Dany Heatley broke his silence Friday, saying his diminished role with the Ottawa Senators last season is the main reason he still wants a trade.
"I feel I'm a player that can play in a lot of different situations," Heatley said during a conference call from his summer home in Kelowna, B.C. "I think the main reason (for the trade request) is that over the last two years my role has diminished -- especially over this past season.
"This trade is purely (about) hockey."
Heatley said he wanted to "clear the air" on the controversy surrounding his request, along with the veto of a proposed move to the Edmonton Oilers.
"Everyone that plays with me knows that I'm a team guy," he said during the 20-minute call with reporters from across Canada.
Heatley added his demand has nothing to do with Senators fans or the city of Ottawa.
The call marked the disgruntled forward's first public comments since the trade demand went public in June.
The impetus for such a public statement came from Hockey Canada, which doesn't want Heatley's NHL status causing a distraction at Team Canada's Olympic orientation camp, which opens Monday.
Heatley had not spoken in public since demanding a trade from Ottawa in June.
His agent, J.P. Barry, has said that Heatley will report to the Sens' training camp next month if no trade occurs in the meantime.
Heatley scored 39 goals along with 33 assists last season, his lowest point totals since joining the Senators in 2005 following a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers.
Earlier this summer he refused a proposed trade to the Edmonton Oilers for forwards Andrew Cogliano and Dustin Penner and defenceman Ladislav Smid.
With files from The Canadian Press
