Game On!

The Maven does not like to beat around the bush; so let's get serious, pronto.

Unless some subterfuge is going on behind Bryan Murray's boudoir, his Ottawa Senators still are stuck with Dany Heatley like pages in a book. (By the way, the book happens to be "War and Peace".)

But enough of the jokes. If a super-scorer such as Heatley still is available, Rangers fans – that means, you and you and you and YOU, among the millions out there – have the right to voice their vote on a much-debated question: To Heatley or Not to Heatley? And that IS the question.

Or, to put it another way, that is MY question to YOU and, not surprisingly, I want answers to the obvious query:

DO YOU WANT DANY HEATLEY ON THE RANGERS?

But before we get into the gist and jest of all this, it is imperative that we deal with matters surrounding the important issue. Viz and to wit:

TROUBLE:

You don't have to be Dr. Ruth Westheimer to know that Dany Heatley also spells TROUBLE. His disastrous car crash when he was with the Thrashers was tragic enough. That's what promoted him – perhaps unwisely – to beg out of Atlanta. So he's granted asylum – plus a ton of money – in Ottawa and proceeds to descend from superstar to super-pain-in-the-toochuss. The Senators do an imitation of an NHL submarine, disappear out of the playoffs and Heatley does zippo to help the team or his new coach.

COACH-KILLER:

Bryan Murray imported Craig Hartsburg as Ottawa coach in September 2008. He gave Heatley plenty of ice time, but the Sens submerged and stayed in the subterranean depths. Hartsburg got canned and, amid the depth-charges exploding around the tumultuous team, a rookie coach named Cory Clouston miraculously revived the club. However, he did so by cutting Heatley's ice time. Instead of accepting the change-for-the-better, Dany Boy suffered dolorous pangs and, finally, asked to be traded.

THE SULKER:

Like many exceptional talents, Dany Boy won from his general manager not only a fat contract but an I-Can-Pick-My-Next-Team clause should he want to get emigration papers out of Ottawa. But the only team willing to deal with Murray was Edmonton whose GM Steve Tambellini contrived a multi-player deal that would have relieved Heatley of Clouston AND Ottawa in one fell swoop of a pen.

But, no, no; a thousand Heatleys, NO. Dany Boy retreated to his British Columbia sanctuary, shut the door on nosey reporters and refuses to play for Edmonton. (Shades of Chris Pronger!) Tambellini even sent Heatley an Alberta travelogue, citing the beauty of playing in Wayne Gretzky's former metropolis. But Heatley maintained his sulk and nixed the video.

WHAT KIND OF DEAL:

As far as I know, Murray and Glen Sather get along as managerial colleagues. But Bryan is not about to give Slats either a birthday present of Heatley nor even Dany for Christmas.

If the Rangers are to obtain Dany Boy the Blueshirts will have to at least take Murray off the hook to the extent of supplying Ottawa with a reasonable deal in return. That, however, most likely would entail peeling a few bright youngsters off the New York roster, and there's no way a youth-oriented coach such as John Tortorella would go for that.

THEN, HOW?

The longer it takes for Murray to forge a trade, the more uneasy is his position with the high command. Ottawa's ownership is furious with the manner in which Heatley has denigrated his team and his coach. Owner Eugene Melnyk wants Dany Boy out of there.

Therefore, as the days of August peel off the calendar, Murray may have to lower his demands and that, perhaps – repeat, PERHAPS – may open the door for a deal with New York. PERHAPS.

Of course, the obvious question is this: After listing all of Heatley's debits, why would The Maven even suggest that Heatley could be an asset to the Blueshirts?

The answer comes in two names: Sather and Tortorella. The general manager has a long track record of rehabilitating seemingly hopeless cases. This goes back to Craig MacTavish whose career appeared finished after his unfortunate auto tragedy when MacT still was a player. Glen saved Craig's career and then turned it upward.

The coach has a way with even a challenge such as Heatley and already has proven same with Sean Avery. Transformations have been made. These things do happen, and there's a worthwhile bromide to remember: TO ERR IS HUMAN; TO FORGIVE, DIVINE.

Which brings us to, YOU, the Rangers fans. I want answers, NOW.

If a reasonable – I said REASONABLE – deal could be made with Ottawa, would you even want Heatley on the Rangers?

I'm waiting, listening and soon will be reading your replies. Get on your computers; get ready, get set, GO!

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