Disgruntled Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley spoke to the media a week and a half ago about other teams being interested in his services. If the Los Angeles Kings were on that list, they can now be crossed off.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi dismissed his club's interest in the high-scoring winger on Sunday during the Kings' final day of their three-day fan fest.
"Do I want to bring in a Dany Heatley with all that baggage?'' Lombardi told the Times. ‘'It might work, but I don't think we're in a position where we can afford that. ... Maybe a change of environment and he grows up but my point is; do we need to take that risk right now? It scares me."
While Heatley's name has largely been associated with the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers, the Kings have also been a team that has been linked because of their need for a scorer and their favourable cap space situation.
Heatley made his formal trade request to Senators management on June 10. The 28-year old signed a six-year, $45 million contract extension with the team in October, 2007 in a deal that includes a no-movement clause.
The veteran forward became unhappy with his role in Ottawa last season, especially after the Senators fired head coach Craig Hartsburg in February and replaced him with Cory Clouston. Heatley raised concerns with Clouston at the Senators end-of-season meetings about what he felt was the limiting of his ice time, and his shift from the first to the second power-play unit.
If Heatley does get moved, it will have to be to a team that can afford the remaining five years of his contract, with a salary cap hit of $7.5 million per season.
Heatley notched 39 goals and 33 assists in 82 games last season. The 72 points marked his lowest total in his four seasons with the Senators. He had back-to-back 50-goal campaigns in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
