I cracked a smile when I heard the news. Sens fans did, too. I'm sure Dany Heatley Fan Club President, Adam Mair, gave the seeya later salute when he had heard the news of the trade as well. Who will Mairsie have to chase around and squawk at for 60 minutes a night evertime the Sabres and Sens square up? Sabre social networkers from Salamanca to Saskatoon released a collective sigh of relief.
Call him what you will. He deserves every sling and arrow that has been and will be thrown his way. There's no denying the guy's innate ability to light the lamp. In Atlanta and Ottawa, Heatley has torched the Sabres. Ryan Miller certainlly won't miss him. Jonathon Cheechoo and Milan Michalek are quality NHL scorers. However, they do not strike the fear in the hearts and minds of Sabres fans the way that Heater has over the years. The guy has an uncanny knack for scoring the big goal in meaningful games vs. Buffalo. Spezza and Alfredsson became better players when Heatley was injected into the Ottawa lineup. At times, Buffalo could not stop them, they could only hope to contain the trio.
Sens loyalists must see Dany Boy's departure as addition by subtraction. The guy wanted out. He's gone. Good riddance. Gotta love a guy who in effect held his breath til he turned aqua blue, writhing around on his back in the middle of the ice for all to see, while throwing Oilers Smid, Cogliano, and Penner under the proverbial Zamboni. Dany wanted a trade. Bryan Murray obliged. The Oilers thought they had found the answer to their problems. Who saw Heatley's unprofesssionalism coming? In the end, Dany gets what Dany wants. Same sniveling brat act, different city.
It took a lot of drama, but Heatley now gets his wish to play alongside Jumbo Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.
Sabre fans will miss him, but not that much.
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Drew Srafford was in fact on the ice with his mates on Saturday morning inside HSBC Arena. Stafford wants to play for the Sabres and they want to re-sign him.
No contract has been officially signed yet, however, I'm told that the process is all but done. Wouldn't be surprised if the team announces a done deal on Sunday or Monday.
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