The 2005 trade that brought Dany Heatley to Ottawa in exchange for Marian Hossa and Greg de Vries completely reshaped the Ottawa Senators. It gave the team some of the most electric offensive years in franchise history, as well as a Stanley Cup Finals run in 2007. But what if that blockbuster deal never actually went down?
Well, if Ottawa decides to keep Hossa, the legendary "Pizza" line with Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza never exists. Instead, Hossa likely skates on the top line with Spezza and Alfredsson or drives his own line to give the team incredible depth. Hossa was a different player than Heatley. He did not have Heatley's pure, fifty-goal scoring touch, but he was an elite two-way forward who was dominant on the backcheck and could kill penalties.
Hossa changes how things look on the Senators
Having Hossa instead of Heatley fundamentally changes the 2007 playoff run. While Heatley provided the raw firepower to get them to the Finals, the Senators were ultimately undone by the Anaheim Ducks' heavy, physical style. Hossa's elite strength and two-way responsibility might have been exactly what was needed to match up against Anaheim's top lines and change the outcome of that series.
Keeping Hossa also completely alters the dressing room dynamics and the franchise’s long-term future. Heatley's time in Ottawa ended on an incredibly sour note when he demanded a trade in 2009. Which created a major distraction and forced the team to sell him for pennies on the dollar. Hossa, on the other hand, was a consummate professional. If he stays in Ottawa, he likely signs a long-term extension and plays out his prime in a Senators uniform, potentially winning a cup and being cemented as a franchise icon alongside Alfredsson.
Passing on the trade means Ottawa misses out on those back-to-back fifty-goal seasons from Heatley. But they would have kept a Hall of Fame, two-way winger who could have brought the stability and defensive edge needed to actually win a championship in the late 2000s.
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