R.I.P. Dan Snyder

[Aldo Nova]

By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun

Dany Heatley's father, Murray, knew the obvious dangers that came with his son's purchase of a Ferrari 360 Spider this summer.
Like any parent would be, he was concerned.
His fears were heightened during a recent trip to Atlanta, where Dany exhibited a disturbing need for speed that was obviously shared with Porsche-driving friend and teammate Ilya Kovalchuk.
Having voiced his apprehension with Dany on several occasions, Murray remained uneasy with the notion his 22-year-old son delighted in testing the limits of a powerful $200,000 US machine capable of going 290 km/h.
In fact, three days before Dany's horrific crash near his trendy Buckhead condo on Monday, Murray spoke with longtime friend Don Phelps about his fears.
"Murray sat in my office Friday telling me how concerned he was about Dany racing around in that car," said Phelps, who played alongside Murray as a young Calgary Buffalo before coaching Dany as a Calgary Canucks star in 1998-99.
"We talked about Pelle Lindbergh and he said, 'Jesus, don't even talk like that.' Three days later, this happens. For Dany, you go from having everything in life to something very, very serious."
Shortly after receiving the dreaded phone call late Monday night informing Karin and Murray Heatley, their oldest son, had slammed into a brick wall at upwards of 130 km/h, the shaken parents spent the night digesting whatever information they could gather.
Informed Dany escaped with a concussion, broken jaw, knee and shoulder injuries, their thoughts quickly turned to Dany's passenger and current roommate, Dan Snyder, who was in critical condition at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital.
Snyder had been thrown from the wreckage of the severed vehicle, suffering a fractured skull that required emergency surgery.
As the morning approached and the Heatleys left their Canyon Meadows home for the flight south, Dany was charged with a handful of offences including a felony charge of inflicting serious injury by vehicle, which could land the league's ninth-leading scorer in jail for up to 15 years.
"If (Snyder dies), Dany Heatley could go from being a superstar hockey player with everything, to going to jail," said Phelps, shocked by Heatley's uncharacteristically poor judgment.
"I know there's nobody on the face of the earth who feels worse about it than Dany. The kid is not a criminal -- I think sometimes we almost set kids up for this -- so young and so rich. It's so unlike him -- it doesn't fit his lifestyle. I didn't think he could be this irresponsible but it's easy to make an error in judgment."
Before Monday's crash, Heatley had done a remarkable job throughout his young career of making all the right moves and building a squeaky-clean image. Demonstrating a shocking maturity as the country's top Junior 'A' player for the Canucks, he then starred at the University of Wisconsin, where he quickly assumed a leadership role at age 19.
Drafted second overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in front of his friends and family at the Saddledome in 2000, he went on to become rookie of the year and all-star game MVP while racking up close to $4 million US in salary and bonuses each of his first two seasons.
As humble and unselfish off the ice as he is on it, Heatley emerged last year as perhaps the best candidate to take over Mario Lemieux's reign as the league's best. Companies lined up at his door this summer, making him one of the NHL's most sought-after pitchmen.
All that is up in the air now as Heatley, his family and the hockey world pray for the recovery of Snyder.
"He was such an example for young (Calgary Canucks) -- a reminder that 'it' can happen," said Phelps, referring to the NHL dream all young players have.
"Now they can learn from this too -- that you're not exempt from anything just because you're rich or famous. You can smack into a wall with a Ferrari just as easily as you can with an old beater. For our guys it is a cheap lesson. For Dany, it's devastating."

[Jaysin]

yes CJ, now I hafta get Heatley out of my Hockey Pools

[Aldo Nova]

me 2

Ummmm... Why the "RIP"

It doesn't say anywhere in there that he died?

Originally posted by k-Bizzle
Ummmm... Why the "RIP"

It doesn't say anywhere in there that he died?

He died today.

[freeeeeerider]

Originally posted by k-Bizzle
Ummmm... Why the "RIP"

It doesn't say anywhere in there that he died?

He has died i think... the article is old.

[Leifless]

idiots...if they wanna go fast go to a track...i have no compassion for this at all.

[Keefer]

Yup, bad judgement. It's still horrible that he died. Fuck, Dany Heatley was going somewhere. I feel bad for him, imagine being in his shoes.

Same goes with that kid from Delta whose car got hit by a train, and he was the only one who survived. Not only does he have to live with the fact that he killed 4 of his friends, but now they're charging him with it. As if his mental punishment isnt enough as it is.

Things like this make you see just why they put in the new driving regulations.

[niXon]

Originally posted by Count Blah
Dany Heatley should be in prison. Who cares if he is the top player in the NHL or some Joe shmoe. He should get no breaks but he will go through the rest of his life knowing that he killed someone with his judgement.

Change your good posts to 9, I couldnt have said it better myself

[niXon]

Still man, that post needs some regonition

[Cheese]

Why not blah?

[Shore Rydah]

thats a really horrible thing to happen. I feel bad for him in the sense that he killed a close friend and ruined his career.

I'm sure he's going to be thinking about what he's done for the rest of his life and to me I don't see how jail time could be helpful in this situation.

People will make bad desicions, and its really a shame that they have to learn this way...R.I.P

[Sasquatch 2002]

Dany Heatly should be going to jail...no question. He has killed a very important man in Atlanta....an NHL hockey player. It is being told that his crimes will be incresed to manslaughter...yet they still dont know for sure.

[Aldo Nova]

he's getting 3-15 years for vehicular homicide, and who knows, maybe snyder was egging heatley on to go faster seeming he had just bought the car......but who will turn around and say that the dead guy was telling me to go faster, there is no proof, this will build a lot of character for heatley, trying to live his life now would be hell!

[Keefer]

Same with that kid in Delta who tried to beat the train, He was driving, now his 4 friends are dead and he's alive. Worse yet, he's being charged.
I don't think prison would do much to him, his punishment is mental and emotional. Regardless of his bad judgement, I think he needs to get over this himself before he kills himself. Give him grief counselling, not prison time.