The trio made up what was affectionately called "The Pizza Line" because the line's scoring exploits normally meant free pizza for fans in attendance thanks to a promotion with Pizza Pizza. To see some of the classic games on TV, we had a real chemistry that I don't think you can teach.". [46][47] Spezza contributed 2 assists in 7 games as Canada captured a bronze medal. On December 30, 2009, Heatley was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was just perfect, explains Heatley. The goal against Theodore gave Spezza 14 points in his first eight games of the season and it was clear the young centre was ready for prime time. In 200506, Spezza set an Ottawa Senators franchise record with 71 assists, while hitting the 90-point mark for the first of two times in his NHL career. Beginning the 200708 season in the final year of his contract, on November 2, 2007, Spezza signed a new seven-year, $49million contract with the Senators effective from the 200809 season through to the 201415 season. What I can see is that he got a lot of support in Ottawa. We had a great connection as a line because we were all really honest with each other. And Spezza was coming into the year fresh off winning an AHL scoring title with 117 points in Binghamton in 2004-05. I think those first couple of years I was in Ottawa, we were all kind of trying to prove something. He managed a career-high 34 goals and finished with 87 points in 67 games. But the Senators lost to Anaheim in the Stanley Cup Final in five games and things took a downward spiral from there. Heatley was given MVP, Best Forward and All-Star team honours. Seeding seventh overall in the East, Ottawa met the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs, coincidentally the same first-round match-up of the previous year. [39] Heatley managed three points in six games as Canada, defending its 2002 gold medal, was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Russia. Spezza immediately forged a connection with Heatley, who registered the only 50-goal campaigns in franchise history in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Is it conjecture? And in one motion, he just took the puck as soon as it landed and gave it to me in the slot. Heatley made $8 million that year.[22]. A restricted free agent at the time of the trade, Heatley immediately signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Senators. Further complicating matters was the partial no-trade clause in Heatley's contract which limited the number of teams Ottawa could negotiate a potential deal with. In the 200203 season Heatley emerged as an NHL star, recording 41 goals and 89 points in 77 games and finishing ninth overall in league scoring. "I look back at my four years in Ottawa with nothing but good memories. I'm sure. Alfredsson recalls that coaches would often break up the trio to try and spread the offensive wealth, only to return to the formula that usually led to success. Check the net and the let the debates begin. Heatley managed just one point. Im just proud of him for that. This is not what Byran Murray wanted to hear when he arrived at work that morning. Molloy went as far as to blame the Senators' organization for Heatley's decision, claiming "This is an organizational thing. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the He was always looking for me. It's really a unique feeling to have two linemates that you knew where theyre going to be at all times. We became such an offensive threat that whoever we played against, we knew they were just trying to defend. Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. [18] However, Spezza's poor defensive play and costly turnovers in that series resulted in him being booed by fans at Scotiabank Place, and the following off-season was rife with speculation that he would be traded. [17] The 200809 season, however, was met with decreased production for Heatley and the top line as well as an 11th-place finish for the Senators in the Eastern Conference, well out of playoff contention. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. He remained injury-free and finished fourth in league scoring, earning consideration for the Hart Memorial Trophy. It feels like that number should be 150, laughed Heatley when told about the statistic. The car struck a wall, splitting in half and ejecting Heatley and his passenger, Atlanta Thrashers' teammate Dan Snyder. "Me and Dany were best of friends," Spezzasaid. Spezzas popularity with his ex-teammates is evident even forcing the longest-serving captain in Ottawa history to have a soft spot for the Maple Leafs this spring. They were originally known as the CASH Line, because it was an acronym for Captain Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley and because they were money in big situations. On July 1, 2014, Spezza was traded to the Dallas Stars (along with Ludwig Karlsson) in exchange for Alex Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nick Paul and a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Follow Ian on Twitter @ian_mendes, Spezza at the 2001 NHL Draft after being selected at No. Heatley suffered a broken jaw, a concussion, a bruised lung and a bruised kidney, and he tore three ligaments in his right knee. [36] Heatley was selected to his fourth All-Star Game in 2009 and scored a goal in a 1211 Eastern Conference win in a shootout. [39] Two and a half weeks later, Spezza would go on to record his eighth and final career hat trick in a 73 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on February 4. Snyder was critically injured with a skull fracture and died in hospital of sepsis on October 5, 2003. Hes always had a phenomenal hockey mind. While other high draft picks like Heatley, Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash were afforded the ability to make youthful mistakes with bottom-dwelling franchises, Spezza was expected to have a refined and polished 200-foot game to help a championship-calibre Ottawa team. Spezza joined fellow NHL stars John Tavares, Tyler Seguin, Patrice Bergeron, Ryan Smyth and Matt Duchene in the Canadian line-up,[50] helping Canada defeat host team HC Davos to capture its first Spengler Cup title since 2007. I enjoyed it when Pizza Pizza moved the threshold from five goals to six goals, says Heatley. This is not what Byran Murray wanted to hear when he arrived at work that morning. Hossa had just re-signed with the Senators after protracted and often contentious negotiations. [38], On January 17, 2021, the Maple Leafs placed Spezza on waivers after 3 games for salary cap reasons. In the off-season, he was drafted second overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, behind goaltender Rick DiPietro. The victory resulted in Spezza becoming the poster boy for Baby, a Broadway musical that played at Toronto's O'Keefe Centre in the summer of 1984. Heatley made his senior international debut with Team Canada at the 2002 World Championships, after his rookie season with the Atlanta Thrashers. Playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) in 200405 due to the NHL lockout, he won the Les Cunningham Award as league MVP with the Binghamton Senators. It is also alleged that Stacey McAlpine made unauthorized withdrawals of more than $4 million from Heatley's bank accounts. When Murray retired from hockey, the family settled in Calgary, Alberta. I reached out to Dany Heatley today, after he made the All-Time Sens team on @TSNHockey. He admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash, but his blood-alcohol content tested below the legal limit. [49], As the 201213 NHL lockout continued, Spezza was named to Canada's roster for the 2012 Spengler Cup held in Davos, Switzerland. Spezza ended the campaign with only 73 points and Heatley asked for a trade at the conclusion of the campaign after Cory Clouston assumed the coaching duties. The following season, he began his two-year tenure with the University of Wisconsin Badgers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). [4] At age 15, Spezza began his major junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Brampton Battalion in 199899, under a rule permitting the then-underage player to play on his hometown team. Much of that was due to the success of the Pizza Line. And I trusted his ability to know where I was, too. [42] Heatley helped lead Team Canada to an 80 win in the first game of the 2010 Olympic tournament by scoring two goals. 1-2-3 in Stanley Cup playoff scoring with 22 points apiece. [13] Heatley's 105 points broke the previous franchise record he shared with Alfredsson. [26], On September 14, 2013, Spezza was named the eighth captain in Senators' franchise history, replacing long-time teammate Daniel Alfredsson, who joined the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent on July 5, 2013. If you are an NHL fan and have a pulse, by now you have caught wind that Dany Heatley was sent to the San Jose Sharks for Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National Hockey League (NHL) rookie of the year in 2002. [33], On July 1, 2019, as a free agent, Spezza signed a one-year, $700,000 contract for the 201920 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs,[34] the team he supported as a child. He registered two goals and three assists in five games before a back injury sidelined him. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Dany won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year, for which Kovalchuk was also nominated. Heatley recorded 12 points in 10 games. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. So I was disappointed with how my one year as captain went, but thats hockey and you learn from it, Spezza said after the trade in 2014. I didnt just wake up one day and decide I wanted to ask for a trade. [18], In an interview with reporters after the request had been made public, Senators' then-General Manager Bryan Murray stated that he was "shocked and disappointed" at Heatley's request. The league implemented more offensive-friendly rules coming out of the lockout-cancelled season, allowing gifted players like Spezza to shine. He made his debut at the 2000 World Junior Championships, becoming just the third 16-year-old to make the team in Team Canada history, after Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros (this feat was also accomplished the same year by defenceman Jay Bouwmeester and Sidney Crosby in 2004). Heatley represented Team Canada in six World Championships, two Olympics and one World Cup of Hockey, as well as two World Junior Championships. Even though it looked grim, Jason Spezza was on the doorstep to greatness. Try a week on us. When you have the skills of Jason and the confidence, watch out.. [citation needed] Later that month, on October 29, Heatley scored four consecutive goals in an 80 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, marking a career high for goals in a game. Spezza assumed the captaincy for the 2013-14 season, but his relationship with MacLean seemed to have cooled. Every day, every practice, every game was fun. Spezza contributed to all of his team's goals for a career-high six-point game. His offensive production improved the following season, scoring 33 goals in 75 games as the Stars qualified for the 2016 playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference. He was sentenced to three years probation and the judge ruled that any vehicle driven by Heatley could not have more than six cylinders nor surpass 70mph (112km/h). [34] The game went to a shootout where Heatley scored the only goal for the Eastern Conference in a 65 loss. Ian Mendes is a senior writer covering the Ottawa Senators and the NHL for The Athletic since 2021. ", "Thrashers trade Heatley to Senators for Hossa", "Ottawa trims Toronto as NHL inaugurates the shootout", "Heatley scores four in a row; Senators embarrass Leafs", "Blackhawks send Senators to second straight loss", "Montreal tops Ottawa as win streak continues", "Senators' coach: Heatley's best yet to come", "Bulletin: Senators and Heatley Reach Agreement", "Heatley out 46 weeks with shoulder injury", "Bulletin: Heatley asks Senators for trade", "Trading Heatley an enormous job for Sens' GM Murray", "Is it time for Sens fans to forgive Dany Heatley? In the Sharks' fourth game of the season, their home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Heatley's first game in front of the San Jose fans, Heatley capped a hat-trick with a penalty shot goal in the third period, bringing his season totals to four goals and five assists (nine points) in the first four games of the season. On May 19, 2007, he scored a goal and an assist as the Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference Final four games to one. [4] NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly suggested that the Senators may have grounds to file a grievance, as Heatley's contract stipulated the team pay a bonus (due July 1, 2009) of US$4 million, as the Edmonton trade if completed would have spared the Senators that expense. [50] McAlpine was later arrested and charged with fraud, money laundering and theft by authorities in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on October 18, 2017. On July 3, 2011, Heatley was traded to the Minnesota Wild for Martin Havlt, his former teammate with Ottawa. [5] The Thrashers and the Atlanta community were largely supportive of Heatley, and Snyder's family told the judge and prosecutors that nothing would be gained by imprisoning him. With only one year remaining on his contract, Spezza told Murray that a change of scenery would likely benefit both parties. WebDany age is 40 years as of in 2021 and his birthplace is Freiburg im Breisgau. By reaching the 50-goal plateau for the second straight season, he became the first NHL player to do so since Pavel Bure in 19992000. During the 200405 NHL lock-out, Heatley initially played for the Swiss team SC Bern. As a result of a car crash in September 2003 that seriously injured Heatley and claimed the life of Thrashers' teammate Dan Snyder, Heatley's season did not start until January 2004 and he ultimately appeared in only 31 games. Spezzas confidence was on full display in Winnipeg that season, as he created another memorable highlight-reel moment that showed off his world-class skill and creativity. With the Presidents Trophy-winning Senators facing elimination down 3-1 in their series against New Jersey, Martin inserted Spezza into the lineup in a desperate attempt for an offensive spark. Currently, He is living in Freiburg im Breisgau, and working as Athlete. 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