It must have been about a week since we’ve last heard Dany Heatley’s name mentioned, and it was nice to break in my opinion. With the Senators-Oilers deal all but apparently dead, the San Jose Sharks might be next in line to take a crack at the non-committed Heatley. Heatley may have San Jose on his list of places he’d like to play. According to the article above, Heatley likes the Sharks because they are a high scoring, front-running team. And here I thought it was because they both like to disappear. The Sharks disappear when the playoffs roll around, and Heatley likes to disappear on teammates.
Once again, Patrick Marleau’s name is mentioned in the trade talks. He must be used to rumors by now as his name has been mentioned in trade talks for the last couple years. The underacheiving Jonathan Cheechoo is also mentioned. Both teams are right too, and are over the salary cap number. Heatley’s cap number is $7.5 until after the 2013-14 season, Marleau has $6.3 million and 1 year left, Cheechoo has 2 years and $6 million.
#1 by Brian Becker at July 21st, 2009
Doug Wilson is all bluster. Why didn’t he file tampering charges against the Jackets when they revealed their trade talks with him over Ehrhoff?
He’s done nothing to shake up his team except disgard the has beens like Roenick and Lemieux, and dead weights like Grier and Moen.
Sure, he’d like to move Cheechoo, but no one will take such damaged goods. I guess he’d like to move Michalek, another over-paid, underachiever. Nabakov and Marleau are good players in the last year of their contracts, so naturally anyone would like to move them or get nothing in return.
What’s a front running team anyway? Is that the same as puck possesion? Everyone knows the Sharks have quick skaters, but Jumbo Joe purposely slows the pace once he gets the puck so he can slide one of those beatiful passes to Marleau and Setoguchi. Everyone knows he won’t shoot the puck or crash the net, so the Sharks are eliminated year anfter year because of his one dimensional play, so easily neutralized once the second season starts. Sure Heater wants to play with him since he’s Spezza on steroids and that would allow him to pad his stats, the selfish creep.
That’s just what the Sharks need to get over the hump, more magicians good at dissapearing acts.
#2 by Desmond at July 21st, 2009
It seems that the San Jose Sharks have been inquiring about Dany Heatley. This of course is one of the few teams (LA, NYR, SJS, DET, CHI, VAN & BOS) that Dany said he would be willing to waive his no trade clause. Seriously, which 100+ point winger wouldn’t want an opportunity to play with Thornton.
Murray did an excellent job putting the EDM trade together, let’s face it Penner, Cogliano would be a nice addition to Spezza, Fisher, Alfredsson, Kovalev & Foligno. Ottawa has always been lacking in size up front and Penner is probably amongst the best out there at blocking the other teams net. However, with the comments being put out there by Melnyk suggesting Heatley could be back for training camp lead me to believe that the likelihood of Dany going to Edmonton is slowly disappearing.
The problem that SJS and OTT face in making a deal is the salary cap issue. With only $1.649M of cap space remaining and only 16 players signed, SJS would have to unload at least a $3M cap hit player to free up space before even considering a trade for Heatley so that they can eventually fill out a 20-22 man roster. OTT also has cap space issues and are currently around $293K over the cap and still have to re-sign Elliot (RFA) which will likely be for around $1M per year (similar to Auld).
The only way I see these two teams making a deal is a blockbuster trade in which OTT unloads a bunch of players to SJS and both teams trade around the same cap $$$.
The deal could look something like this:
Ottawa first trades Volchenkov to Edmonton Oilers for Smid (RFA) and Edmonton’s 2nd round pick in 2010 Entry Draft. Volchenkov is an UFA at the end of next year and let’s face it OTT likely wouldn’t have the cash to re-sign him. This move would save $2.5M of cap room and would leave OTT with $2.207M of cap space. This could be considered a nice gesture on Ottawa’s part to Edmonton for what they have had to put up with regarding Heatley.
OTT could then trade the following to SJS:
OTT SJS
Players Cap Hit Players Cap Hit
Heatley 7.500 Marleau 6.300
Kelly 2.125 Cheechoo 3.000
Donovan 0.625 Ehrhoff 3.100
Schubert 0.883 Murray 2.500
Smith 2.600 Total 13.733
Smid RFA
Total 14.900
This would add $1.167 in salary cap but would still leave OTT with $1.040M to resign Elliott. Adding Marleau and Cheechoo (both over 6 feet) would leave OTT with 3 very skilled lines, something they haven’t had since they were in the cup finals. Ehrhoff gives OTT the offensive skilled defenseman they are looking for and Murray is a big solid defenseman that I believe would replace the loss of Volchenkov. Ottawa’s team would look something like this.
Wingers Centres Wingers
Cheechoo Spezza Kovalev
Foligno Marleau Alfredsson
Ruutu Fisher Shannon
Bass Winchester Neil
Defense
Kuba Ehrhoff
Campoli Picard
Philips Murray
Lee Karlsson
Goalies
Leclaire Elliott
For SJS, they would be adding the top notch winger for Thornton that I believe would make them a definite force to be reckoned with in the West. The trade would still leave them with their top skilled forwards such as Setoguchi, Michalek, Pavelski & Clowe. They would take a bit of a hit on defence but their salary cap room would now be $2.816M with 17 players on their roster. They would obviously have to sign Smid who is a RFA (likely around $900K). Nichol – $700K
Wingers Centres Wingers
Heatley Thornton Michalek
Clowe Pavelski Setoguchi
O/S Kelly O/S
Schubert Nichol Donovan
Defense
Boyle Blake
Vlasic Huskins
Lukowich Smith
Smid – RFA O/S
Goalies
Nabokov O/S – backup
#3 by Jeff at July 21st, 2009
This is KILLING the guy that has Heatley as his stud fantasy hockey keeper player (me!!).
I wonder if there is the right combination of players to play with Thornton, that might allow SJS to win in the playoffs. Mark, can you think of a historical comparison to Thornton?
#4 by Mark at July 22nd, 2009
Has Thornton ever put up good numbers in the playoffs to make some sort of comparison?
Did’t think so … but after further investigation I’d go out on a limb and say “Niklas Hagman” or “Rick Nash” … but that would have to be overseas in Sweden. During the lockout Thornton recorded 25 points (21 asts) in 14 games. Hagman had 10 goals and Nash had 9.
#5 by Jeff at July 22nd, 2009
I guess i am thinking more along the lines of “Perennial Hart and Art Ross Candidate, that becomes soft and cant deliver in the playoffs”. A Superstar that just couldnt take it to the next level when needed.
#6 by Jeff at July 22nd, 2009
…and lets not forget, SJS has been a tremendous team since Joe has arrived. It was clearly a one-sided trade and one of the best ever, even though he hasnt carried them in the playoffs.