The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

I guess it's the nature of pro sports, but I really hate bandwagon know-it-alls who pull out the latest stats and use it as the basis of their pleasure or displeasure of certain players.

Did you know that Dany Heatley scored 50 Goals last year? Do you know he's currently ranked 4th in scoring in the NHL? Well, apparently half the city doesn't care about that and want Marian Hossa back, because the stats show he's currently ahead of Heatley by six points.

Part of managing an NHL team efficiently involves a combination of acquiring good players in your trades & signings with a good price. I think the majority of GM John Muckler's trades haven't been good (the Tyler Arnason deal in particular sticks out in my mind right away) but this is a deal that Muckler came out ahead slightly, because of the salaries involved. Trading Hossa saved about $1.5 million a year in cap space while Heatley is under contract. That almost covers the salaries of Ray Emery and Tom Preissing.

Aside from that, who has more passion? Who has more heart? Who would you count on at the dying minutes of a hockey game and your team's gotta score? My answer to all three questions is Dany Heatley. Ottawa is very lucky to have a Canadian superstar to call their own, and he's a threat to take the Art Ross, Rocket Richard and Hart Trophies every season he plays. Marian Hossa is playing the best hockey of his life, no question, but I'm not letting that 6 point differential change my opinion on #15.

I'm glad Dany Heatley is an Ottawa Senator.