy who puts the points on the board. That's the guy you wish you had." I had never had that before and with you on the Senators I felt a sense of real NHL legitimacy surrounded my team, for the first time.
Prior to the beginning of that 3rd season (your last under contract) when you signed your 6 year extension, I thought that was it. That was the deal. That was 7 more quality years of following my team, of offensive displays, of Rocket Richard campaigns and Stanley Cup runs. Seven years where I wouldn't have to worry. You were commited to the Senators and I was commited to you. I poured my heart into my team and now Dany Heatley was standing up and declaring he wanted to be part of that team, long term.
All the promise built up in the Stanley Cup run looked like it was in paying off. Ottawa got off to a scorching start in the fall of 2007, but then things all came crashing down. After only 4 losses in the first 20 games the Sens fell apart in the remainder of the season. They fired John Paddock and limped into the playoffs, only to be swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2008 things went from bad to worse. Another fired coach, this time Craig Hartsburg who made it to the 48 game mark, was replaced with Cory Clouston. The final nail in the coffin was missing the playoffs, Ottawa's first time in 11 seasons when they wouldn't play beyond game number 82.
Finally when it looked like things had gotten as low as they could, the final blow was dealt. You demanded a trade. Citing a need for a fresh start and unhappiness with a reduced role, the man who just finished year 1 of a 6 year commitment decided he had enough? You enjoyed the highs but had no interest in experiencing any lows. Instead of giving a second chance to the team that gave you yours, your only interests were the interests of Dany Heatley. Your thoughts were of Stanley Cups with contenders and signing bonuses, not rebuilding the team you had just lead on the ice for 4 years. Instead of accepting the challenge of improving your game in Ottawa and helping the team regain the form they showed only 18 months prior in the Stanley Cup final, you represented the worst thing I can think of as a sports fan, a bandwagoner. Only interested in the good times and when they came to an all to sudden stop, instead of taking the hard road or accepting responsibility you, Dany Heatley, jumped ship.
This is why you suck, and this is why I'll be sitting in front of my television yelling obsenities and cursing your very existence on that ice while I hope the fans of Ottawa deliver a rain of boos I think you so truly deserve.
