Hmmm...

Dany Heatley has asked for a trade from the Ottawa Senators.

Apparently, the request was made after the end of the season AND the reason given was apparently a complaint about how the coach (Clouston) was using him in games.

Problem is, something doesn't pass the smell test...

- For one thing, there is this odd "coincidence" in timing of rumours that Ray Emery (Ottawa's former primary goaltender) was looking to return to the NHL after a year playing in the KHL. And about the time that the rumours started was when the request was made and kept quiet.

- And then not even a day after it was made official that the Philadelphia Flyers had signed him... Heatley's 'trade demand' was made public.

- It was made no secret that Emery was trouble in the Senators locker room... I just wonder how MUCH trouble he was.

- Heatley wants to be traded only to a Western Conference team. The Flyers are an *Eastern* Conference team, meaning they only play Western Conference teams once a season.

Add to that the fact that the "complaint" about how the coach was making use of Heatley came after the end of the season interviews and such... and that the complaint was very much "news to Clouston"... who was upset by it.

And then came word that last night there was a possible trade in the works... but then Heatley shot it down... or did he?

Another claim is that he's "sleeping on it".

It's still early yet, and I'm probably running off at the mouth here... but something's gotta give, IMO.