Dany Heatley has been traded again. Apparently for similar reasons as when he was traded the last time
The New York Rangers attracted the most sought-after player in the entire NHL, according to most.
Former NHL superstar from the Czech Republic, Jaromir Jagr has made a return to the league and has signed with his original team's biggest nemesis.
The Maple Leafs made several moves of their own. None of it was anything too high-profile, but the team is said to be better now then it was before.
When Heatley demanded to be traded from the Ottawa Senators, who was his second team in the NHL, nobody was happy with how it all happened. He demanded a trade because his ice time was reduced by the coach. Now, Heatley has been traded for the fourth time in his career, and apparently it is for similar reason. As well, it is no being dubbed a 'blockbuster' deal like his last trade (from Ottawa) was.
As noted on the www.espn.com web site, the Minnesota Wild have been searching for the kind of dynamic goal scorer who can put the puck in the net in the blink of an eye, ever since their last top scorer Marian Hossa left the team in 2009. In comes Heatley, seemingly wanting (or maybe desperate?) to show the world he can still score with the best of them, is making a stop in Minnesota this season.
The Wild landed Heatley from the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night, sending Martin Havlat (who is just as good as Heatley, if not better), to the west coast. It also happens to be a one-for-one deal between two 30-year-olds.
Heatley told the media he can't wait to prove that last year's sub-par season was a fluke. He had back-to-back 50-goal season in '05-'06 and in '06-'07 while a member of his only Canadian team, the Senators.
This past season, he played over a month with a broken hand, but still scored 26 goals.
While neither player has had any type of success while performing in the post season, it is interesting that both players' statistics are somewhat the same.
Havlat has played one more playoff game then Heatley with 67, Havlat also has four goals more then Heatley (19), however Heatley has eight more points (57), but Havlat has double the game winning goals, with six.
Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said the move should be good for both players and both teams noting that sometimes a great player(s) just needs simply a change of scenery.
While Richards was considered to be the hottest prize in the underwhelming free-agent market, he ended up striking it rich (like most guys do) when they choose the New York Rangers. He now ends up with a nine-year deal worth $60 million.
"The phone will probably get thrown into the lake and we'll get on with just relaxing," he told the media. "You have to respect the process but I'm not a person who likes to wait around for something to happen."
Since the season ended with his last team (Dallas), it's been over three months since Richards knew he would definitely be signing with a new team. By NHL restrictions, no player can sign until July 1.
More good news for the Rangers is that Richards will be reunited with his old coach from Tampa Bay, John Tortorella. The two won a Stanley Cup there in 2004.
As the Rangers usually do, the list of teams they beat out in the race to sign Richards included the Kings, Leafs, Flames and Canadians. The web site www.espn.com reported that the Kings were aided in their bid to sign him when Wayne Gretzsky and Kobe Bryant both made video pitches to help convince Richards to move to California.
When Jagr made a decision that he would return to the NHL after playing in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), he must have caused quite the commotion in the city that he helped put back on the hockey map. Penguins fans thought there was a chance he would return.
He returned all right. Just not to them.
Instead he took less cash to play for the State's other team, the Flyers.
Jagr said Saturday (July 2) that he rejected more offers to make his NHL comeback and decided to continue his NHL days at the other end of Pennsylvania because he said he likes what the Flyers are "trying to do" to win a Stanley Cup.
The team has already made some bold moves, letting go of some of their best players: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Ville Leino and goaltender Brian Boucher. It doesn't appear that Jagr is going to have a whole lot to work with. He has no shortage of Stanley Cup experience, however. He's won two Cups following his draft year in 1990. In deciding who he would make his comeback with, he said he only talked briefly to Penguins owner, Mario Lemieux and said he didn't give any indication that Pittsburgh would be where he picks up his NHL career. In going to Philadelphia, Jagr says he believes he will get to play more, he added that he likes the aggression of general manager Paul Holmgren, which includes the signing of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
