As the long weekend drew to a close on Monday, the Dany Heatley mess was as unresolved as it has it been since he demanded to be traded in June.

ARTICLE TOOLS

• Printer friendly
• E-mail

Font:

• *
• *
• *
• *

There's nothing new to say, Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray said in an e-mail on Monday.

With the Edmonton Oilers officially withdrawn from the Heatley sweepstakes, after Heatley rebuffed them twice, Murray has been forced to resume his search for the deal that will satisfy Heatley and his agents.

That this is happening shouldn't surprise anyone. The Heatley camp is merely forcing Murray to do what they wanted him to do all along: send Heatley to his preferred destination.

That's what they meant, at the start of all this, when they gave Murray a list of suitable teams that included the one team that Heatley preferred above all others.

With their rejection of the Oilers, it's clear the Heatley camp is going to keep saying no to deals until they get the one they want.

Speculation has centred on the San Jose Sharks as that team. And why not? It's in a lovely part of California where there is very little media scrutiny, one element of playing in Ottawa that Heatley didn't like.

In Ottawa, there are three newspapers -- two English and one French. In San Jose, there is only the Mercury News, now a shell of its former self because of cuts to the newsroom.

With the Sharks, Heatley would also be able to pad his stats by taking nice little saucer passes from Joe Thornton.

There is a connection, too. San Jose assistant general manager Wayne Thomas was the college roommate of Heatley's father, Murray, at the University of Wisconsin.

Whether the Sharks have the players to put together a deal that will entice the Senators has led to speculation that a third team may have to become involved.

It might, too. Anything could happen, and probably will.

Who that third team might be makes for interesting fodder. The Montreal Canadiens have been mentioned, for no apparent reason, and Murray said this was news to him.

Asked about the latest rumour and the status of the Heatley saga, he wrote in an e-mail: "Don't know what the rumour is, but nothing new that I am aware of."

This is a most unpleasant situation for Murray.

He has the Heatley camp exerting subtle (or not so subtle) pressure to make a deal with the team Heatley wants to play for.

Murray also knows that Ottawa hockey fans will expect him to get at least a reasonable return for Heatley.

Finally, he knows that Heatley can never wear a Senators uniform again because the fallout of having him back would, without a doubt, bring down the team and lead to another lost season.

What a way to spend a long weekend.