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It really doesn't matter that the Ottawa Senators feel they got equal value in exchange for their 50-goal man, Dany Heatley, in a trade with the San Jose Sharks the other day.

Enlarge Photo

The Canadian Press

Dany Heatley, shown in the uniform of the Ottawa Senators, will now be playing for the San Jose Sharks after demanding a trade. He said a “diminished role’’ with the Senators is the reason he asked to be dealt away.

In this era of multi-year, million-dollar contracts, about the only leverage a coach has with a player who might not be performing up to standard is the allotment of ice-time.

Now if you believe what Heatley had to say about his reasoning for wanting a trade out of Ottawa, it appears that leverage for Senators' head coach Cory Clouston has been compromised with this latest move.

At the very least, it's a precedent that has the potential of mushrooming with other disgruntled players suddenly demanding equal time in their particular situations.

Real or otherwise, it was Heatley's perception of a "diminished role'' with the team under Clouston's coaching that led him to issue the trade ultimatum to general manager Bryan Murray in June, despite having signed a six-year, $45-million contract extension that included a no-movement clause just one year earlier.

That's the public stance at least.

So, here you have a perennial 50-goal scorer who felt good enough about his role with the Senators that he was prepared to commit six years and obviously by the no-movement clause wanted protection against being moved, suddenly demanding a trade because of what he perceived was a "diminished'' role?

That's a pretty sad commentary on his part for sure, personal satisfaction over team success. But it also says something about the "balance of power'' in today's NHL that a team would feel compelled to move such a player because they couldn't be guaranteed he would put out despite being paid $8-million a season to do just that.

Geez, does that not conjure up memories of another former Ottawa Senator who basically held the team hostage for a huge contract, then when he got his money, decided to float his way out of town. The Senators were lucky enough back then to find a sucker stupid enough to take on the enigmatic Alexei Yashin when the situation became untenable. And it was no surprise when even an organization as bad as the New York Islanders saw through his act a couple of seasons later. He was paid big bucks to simply go away.

You wonder if Dany Heatley is a more recent vintage of Yashin.

Like Yashin, he's a guy with considerable offensive skills, witness his goal-scoring exploits in his four seasons wearing Ottawa colours. Even in his "diminished'' role last season, Heatley scored 39 goals and had 72 points. But the team sucked big time, and it was only when Clouston took over from Craig Hartsburg at midseason and instilled a more "disciplined'' approach to the team's defensive play, that Heatley suddenly felt he couldn't fit in.

Never mind the Senators were a far different, and much more successful team, under Clouston. It's not that he came in determined to minimize Heatley's role with the team.

But when Heatley didn't buy into the two-way mentality that others such as Jason Spezza accepted for the sake of the team's success, suddenly began the Heatley-lament that Clouston didn't appreciate his talents.

What followed was the demand to be moved, basically handcuffing Murray's ability to get equal value in return.

They thought they had a deal with Edmonton, but Heatley nixed that one, too, further complicating the process heading into camp.

Mind not, it's not the first time he's pulled this stunt, although he maintains this time it's strictly for hockey reasons.

If you remember, Heatley had been a first-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers and was pegged to be one of the building-blocks to change the losing culture of this franchise.

He played three seasons there, but it all came crashing down literally when he was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of a good friend and teammate, Dan Synder. Heatley was driving his vehicle at an excessive speed when it crashed.

He was charged with vehicular homicide and later pleaded guilty to four of six charges which allowed him to avoid prison time. He was sentenced to three years probation.

To get his life together, he went overseas to play for a couple of seasons, but then returned, and asked for a trade out of Atlanta.

Heatley found a new home in Ottawa and was embraced by the community there. Under Murray's run-and-gun coaching style, he put up big numbers including two 50-goal seasons.

But after a couple of successful seasons, the team floundered badly. Murray fired first-year coach Hartsburg and brought in the no-nonsense Clouston who demanded accountability in the defensive zone.

It might have worked from a team concept, but apparently not for Heatley. And so despite professing his love for the city of Ottawa and with a six-year contract in his back pocket, suddenly it wasn't going to work anymore. And he wanted out, leaving a dark cloud over a team that didn't deserve it.

Telling that in the aftermath of the deal with the Sharks, his best friend, linemate and fellow run-and-gunner, Spezza, told the media his only concern was what was best for the Ottawa Senators, and getting rid of Heatley accomplished the goal.

"We had a good understanding this whole way that he was going to look out to make sure he got traded and I was going to look out for our team. Now I wish him all the best, but I'm happy it's all over with and we can move on,'' Spezza said.

David Ritchie can be contacted at ritchie.david@dailygleaner.com or at 458-6484. His weekly column appears on Wednesdays.