Currently, He is living in Freiburg im Breisgau, and working as Athlete. One month later, it was revealed that Heatley's former Senators teammate Chris Phillips was also initiating a $7.5 million suit against Stacey McAlpine to recover lost money as a result of bad real estate deals. However, during a game against the San Jose Sharks in April, an altercation with former teammate Marc-douard Vlasic dislocated Heatley's left shoulder, requiring surgery that ended his season. Hes always had a phenomenal hockey mind. (Craig Melvin / NHLI via Getty Images). Sports writers across Canada criticized Heatley's behaviour, calling him a "brat", "pathetic", and "reprehensible". The following season, he continued on the same pace with Heatley and Alfredsson before suffering another injury. His teams went 0-6 in Game 7s over the course of his career, losing two win-or-go-home games with Ottawa (2003 and 2012), Dallas (2016 and 2019) and Toronto (2021 and 2022). However, due to the fallout from Heatley's crash shortly afterwards, EA switched the cover photo to Joe Sakic,[54] although many copies of the game were shipped with his photo on them. But the Pizza Line moniker soon took hold, thanks largely to the fact that the Senators were forced to change an in-game promotion for free pizza due to the prolific scoring from their newly-formed unit. Despite missing 22 games due to injury in the 200910 season, Spezza still managed to score 23 goals and pick-up 34 assists for 57 points in 60 games to finish second on the team in scoring. When asked to recall some of his favourite passes from Spezza, Heatley pointed to an obscure goal he wasnt even sure of the opponent in which the chemistry with his centreman was on full display. Spezza played his first full NHL season with the Senators in 200304 and scored 22 goals and 55 points in 78 games. [23] While producing a solid season, scoring 53 points, the Wild ultimately failed to reach the playoffs despite a hot start to the year. Spezza, who turned 35 this summer, was a hockey hero for more than a handful of his current teammates. In many ways, this goal provided an emphatic punctuation mark to end the debate about Spezzas place in the NHL. WebAfter a lengthy court process, Heatley was awarded $6.5 million from a judge in Calgary, Alberta on July 21, 2017. The line was consistently among the highest-scoring in the NHL after its formation in 200506, with the trio combining for a total of 296 points that season. After a slow start to the 200607 season, Heatley recorded 50 goals once more (second in the league to Vincent Lecavalier's 52 goals) and 105 points (fourth in the league). 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. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' front office. [37], On October 5, 2020, Spezza signed a one-year, $700,000 extension with the Maple Leafs. The Senators announced on January 31, 2013, that Spezza would be out of the Ottawa line-up for a minimum of two months (and possibly longer) as he required surgery for a herniated disc in his back. He recorded 61 points in 52 games that season before requesting a trade and subsequently being dealt 15 games into the 200001 season to the Windsor Spitfires. But when Jacques Martin was there, his approach was, You have to buy in before you get more ice time. And there was a little bit of head-butting there., When he was the final cut from the roster at the end of training camp in the fall of 2001, Martin infamously quipped,This is a mans league, and hes still a boy.. [4] "I was surprised at it, but I understood it", Atlanta Thrashers' GM Don Waddell said of Heatley's desire to leave Atlanta in the aftermath of Dan Snyder's death. On March 29, 2014, Heatley was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career after being demoted to the fourth line for several games.[28]. WebThere are two versions, one which makes more sense than the other. "Certainly, (talking with Clouston) behind the scenes would be a lot more effective, and trying to work through it. Out of the 180 goals Heatley scored in Ottawa, Spezza provided an assist on exactly 100 of them a remarkable testament to their chemistry. On December 26, 2010, in a 31 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Spezza was checked from behind into the boards by Penguins defenceman Kris Letang. In 2008, he surpassed Marcel Dionne as Canada's all-time leader in goals and Steve Yzerman as the all-time leader in points for the World Championships. Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. The defendant companies named in court documents are Presidential Suites Inc., Waterfront Development Inc., McAlpine Sports Management Inc., and NSEM Management Inc.[48]. Daniel Alfredsson rounded out this excellent trio. The league implemented more offensive-friendly rules coming out of the lockout-cancelled season, allowing gifted players like Spezza to shine. 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. Canada captured a second-straight gold medal, defeating Sweden 53 in the final. [47] Heatley avoided having to go to trial as part of a plea deal that dropped the first-degree charge of vehicular homicide. WebDaniel Alfredsson played together with Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, forming the CASH line. Spezza formed a dominant line with Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. 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. Following the Leafs' elimination in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Spezza announced his retirement after 19 seasons in the NHL. [21], At the end of the 201011 season, Spezza was named an interim alternate captain for Ottawa after the team traded away Mike Fisher. But it wasnt always an easy road for Spezza in Ottawa. Auld would be traded in the off-season to make room. It's really a unique feeling to have two linemates that you knew where theyre going to be at all times. The Pizza Line era was officially over in Ottawa. What a great career from start to finish. Heatley scored his eighth goal of the tournament in the third period, starting a rally from a 31 deficit. "The frustrating part for us is we have gone through several coaches here that we couldn't win enough games with," Murray stated. The first is that Heatley slept with Spezza's wife. 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. The Pizza Line reached its pinnacle in the spring of 2007, with the three Ottawa linemates finishing at Nos. Ultimately, he went unclaimed and cleared waivers to remain with the Maple Leafs. "But when Heater came [in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers], I'm not sure when exactly it happened or how it happened, but I'm sure it's kinda something that happened throughout a game that we got thrown together, probably trying to play catch-up on a night. However, Heatley and the Senators would not make a second run for the Cup and were swept in four games. Spezza, along with Finland's Niko Kapanen and fellow Canadian Steven Stamkos, finished the tournament tied for first in goals scored with seven. Just a phenomenal career.. "Me and Dany were best of friends," Spezza said. However, Heatley's time with the Thrashers was derailed when he was at the wheel in a car cras After a lockout delayed the start of the 2012-13 campaign, Spezza suffered a back injury that required surgery limiting him to only five regular-season games. Two time Stanley Cup Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. [25] Spezza ultimately missed the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the 2013 playoffs. As a freshman, he was named to the WCHA first All-Star team and NCAA West Second All-American Team, in addition to earning WCHA Rookie of the Year honours. Despite his declining offensive numbers, Heatley felt that his decreased ice time and his move from the first power-play line to the second power-play line were unfair to him. I enjoyed it when Pizza Pizza moved the threshold from five goals to six goals. On July 3, 2011, Heatley was traded to the Minnesota Wild for Martin Havlt, his former teammate with Ottawa. A difficult season ended with Heatley recording only 25 points as the Thrashers failed to earn a playoff spot. When Murray retired from hockey, the family settled in Calgary, Alberta. On July 9, 2014, Heatley signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks worth $1 million. [32] He recorded 17 goals and 45 assists in 82 games in his first season with the Stars, as they missed the 2015 playoffs. Catalyzed by a rejuvenated offence, Ottawa finished the season with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the second-best in the league. [24], Spezza spent time with Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Swiss National League A during the 201213 NHL lockout and returned to the Senators once a resolution had been negotiated. Entering the 2001 NHL Entry Draft having been named the Top CHL Prospect,[8] Spezza was drafted second overall by the Ottawa Senators, after Ilya Kovalchuk was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers. Updated: December 02, 2010 On December 30, 2009, Heatley was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Heatley did not play a single game with the Panthers, as he reported to the team's farm affiliate, [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. The injury occurred in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 27. Prior to the end of the lock-out, Heatley asked to be traded from Atlanta in hopes of leaving reminders of the tragic crash behind. Web

Heatley was selected as the cover player for the 2004 instalment of the EA Sports NHL video game franchise in 2003 (NHL 2004). [citation needed], Coming off his lowest points total since his rookie season (excluding his shortened 31-game season in 200304), TSN reported that Heatley had filed a request for a trade on June 9, 2009, despite being only one year into a six-year contract extension signed in 2007. [21], As Ottawa GM Murray began again to try to accommodate the trade demand, Heatley was still a member of the Senators as the team opened training camp on September 12, 2009. "It's a neat exercise the guys at TSN have been going through and it's obviously nice to be included in something like that. But Heatley doesnt have a great recollection of his role in Spezzas overtime goal to beat Montreal on October 27, 2005. I must have just given it to him in our zone, because I do remember him carrying it down the ice, laughed Heatley. Yes. Dany Heatley at left wing Jason Spezza at centre 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. Prior to the trade request, these concerns had been brought to the attention of management during the Senators' year-end meetings. However, after veteran Joe Sakic announced his retirement and Ryan Getzlaf declared that he required more time to recover from injury, Spezza was invited to fill in one of the vacant spots. Apparently, one of the players on the Ottawa Senators had slept with Heatley's fiancee. [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. [6] After one season with the Battalion, he was required to enter the OHL Priority Draft and was selected by the Mississauga IceDogs in the team's second season in 19992000. The 36-year-old Spezza credits his close friendship for Heatley as for one of the reasons why the trio was so lethal. 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. The first thing he said to us was, Youre not going to play together all the time. On December 21, 2005, Heatley was chosen by Team Canada to participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin his first Olympic games. And then the patience there to deke Jose (Theodore) again. WebDany Heatley (born Daniel James Heatley on January 21, 1981) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Spezza assumed the captaincy for the 2013-14 season, but his relationship with MacLean seemed to have cooled. Im going to give you five games and then break you up,' recalls Alfredsson. [15] Wingers Alfredsson and Heatley both finished tied for fourth in league scoring with 103 points, while Spezza tallied 90 points despite an injury-shortened 68-game season. Though he had said that the city of Ottawa and the fans there had nothing to do with his desire to be moved, Senators fans were in no mood to forgive. In the first round of the 2010 playoffs, the Senators lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins four games to two. He won another silver medal, losing to Russia in the gold medal game for the second consecutive year. 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. The second overall pick originally belonged to the New York Islanders but was traded to Ottawa (along with Zdeno Chra and Bill Muckalt) in exchange for Alexei Yashin on the day of the Draft. And he was really feeling it that year. He scored 24 points in only 16 games before an errant puck struck his left eye and broke his orbital bone. [5], In his first game for the Senators, against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 5, 2005, Heatley played with Jason Spezza and Brandon Bochenski, but when the Senators were down with five minutes to go, Daniel Alfredsson, who replaced Bochenski, scored the tying goal. He was a healthy scratch after four games with no points. [61], "Ottawa's Jason Spezza:A Spezzial Senator", "Jason Spezza: From Sens' cute baby to whipping boy to hero", "Spezza Clearly Special: could he be the next One? "[19], Senators' fans were blindsided by the request, and across the league observers were both puzzled and angry. Heatley wanted to play his own game, his "[4] Graham Snyder, father of Dan Snyder, played a significant role in helping Heatley avoid prison time after the crash that killed his son. 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. 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. Spezza's agent indicated that Spezza would retire if claimed by another team. He was always looking for me. "Me and Dany were best of friends," Spezzasaid. [citation needed], On October 3, 2008, Heatley was named alternate captain to Daniel Alfredsson, along with defenceman Chris Phillips. [9] During the summer of 2001, Spezza passed on an invitation to the Canadian junior team's summer camp because he said he wanted to prepare for his first NHL camp. WebDany Heatleyis a German-born Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Chris Neil and Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, however, close friend and former line-mate Dany Heatley was not in attendance. On June 8, 2010, his [40], On June 16, 2021, Spezza re-signed with the Maple Leafs to a one-year contract extension worth league minimum again, $750,000. [11] However, he played the majority of the season in the AHL with Ottawa's new affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, and was called-up regularly to replace injured Ottawa players. 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). But confidence is a huge thing. And indeed, Senators' star Jason Spezza wed Jennifer Snell on Saturday at Notre Dame Basilica on Sussex Drive with a bevy on curious onlookers waiting outside. I just think the playmaking of Spezza and the scoring of Heatley scared a lot of opponents.. 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. [52][53], Spezza participates in numerous activities outside of hockey, especially the "Spelling with Spezza" program. With lofty expectations for the playoffs, they were eliminated in the second round by the Buffalo Sabres. He made his NHL debut the next season in 200203 with Ottawa, playing in 33 games and recording 21 points, and scored his first NHL goal on October 29, 2002, in a 21 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers. [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. ", "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? "[4], Tom Molloy, a close friend of the Heatley family, stoked the fires in Ottawa with a letter published in the Ottawa Citizen criticizing the widespread negative reaction to the trade request. [32] He finished his tenure with the Ducks with no points in 6 games, but recorded 7 in 25 games with Norfolk. 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