The silence is over, but the questions continue

Dany Heatley has spoken and as expected, his words didn’t move mountains.

The City of Champions was not an option for Heatley because “it was the only option,” he said during a teleconference call today.

Are you scratching your head right now after reading that? Edmonton wasn’t an option because it was the only option? What?

That’s like an airplane pilot opting to sit in his chair and give up, even though pressing the eject button is his only option before it crashes.

“This has nothing to do with Edmonton, this has everything to do with options,” said Heatley who refused to answer why Edmonton wasn’t a good enough fit.

Heatley confirmed Edmonton wasn’t on his list of his preferred teams even though Edmonton was the only team publicly interested in the 50-plus-goal scorer.

“I thought we has some good talks with (Steve Tambellini and Kevin Lowe), but we (Heatley and his two agents) wanted options, said Heatley.

“I needed options in order to make the right decision.”

Heatley says he maintained his silence since news broke about his trade request from Ottawa because he never wanted to make his request public.

(Actually he was told to talk to the media before he laces up at the Hockey Canada Olympic orientation camp in Calgary Monday)

And Heatley says he wanted out of Ottawa because he wants to be an “integral” part of the Ottawa Senators, something he feels has “diminished” since he inked his name to a contract two years ago.

“I regret the way it’s been this summer. It’s been a tough summer. It hasn’t been fair, especially to Edmonton and Ottawa but that’s the way it went,” said Heatley.

No it hasn’t, especially in Edmonton.

Fans here still don’t know why Edmonton is not a destination for superstars. It’s a city where hockey fans have had their hearts broken over and over again every summer.

They’re tired of the Prongers, the Nylanders, and now the Heatleys.

If a player doesn’t want to be in Edmonton, or wants out of Edmonton, he should show some balls and explain why the city isn’t the right place. Or why the team is not the right fit.

That’s all we want to hear. Be honest. Tell us Edmonton is a shithole if that's the reason you don't want to stay or come here.

The Heatley saga is over, Tambo. Now go and enjoy your summer

Say it ain’t so, Steve.

You say it’s finally over between the Edmonton Oilers, the Ottawa Senators, and disgruntled hockey star Dany Heatley in working out a deal.

But, Steve, why give up now?

You and Kevin Lowe only paid Heatley a visit at his summer home once in Kelowna to convince him to play for the copper and blue. That wasn’t so successful.

Your rich boss paid cash to send someone to his summer home a few weeks later to deliver him a special video package of how great the Oilers really are.

Now all of a sudden you announce your decision to throw in the towel yesterday.

Why not keep trying? Why not send some Edmonton women his way? You know — those women that you see along 118 Avenue.

Your boss has a lot of cash. Why not send a Hummer or a high priced vehicle his way?

Heck. Why not put on a French maid dress and clean up his summer home? That right there would convince him to come to Edmonton.

Give me a break.

Trying to swing a trade for a guy who wants out of his town because he doesn’t like his ice-time is one thing. Trying to play desperate to get him is another.

Meanwhile, the only thing that has been upgraded with this team is your coaching staff and your goaltending situation so far this off-season. Kudos to you on that.

While you were begging, you and your crew lost one of your only two players who was over 50 per cent on the faceoff circle in Kyle Brodziak. Then you lost Ales Kotalik to the Rangers.

The offence really didn’t upgrade, in fact, it's a step backwards. Don't forget, this is the same team that has missed the playoffs three years in a row and it's the same offence that produced little on the faceoff circle, which led to an atrocious powerplay and penalty kill last season.

We also remember that "culture change" speech the day you announced Craig MacTavish was no longer head coach for the copper and blue. What you have done so far this summer isn't much of a culture change when it comes to your offence.

Now, here we are in August — the peak when it comes to the dog days of summer. You more than likely don’t want to be by your phone. You probably want to hang out in your summer cottage somewhere, like everyone else does in the league.

Enjoy your summer, Steve. Relax and take it easy.

After all, your going to need it come October, or later in the year when the Oilers miss another round of playoffs.

You were screwed by Heatley. Now show some balls!

Getting a massive coaching team assembled was a step in the right direction this summer for the Oilers and so was the move to solidify its goaltending situation for at least the next three to five years.

Locking Denis Grebeshkov to a one-year $3 million contract was also a smart move.

But acting desperate to lure a malcontent hockey star all summer long is embarrassing.

Dany Heatley obviously doesn’t want to play here, nor does he want to play with his teammates in Ottawa.

Heatley wants to be with a contending hockey team, a team like the San Jose Sharks where GM Doug Wilson wants to make a major shakeup with his roster.

His mind is set and his silence says it all. Heatley hasn’t gone public about his actions up to this point because he’s scared about pissing off Canadian hockey fans, especially in Alberta.

But Kevin Lowe, Steve Tambellini and company are obviously not good at taking any hints and they should have bruises on their knees with the amount of begging they have done this summer.

Flying to Kelowna to Heatley’s summer home was fine to avoid a looming deadline back in July 1, but to pay someone money to deliver a video package last week to his agent is absolutely absurd.

The video was supposed to show off players like Ales Hemsky and Sam Gagner, according to Dan Barnes with the Edmonton Journal last week.

That same DVD is more than likely unopened as it continues to sit on Heatley’s kitchen counter.

He probably hasn’t had time to watch it. He’s too busy riding his motorboat in the Okanagan or he’s too busy shooting hockey pucks into an empty net in his backyard.

They would have been better off sending the 40-plus goal scorer a soother with an Oilers logo on it.

(Sigh.)

Instead of begging, Tambellini should ring him out in front of the press. Show some balls for Pete’s sake.

This player has strung along two NHL teams. He demanded a trade, but he has a list of preferred teams like a six-year-old’s Christmas wish list for Santa.

And guess what? Edmonton is not on his list.

Fans are fed up about the saga, so after trying to please a spoiled rotten NHL superstar, it’s time Tambellini should go to the fans and say “we’re sorry we couldn’t lure Heatley, and here’s why…”

There are other teams out there looking to unload talent because of the salary cap and the economic situation. Why focus on one player this whole time?

Time to move on.