Senators LW Heatley out six weeks

Jan 13, 2008 - 9:48 PM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- Ottawa Senators All-Star left wing Dany Heatley will miss the next six weeks with a separated shoulder, the team announced Sunday.

Heatley suffered the injury in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Red Wings when he collided with Detroit's Dallas Drake while trying to gain possession of the puck in the third period.

Heatley, 26, has 25 goals and 31 assists in 43 games this season.

"It's frustrating," Heatley told the team's official web site Sunday. "It was kind of an unlucky play, but that's hockey. I'll just rehab as quick as I can and try to get back as quick as I can."

The injury ends Heatley's streak of 207 consecutive games played.

"It happens," he said. "I think I've been fortunate the last two years to play all the games, so eventually you're going to have a setback once in awhile.

"If there's a positive, I'll get some rest here and be ready for the end of the season and the playoffs."

Last season, Heatley recorded 50 goals and 55 assists en route to leading the Senators to their first berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. He played a key part in that surge, amassing seven tallies and 15 assists in the postseason.

Heatley also reached the 50-goal, 100-point plateau in the 2005-06 season in Canada's capital after being acquired from Atlanta for Marian Hossa and defenseman Greg de Vries in August 2005.

"It's certainly not a nice thought," Senators coach John Paddock said of losing Heatley. "But I think you use the old cliche that it's somebody else's opportunity, which it is. What we'll try to impress on the rest of the team is the approach we had last year when Jason (Spezza) and Fish (Mike Fisher) were out at the same time, which is goals aren't going to be scored quite as easily.

"You're talking about a real goal scorer. ... All (Heatley) needs is that one chance. When you don't have a player like that, we have to play like we did (Saturday) night. We have to be better defensively than we've been all season."

Heatley, who was selected second overall in the 2000 draft by the Thrashers, took the NHL by storm upon his arrival in 2001-02. He won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie and recorded a hat trick en route to MVP honors in the All-Star Game the following season.

Heatley has 205 goals, 240 assists and 336 penalty minutes in 397 career games.