Normand Lacombe
Registered User
- Jan 30, 2008
- 1,442
- 1,353
anyone else recall dan snyder’s dad taking a soft shot at heatley for the trade demand? not his last, of course.
Below is Snyder's quote when Heatley requested a trade out of Ottawa. He also touched upon Heatley's departure from Atlanta.
Heatley's trade request confuses Graham Snyder, whose son, Dan, was killed in a single-car crash involving Heatley's Ferrari in 2003. The two were teammates on the Atlanta Thrashers, the club that drafted Heatley in 2000.
According to Snyder's father, the Thrashers did everything they could to help Heatley get over the death of his teammate. Even the Snyders did their part, helping him avoid certain jail time for vehicular homicide. The family spoke glowingly of Heatley at the time, and told Atlanta prosecutors and the case judge that nothing would be gained by putting him behind bars. The case ended with a plea bargain. Months later, he asked Atlanta to trade him because of the psychological effects of Snyder's death. He landed in Ottawa for Marian Hossa in August 2005.
"I'm surprised (by the trade request) because he signed a long-term deal (with Ottawa) and was playing in a market that seemed to embrace him," Snyder said on Tuesday from his home in Elmira, Ont.
"I was surprised (by his request from Atlanta, too, though). I could understand that one because I probably knew a few things that other people didn't that go on behind the scenes, and it was difficult for him.
"But on the other hand, the Atlanta Thrashers were very, very supportive of him. What (general manager) Don Waddell and the ownership did there for him - it's a pretty tough thing to repay. And he put them in a tight situation as well.
"I was surprised at it, but I understood it. This one, I really don't understand.
"He asked to get out (of Atlanta) and he went to a team that he obviously approved of and had some success (with). They went to the (2007 Stanley Cup) finals. What I can see is that he got a lot of support in Ottawa.
"I don't think it says a lot of positive things on the surface. . . . It sure doesn't show a good team attitude."
Snyder said there would have been "a lot of ways" for Heatley to have dealt with the decision by Clouston to reduce his playing time and bump him down to the second power-play unit, rather than just demand to be traded. "Certainly, (dealing with Clouston) behind the scenes would be a lot more effective, and trying to work through it."
Atlanta's Waddell couldn't be reached for comment, but a team spokesman said: "We know Dany very well. There is always a reason why these things happen."
Dany Heatley: Cheap and pathetic