Is Heatley cheering the thought of wearing black and gold? Heatley to Boston? Sound a little crazy right? Well it’s not as zany a thought as you may initially have thought when I put the thought out there into the thoughts of our many readers…right? Well there are two scenarios where Heatley could end up in Boston.
SCENARIO #1:
The first scenario sees the Bruins making a couple of trades. The first trade is actually rumored right now and has the Bruins sending the rights to Kessel to the Colorado Avalanche for Milan Hejduk and the #3 pick.
Hejduk, who has a $4M contract expiring at the end of the season, played all 82 games this season for the Avalanche and netted 27 goals while posting 32 assists (59 points).
After this move is made, the Bruins would then move Hejduk ($4M), Patrice Bergeron (who is making $5M this season and $5.75M next season) and the 25th pick to Ottawa for Dany Heatley who is currently making $8M for the next three seasons and $6M in 2012/2013 and $5 in 2013/2014.
SCENARIO #2
The second scenario seems to be less likely as it has the Bruins sending Phil Kessel and Patrice Bergeron to Ottawa in exchange for Heatley. The biggest reason I don’t see this scenario working out is that you have two of your players still in the division. Two players who know the ins-and-outs of your system pretty well and they know your offensive and defensive designs to a T.
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Now after reading these scenarios, you may be sitting there asking yourself: Why Dany Heatley? Well the answer is pretty simple. Heatley is a left handed shot, something the Bruins desperately needed with Marco Sturm out of the line-up last year. Heatley is currently 28 years old and will be turning 29 at the mid-season point. At the end of his contract, Heatley will be 33 years old and you have had him throughout his prime.
More importantly, look at the stats. Since the lock-out, Heatley has put up 100+ points twice since the NHL lockout. In 2005-2006 season Heatley amassed 50 goals and 53 assists (103 points) and the following season 50 goals and 55 assists (105 points). Since then, Heatley suffered an injury and only played 72 games in the 2007-2008 but still put up 41 and 41 (82 points) and last year played 82 games although putting up worse numbers (39 goals, 33 assists, 72 points) on a very bad Senators team.
Kessel was able to put 36 pucks in the net this year, mostly because Marc Savard was anchoring the first line. There is no doubt in my mind that Heatley would match that total, if not exceed it, with a player like Savard on his team (who he played with in Atlanta).
I think the first scenario would be the most benefical to Boston. They trade Kessel to a team in the west so they don’t have to play him as much, send an ailing Bergeron and his large cap number to Colorado and also retain the #3 pick.
Would Ottawa take it? I have no idea, but you also have to remember, Heatley carries a No-Trade Clause so Ottawa could have limited choices.
btw...Heatley is one of the top LWs in all of hockey. Scoring wingers are gold in today's NHL....