The Ottawa Senators are planning to build a case against Dany Heatley to recover more than the $4 million payment they made to the player on July 1. Eugene Melnyk and the Senators believe that they are owed more than the $4 million because the Heatley situation cost them damages over the summer.

According to an NHL source with Sun Media, the Sens believe that they can sue for damages after recovering the lump sum payment made to Heatley in July.

“They’ve got to show cause and prove damages,” an unnamed legal source told Sun Media. “I know there was a lot of skepticism out there about Melnyk’s chances (of winning the arbitration case), but don’t believe it can’t be done. There was a lot of negativity around the franchise because of the Heatley sideshow. What happened to their season ticket base? What happened to corporate sales?”

The basis for the case stands with the fact that Heatley refused the arranged trade with the Oilers by refusing to waive his no-trade clause. While this has certainly happened before, this marks the first time a team has elected to pursue the player through the courts for alleged damages.

We all know that Melnyk was less than pleased about penning Heatley that cheque for the $4 million, so this could be a vengeance-motivated ordeal more than anything else. In the back of his mind, the Senators GM has to know that this case doesn’t hold much water and that he’ll have to do an awful lot of cartwheeling to prove any damages were the result of the Heatley fiasco.

Attendance is down in Ottawa this season and they’ve seen a steady decline in season ticket holders too, but that decline began when the Senators dropped out of post-season contention and not when Heatley departed. Most of the team’s loss of revenue came when they missed the playoffs last year, so showing any cause-and-effect link between Heatley and the revenue decline will be tricky.

Even so, it looks like Melnyk is prepared to go through the motions here. He’ll drag Heatley into court soon enough and will continue the drama that should have died when the forward was finally moved to the Sharks.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Ottawa Senators head coach Cory Clouston has not had an easy time of it thus far. Leading the Senators from behind the bench has not been an easy task, as he’s been at the core of the Dany Heatley drama and has had to deal with a team of, let’s be honest, underachievers.

Still, when Clouston took over the coaching job in Ottawa on the second day in February of 2009, he managed to improve things to a 19-11-4 record. Called up from the AHL affiliate club in Binghamton, Clouston made some adjustments to the line-up that included the lessening of Heatley’s role on the ice.

When Heatley’s response was a demand to be traded, it looked like Clouston was going to be in trouble. But, as with most things, the drama eventually faded after a more-than-interesting summer and Clouston’s happy to be back to business as usual at the helm of the Senators.

Clouston works with the same operational goals in mind as when he was behind the bench in Binghamton. It’s a foundation-based system, utilizing a simple structure to keep things moving on the ice. Simplicity is the name of the game for Clouston, as his desire to have role players work hard and superstars hold up their end of the bargain is apparent.

“Same thing you tell your players: Just do what you can do, and whatever got you to that level, you’ve got to work on that. That’s what’s going to get you to the next level as well. Obviously, there’s certain adjustments you have to make, because you are on a lot bigger stage. And you’re dealing with maybe a little bit older players, more established players. But basically the same ideas hold true,” Clouston said.

April 8th saw Clouston get a two-year contract and the daunting “interim” label dropped from before his name, so it looks like the Senators organization is pleased as punch. The players, except for the aforementioned Heatley, took to the new system and style of play well. Captain Daniel Alfredsson was one of Clouston’s biggest supporters in the early going and continues to be excited for the upcoming season.

“He came in with energy,” Alfredsson said. “He came in with structure, and kind of gave us a little bit of hope.”

With that structure and that little bit of hope, the Senators are hoping Clouston’s system will mesh well with the talent on Ottawa to produce results worth celebrating in the end. Clouston sure has his work cut out for him, but with most of the Senators firmly believe he’s the right man for the job, the sky’s the limit again in Ottawa.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Dany Heatley saga has finally come to an end, closing off one of this summer’s two neverending stories.

Heatley and a fifth round draft pick from the Ottawa Senators have been traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second round pick. The deal came after a lot of trade chatter on Friday and Saturday, leading Heatley to the team he wanted to go to all along and finally closing the chapter for the Senators.

“It’s a deal that we talked about throughout the summer, although Michalek came in late,” Senators GM Bryan Murray said after announcing the deal six hours into the first day of training camp.

The saga began with a verbal trade request in mid-May, followed by written confirmation by Heatley as requested by the Senators. He was apparently unhappy with his diminished role on the team and wanted to be a part of the core group again. Heatley didn’t see that happening in Ottawa, so he was prepared to take his show on the road.

Unfortunately for Heatley, the road went through Edmonton first. He used the no-movement clause in his contract to veto a move to the Oilers in exchange for Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner, and Ladislav Smid.

The change should be good for the Senators, who can finally get down to the business of putting a solid team together again. With Cheechoo and Michalek, the Sens have a couple of players to work with. Both players are capable of making valuable contributions.

Heatley’s a nice fit for the Sharks and should be an impact player there. With his arrival, there’ll be a real battle as to who the legit offensive producer is on that squad. Expect big things from the Sharks this season, although it still remains to be seen if they’ll be able to keep any success going through the post-season.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Dany Heatley finally addressed the media Friday from Kelowna in British Columbia, making it the first time the veteran has made any statements since he requested a trade from the Ottawa Senators in June.

Heatley began by stating the obvious: his intentions have not changed since the start of the summer and he still wants to be traded. If he is not traded, he will still show up to training camp next month.

“When I signed in Ottawa two years ago, I felt it was to be an integral part of the team,” Heatley said. “Over the last two years and more recently over the past year, I feel my role was diminished. This past season, it diminished a lot more. This is a straight hockey decision. I have nothing against the fans of Ottawa, or the city of Ottawa. I would like the opportunity to go somewhere where I can play to the best of my capabilities and be the player that I can be.”

Senators GM Bryan Murray stated that finding a team for Heatley has not been an easy process. With such a high price on the player, moving him isn’t exactly easy.

“I think (the Heatley camp) believed that I would present them with four teams who were willing to give Ottawa a package (for Heatley), and he could pick and choose from them,” said Murray. “That has not been the case by any means. There are still a couple of teams that I’m talking to, but they are nowhere close to (offering) what I need to get back to protect this franchise.”

Along with clearing the air (sort of) in terms of the situation in Ottawa, Heatley shed some light on what led to his decision to refuse the trade to Edmonton.

“It has nothing to do with Edmonton,” explained Heatley. “It has everything to do with the options. To this date there has only been one option (San Jose), and I know that there are other teams out there. I don’t feel I can make the right decision until there are a few options and I can make the right decision for my career.”

The reality for Heatley is that he probably didn’t do enough with his remarks to save face for Canadian hockey fans, particularly those in Edmonton and Ottawa. He’ll have an uphill climb in terms of PR and probably won’t wind up where he wants to play unless something significant happens over the next few weeks.

The problem is that Heatley has really shown his true colours at this point and it’s difficult for a new team to want to gamble on a player like that. He certainly is well within his rights to ask for a trade and to refuse the trade proposed, but it certainly won’t win him any brownie points along the way.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

For Ottawa Senators head coach Cory Clouston, escaping talk of the Dany Heatley issue can be difficult at the best of times. While he took part in a conference call to announce the newest member of his coaching staff Thursday, most of the talk ventured in the direction of Heatley and possible friction between the player and coach.

The call was intended to announce the hiring of Brad Lauer as an assistant coach, but Clouston was quickly put on the spot regarding Heatley.

Clouston made it clear that he had yet to talk to the superstar player. He added that nothing had changed in terms of the situation and that he was surprised at Heatley’s request to be traded from the Senators.

As we well know, Heatley vetoed a trade that would have sent him to the Edmonton Oilers and continues to remain in limbo with the Senators. GM Bryan Murray insists that he’s still a Senator and seems to think there’s still a spot for him on the team, but many fans wonder how Heatley could possibly walk into that locker room given all he’s put the team through.

As for coach Clouston, he knows that he’s just got to start moving forward with the rest of the organization. “I really don’t know what else to say,” he continued. “(But) whatever cards we’re dealt, I’ll work with them. That’s with or without Dany.”

Clouston was excited about the addition of Alex Kovalev and is ready to put him to work to help move things forward from the Heatley situation that has haunted the franchise for the past while. “My first reaction was I was just very excited for the organization,” Clouston said. “Alex brings something into the mix who can change a game in and of itself. Obviously, there’s been a lot of negativity surrounding the organization (over Heatley). It’s like a breath of fresh air.”

In terms of Clouston’s new addition to the coaching staff, Lauer will be a nice fit. He’s an NHL veteran, having played 16 pro seasons, and he should mesh well with the team’s other assistant, Greg Carvel.

Luke Richardson, who retired last season, will also chip in with the Senators on a part-time basis and will help the defence.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

If Alex Kovalev has his way, Dany Heatley will stay with the Ottawa Senators and help lead the team to glory.

“Definitely, with the player that he is, it would be nice to have him back,” Kovalev told reporters. “I know Dany a little bit from playing with him for Kazan in the lockout year. He’s a great, talented guy on the ice and off the ice and would definitely help the Senators organization and hopefully will continue to help the organization.”

Of course, Heatley has asked for a trade and that could present some difficulties for Kovalev’s wishes, but it sure would be interested to see the two of them teaming up in Senators gear. Heatley refused to waive his no-trade clause when the possibility came up that he might be moved to the Edmonton Oilers.

Despite this, Kovalev seems to think that the damage Heatley has done to his reputation with the city of Ottawa isn’t beyond fixing. Senators GM Bryan Murray seems to agree, having stood by his stance through the entire process and continuing to tell reporters that Heatley is still a Senator. Of course, for all intents and purposes he obviously is.

“We can fit both of those guys on our team very nicely, maybe one on left and one on right wing,” Murray said.

Whether there’s a comfortable fit in Ottawa for Heatley remains to be seen, but it’s certainly going to take a lot of work for the superstar forward to earn favour with the fans again. He has essentially become one of “those” players and will be remembered, at least in the short term, not as an offensive powerhouse capable of pouring in the goal totals but as a disgruntled winger with contract issues and an ego.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Ottawa Senators have signed Russian superstar winger Alex Kovalev to a two-year deal worth $10 million.

The idea is for Kovalev to bring his scoring touch to the Sens, of course. While there have been some concerns over his inconsistent effort, the Senators seem to be okay with that.

“I think you always want your player to play 100%, and that’s difficult over 82 games and if you are judgmental you can find a hole,” Senators GM Bryan Murray said. “I think Alex, they claim, has been a little more inconsistent than he should be. I think the opposite. I think when he plays great he can win a game for you. In this organization we’ve got many hard workers and guys that will compete for us every night, but we needed something special to go with that and this guy’s a special player.”

Murray is now in full re-tooling mode, needing to take the Senators from a team that missed the playoffs to a team that once again threatens for the Stanley Cup and is among the league’s elite. While the Dany Heatley situation still looms over Murray and Co., the signing of Kovalev certainly sends a message that the team is ready to get going on next season.

Some might say that the signing was a way to force something out of Heatley and his crew, but Murray denies that this is the case. Heatley rejected a possible move to the Edmonton Oilers last week and forced the Sens to pay his $4 million bonus, a move that probably won’t endear him to fans or team management.

“I don’t care where (Heatley) plays. He can play anywhere he wants as long as I can get the right deal. All I care about is what comes back to our club,” Murray said.

With Kovalev, the Senators get a 16-year veteran with top-level skill. He’s a top-six forward and will fit nicely into the system in Ottawa. If he decides to turn on the jets, Kovalev’s among the fastest and most exciting players in the entire National Hockey League.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray said that he was “shocked and disappointed” when he heard the news that star forward Dany Heatley was demanding a trade.

The demand became public last week when Heatley told the team of his intention to be moved. Two years in to a $45 million 6-year deal, Heatley’s contract will be a tough one to pick up for just about any time in the National Hockey League. Most rumours suggest that he wants to move out West, so his presence could be welcome for a Western Conference team with a fair bit of extra bankroll or a team with the desire to move some players.

“I have had some conversations with several teams,” Murray said of moving Heatley. “I don’t really have a timetable, but I have encouraged anybody that is really interested to try to make the contact before the draft, and we will get something done by that time, I hope.”

Heatley’s numbers will be good for any team that can pick him up. With two 50-goal seasons under his belt and a 39-goal performance last year, the sniper’s offensive talents are significant. At just 28-years-old, he’ll be a solid addition to a team looking to rebuild or gather some offensive punch. Heatley has racked up 260 goals and 543 points in 507 games over seven NHL seasons since he was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000.

“It’s hard to give up 50 goals,” Murray said. “He didn’t get it last year - a lot of people underachieved - but Dany Heatley is that calibre of goal scorer. To be better than that is going to be difficult, there’s no question.”

In terms of rationale for wanting the trade, some speculate that it is because of a rocky relationship with head coach Corey Clouston while others cite the poor environment in Ottawa. Regardless, it looks as though the Senators will be losing a valuable component to their franchise. Let’s just hope they get something worthwhile in return.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The Ottawa Senators have taken a key step towards adding some offensive depth by adding centre Mike Comrie and defender Chris Campoli from the New York Islanders. In return, the Sens sent Dean McAmmond and San Jose’s first-round pick in the upcoming draft, obtained via a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, to Long Island.

“We haven’t been a very good offensive team and we’re getting two guys with that ability,” Senators GM Bryan Murray said about the deal.

The team gets a puck-moving defenceman, filling a position that has been sorely lacking since Wade Redden left. In 51 games with the Islanders, Campoli had six goals and 17 assists. Murray is excited about this part of the trade. “He’s young he’s mobile, he plays power play, he makes a good first pass. We feel he can bring some good play to our team,” he noted.

Comrie, of course, is making is second tour of duty with the Sens. He was a part of the team’s 2007 Cup run and will probably fit seamlessly into the roster.

“I played in Ottawa before and I know what’s at stake and what it’s like,” Comrie said. “It’s an exciting place to play and a great group of guys and I’m obviously thrilled about the opportunity to play on a great team.”

Murray added that more moves could be in the future for the Senators.

As the March 4 trade deadline approaches, we’ll have all of your up-to-the-minute news and trades. Keep it locked right here the best coverage in the blog business.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

Looks like Craig Hartsburg was to be the next on the chopping block in Ottawa as team brass tries to figure out what’s wrong with their squad. Hartsburg was fired just 48 days into coaching time in Ottawa, with Cory Clouston promoted as his replacement.

Clouston will be brought up from the Senators’ AHL Binghamtom Senators club. He’ll be the fourth coach of the squad since the Senators were in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, a point that doesn’t appear lost on Ottawa GM Bryan Murray. “We kept hoping there would be some change in our performance, which didn’t seem to be taking place,” he said.

The trade deadline is about a month away and there are reasons to believe that the coaching change won’t be the only difference in the Senators squad, especially if they are intent on making the playoffs. The Senators currently sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 17-24-7 record. They are 14 points out of eighth spot and are likely to miss the playoffs for the first time in 13 years if nothing significant happens.

“We just weren’t making any progress,” Murray said. “We’re struggling to keep up.”

Now, as Ottawa fans struggle to understand what is happening with a team that was once amongst the league’s elite, the ownership and management in the city will attempt to fix whatever is broken. This time, they appear willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Whether that means some wholesale changes or not remains to be seen, but something big is needed.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.