Oilers 'welcome' Heatley: HNIC's Take 5
Last Updated: Friday, November 27, 2009 | 10:24 AM ET
By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports
Dany Heatley was traded to San Jose from Ottawa after killing Edmonton's proposed deal. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)HNIC's senior online reporter Tim Wharnsby dishes out the latest news, buzz and inside information in the hockey world.
1. Not-so-warm welcome
Edmonton Oilers fans have greeted a Public Enemy No. 1 with hostility before. (See Chris Pronger's return on Nov. 28, 2006)
Almost exactly three years later, Dany Heatley and the San Jose Sharks play in Canada for the first time this season on Friday against Edmonton, five months after he rejected a trade to the Oilers that would have sent Dustin Penner, Andrew Cogliano and Ladislav Smid to Ottawa.
"The fans are passionate, the fans are loud. Regarding what went on in the summer, some people are still unhappy," Heatley told the San Jose Mercury News. "There's nothing I can do about it. I'm just going to go out there and play."
Although the Oilers have struggled and have been beset by injury and flu problems this season, from a pure production point of view, the three Oilers have out-produced Heatley, but Heatley has outscored the trio.
The three Oilers have combined for 16 goals and 39 points, compared to Heatley's strong 18-goal, 29-point total in 26 games.
2. Comeback kid
The Dallas Stars will be back in action on Friday evening when they visit Phoenix. Stars centre Brad Richards has authored quite a comeback story this season. His 2008-09 year was cut short with a broken right wrist and broken left hand.
But after a summer of hard work back home in Tampa Bay, he returned ready to re-establish himself as one of the league's top playmakers and valuable power-play quarterbacks. He is fourth in league scoring with 30 points in 22 games.
"It's interesting to watch him because I think you can make the case that the other guys have more talent," Stars goalie Marty Turco told the Dallas Morning News. "But you watch Brad, and he just understands the game and gets the job done. He's very effective."
3. Impressive debut
Brayden Schenn made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings with a one-game amateur tryout on Thursday and will return to his junior team, the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Los Angeles coach Terry Murray was impressed with the fifth overall selection from the draft last June.
"Schenn was very good," Murray said. "He plays with a lot of character and a lot of composure. He's got a huge heart and he competes hard. We liked him out of the training camp and I like him even more after this game here … this was a great opportunity for us to take a look at Schenn and evaluate him.
"Boy, he's going to be a good player."
The teenager struggled in the faceoff circle, as did his teammates, winning only four of 14 draws in 12 minutes and 31 seconds of ice time.
4. Shoooot!!
Throughout his career, 26-year-old Jason Spezza has been urged to shoot more. Prior to this season, he has averaged 2.4 shots per game and he is exactly on that pace this season.
On Thursday, in Ottawa's 2-1 win against Columbus, Spezza took five shots — the second-highest total this year behind a six-shot game on Nov. 14 — and he scored his second goal of the season, snapping a nine-game drought.
Since he became a full-time NHLer, Spezza has averaged 28 goals a season. His two goals after 21 games puts him way behind his first-quarter marks in the previous six seasons: 2002-03 — four goals; 2003-04 — six; 2005-06 — 10 goals; 2006-07 — nine; 2007-08 — five; 2008-09 - seven.
5. Fan favourite
When was the last time a player was cheered wildly for scoring an empty-net goal that made it 4-1?
Well, that's what Vancouver centre Kyle Wellwood experienced on Thursday. The fans at General Motors Place even chanted his name after the final-minute tally.
Wellwood, a fan favourite, had failed to score in his first 19 games of the season. He was credited for the Canucks' third goal, but Tanner Glass eventually was rightly given credit for the goal and when the change was announced at GM Place the fans booed Glass.
"I knew I didn't get my stick on that one," Wellwood confessed. "When we were sitting on the bench, I told [Glass] that when they change this he probably will get booed."
