The Ottawa Senators' head coach says he doesn't agree with star-forward Dany Heatley's assessment that he was handed a smaller role with the hockey club.
"As far as a diminished role, it was very slightly diminished. In my opinion, it wasn't diminished at all," Cory Clouston told reporters on Wednesday.
"We need a guy like Dany Heatley to want an expanded role. I don't think a coach ever has too many players come into their office saying they want their roles diminished. That doesn't usually happen."
Clouston made the comments in response to a conference call Heatley had with reporters last week to discuss his trade demands.
"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," Heatley told reporters on Friday.
"This trade is purely (about) hockey."
Although Clouston acknowledged that Heatley was put on the second power play unit last season, he said the move wasn't intended to be a punishment.
"That was to try to spread out the scoring," said Clouston. "Everybody knows that his production actually went up over the last while as well."
If Heatley remains a Senator, Clouston said he needs to come to training camp with the right attitude and the drive to succeed, just like any other player. However, he said it remains unclear if Heatley will keep his assistant captain position.
Heatley scored 39 goals, along with 33 assists last season, marking his lowest point totals since joining the Senators in 2005.
