Rigamarole # 1 - Dany Heatley - Marian Hossa Deal

In a new world where planning ahead with your dollars and cents is now so vital to your team’s success, the thought of blockbuster deals involving big name players and big time salaries is almost unthinkable. Even in the years before the NHL reinvented its self under the new collective bargaining agreement, trades involving anything more substantial than future considerations for fourth line mucker-type deals were of an extremely rare variety. Especially now, long gone are the days of blockbuster trades, or so we thought.

Earlier this week, the Ottawa Senators and the Atlanta Thrashers shocked the hockey world when Dany Heatley and Marian Hossa, two of the game’s brightest young stars were exchanged along with a very capable defenseman in Greg Devries. In Hossa and Devries, Atlanta receives a sniper who has scored more than 30 goals in each of the past three seasons and a much needed addition on the back end. In Heatley, Ottawa receives as good a scorer as they gave up but one who also brings some grit to their lineup which has sorely lacked in that department for years.

This deal is not a raw talent for talent deal as it may seem though. After the tragic crash involving Heatley and teammate Dan Snyder, Heatley has understandably had a difficult time dealing with its effects and had requested a trade in need of a change of scenery. Ottawa had been in contract negotiations with Hossa for the past few weeks and appeared eager to come to terms as soon as possible with Hossa. Almost assuredly, this deal had been in the works for some time and was contingent upon Ottawa signing Hossa to a deal that both Hossa and the Atlanta Thrashers would be happy with.

It was one of the most marquee deals in recent memory and there is still a lot to be seen from it. Can Marian Hossa bump Atlanta to the next level and help earn them their first playoff birth in franchise history? Will Dany Heatley regain the form he once knew and take Ottawa deep into the playoffs. We’ll find out soon enough in forty days when the season begins on October 5th.