Why Dany Heatley will thrive with the Anaheim Ducks

Pride

Jan 25, 2014; San Jose, CA, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Dany Heatley (15) is chased by San Jose Sharks defenseman

(22) behind the Wild

Dany Heatley is a former Calder Trophy winner, a four time 40-goal scorer, and a two time 50-goal scorer. You don’t get those numbers by luck and it’s no secret Heatley was once a force to be reckoned with.

When the relationship wore thin in Ottawa, Heatley made his way to the Sharks and then the Wild. In his two seasons in Northern California, Heatley performed quite well missing only two games and registering 146 total points.

In his first season wearing a Wild sweater, Heatley played in all 82 games and registered 53 points, but in his last two seasons he only achieved 21 and 28 points respectively. Those are numbers that are extremely pedestrian of a guy like Heatley and I think this current contract will be a little bit of a wakeup call for him.

He didn’t get signed until a few days past when free agency began and his deal is a “prove it” one. The Ducks gave him a one-year, $1 million contract. That is essentially the equivalent of management saying show me your worth it and we’ll extend it.

At this point Heatley is only 33 and should still have some good years left. His self-pride should be what drives him to perform as well as being on a team that has a great chance of winning the Stanley Cup.

He knows what’s written about him and what the hockey minds say about him. He is out to prove those people wrong and finally capture that elusive Stanley Cup. Those are major driving forces and things that could light a serious fire under Heatley.