Senators LW Heatley returns

Feb 8, 2008 - 1:30 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- The slumping Ottawa Senators welcomed back one of their superstars Thursday, when left wing Dany Heatley returned from a shoulder injury for their game against the Florida Panthers.

Heatley missed 11 games after suffering a separated shoulder in the third period of Ottawa's 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on January 12. The injury originally was expected to sideline the All-Star for six weeks.

Unable to participate in the last month's All-Star Game after being voted as a starter for the Eastern Conference due to the injury, Heatley watched the Senators post a 3-8-0 record during his absence. The 2002 Calder Trophy winner has recorded 25 goals and 31 assists in 43 games this season.

Drafted second overall by Atlanta in 2000, the German-born Heatley registered 26 goals and 67 points as a rookie in 2001-02. He made his first All-Star Game appearance the following season, winning the Most Valuable Player award after scoring four goals.

Heatley, who turned 27 on January 21, scored 41 goals in 2002-03 but missed a large portion of the next campaign due to injuries suffered in a car crash that claimed the life of Thrashers teammate Dan Snyder on September 29, 2003.

Following the lockout that canceled the 2004-05 season, Heatley was traded to Ottawa in a deal involving All-Star Marian Hossa in August 2005. He went on to record back-to-back 50-goal, 100-point performances in his first two campaigns with the Senators and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals last spring.

Losers of their last three games, the Senators entered Thursday first in the conference with 68 points but have seen their lead over the surging Montreal Canadiens dwindle to just one.