Thrashers swap Heatley for Hossa
Associated PressPublished August 24, 2005
ATLANTA - No matter where he turned, Dany Heatley faced reminders of that terrible night. The twisty, narrow road where the wreck happened. The speeches he gave on the dangers of speeding. Dan Snyder's number on the boards at Philips Arena.
Heatley couldn't take it anymore.
Two weeks ago, Heatley quietly went to the Atlanta Thrashers and asked for a trade. On Tuesday, the request was granted when he was sent to the Ottawa Senators for Marian Hossa, a blockbuster deal involving two of the highest-scoring players in the NHL.
While initially taken aback, Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said he could understand Heatley's desire to leave Atlanta, where he took the blame for a high-speed crash that killed Snyder, his friend and teammate.
"The emotions that went with the accident, being here in the city, driving by the place where the accident happened and being reminded of it. Obviously we have 37, Dan Snyder's number, in our building," Waddell said.
"All of that led to Dany believing he needed a fresh start."
The trade was completed on the same day Hossa agreed to a three-year, $18-million contract with the Senators, avoiding salary arbitration. Heatley, a restricted free agent, signed a three-year deal with Ottawa.
Heatley, 24, combined with Ilya Kovalchuk to give the Thrashers two of the NHL's most prized young players. Hossa led the Senators with 36 goals and 46 assists in 2003-04.
Atlanta also received defenseman Greg de Vries in the trade.
Heatley's best season was 2002-03, when he had 41 goals, 89 points and was named MVP of the All-Star game. But his career was tragically sidetracked in September 2003, shortly before the start of the next season.
Heatley lost control of his Ferrari on a residential road in Atlanta, the vehicle colliding with a brick pillar and iron fence. Snyder, a passenger in the car, died.
Said Heatley's agent, Stacey McAlphine: "I think it was a combination of several things that slowly, over time, led us to the decision that it might be in everybody's best interests to work together to try to find a new opportunity, a new home, a new place to play."
Lightning signingsThe Lightning signed two former draft picks: center John Toffey, a ninth-round pick in 2002 and right wing Marek Kvapil, who was taken in the sixth round of last month's draft.
Toffey, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Barnstable, Mass., played the past two seasons with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst after transferring from Ohio State. He recorded four goals and seven assists in 64 games during his college career. Kvapil, a 5-11, 172-pound native of Ilava, Slovakia, led the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit in scoring in 2004-05 with 25 goals and 62 points in 53 games.
Meanwhile, nothing new on contract talks with Martin St. Louis. Lightning general manager still is waiting to hear from St. Louis' agent Lewis Gross, who is supposed to set up the next round of talks.
BLACKHAWKS: Free-agent defenseman Todd Simpson signed a one-year contract.
CAPITALS: Czech center Petr Sykora signed a one-year contract.
FLYERS: Goalie Jamie Storr and forwards Eric Chouinard, Pat Kavanagh and Ryan Ready agreed to one-year contracts. Storr played for the Lightning's AHL affiliate in Springfield last season.
MIGHTY DUCKS: Left wing Mike Leclerc was traded to the Coyotes for a pick in 2007. Also, center Steve Rucchin was dealt to the Rangers in exchange for left wing Trevor Gillies and a pick in 2007.
Times staff writer Tom Jones contributed to this report.