Heward taking a shot with Bolts

[thepolishkid88]

Jamie Heward is giving it one more shot.

The 37-year-old Regina product is slated to depart this weekend for training camp with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, who've offered him a free-agent tryout. Heward, a veteran of eight NHL campaigns, spent last season with St. Petersburg of the Russian elite league.

"I'm just looking for one more kick at the can," offered Heward, who skated with the WHL's Regina Pats on Tuesday. "I was kind of disappointed that I had to go to Russia (last season). I thought I played well enough in Washington and L.A. (the year before) to get another contract in North America. It just didn't work out. I thought, 'Why not go to a training camp and see what I can do, see if I still have the ability to play here?'

Heward is joining Tampa with no guarantees, which in a sense is the way he wants it. If all goes well, he'll earn a contract with the NHL club -- likely a one-year deal for the league minimum. If it doesn't work out, he's not contractually obligated to report to the minors.

"I still think I can play," said the veteran defenceman, who had six goals and 24 points in 71 NHL games between the Capitals and Kings in 2006-07. "I'll go to Europe for one more year if I have to. It's just getting to a point where family is starting to take over my priorities. Hockey is still No. 1 at times but when the kids start school and you have to start moving them around at their age, it makes it tougher.

"Being down in St. Petersburg, Fla., would be a little bit easier than St. Petersburg, Russia."

Heward didn't hide the fact that he went to Russia last season for one reason: The money. The Russian elite league is the highest-paying circuit in Europe, but it also features some of the toughest conditions.

Although Heward earned close to seven figures in Russia, he has no desire to return. However, he does still have the "competitive drive" to play another year in the NHL before calling it a career.

"I was so mentally beat up from being over there (last year) that I thought I would never want to do it again," he noted. "Then I started working out and started skating with the guys here and you get that bite back. I had a couple teams that offered contracts but kind of on a two-way basis and wanted to have me start in the minors and work with their young kids. The (downside) to that is the money isn't all that great and, at my age, you try to put as much money in the bank as you can and hope to retire soon. If they want to send me to the minors, Europe is a better option for me financially."

Heward, who played three seasons in Switzerland before he signed with Washington in 2005-06, has teams beating down his door to head back overseas. It may come to that, but he has some unfinished business to take care of first.

"The Tampa Bay thing is a positive thing for me because they've got a team that they have high expectations for," he added. "They have an older group. Barry (Melrose) is a new coach with that organization. He's maybe an older-guy's coach and that could help me out. We'll go down and have some fun with it and enjoy another training camp. Just the fact that the competitive juices are still flowing makes me feel good about what I'm doing."

NOTE: Former Pats captain Kyle Deck has received a tryout offer from the Detroit Red Wings. Deck, 22, spent five WHL seasons with the Pats. The Sedley product split last season between the University of Regina Cougars and the International Hockey League's Flint Generals.

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpo...9-0ddd44109ebb

[Isles4life]

He's taking a shot with the right team. Tampa could use help on its back end. Hopefully things work out for the guy.

[blackngold]

Looks like they had a spare invite after Tyson Nash changed his mind about his.

[Grittzkey]

Wait Nash decided not to come? wdf..

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by Grittzkey

Wait Nash decided not to come? wdf..

He took a radio job with the Yotes instead.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

I remember when the Leafs were trying to break Jamie into the NHL back in the mid 90's. Guy had a f*cking howitzer of a shot, getting it up to and around 100 mph. Problem was he NEVER hit the net with it. When the Leafs gave up on him he might as well of changed his name to Jamie Whoard as he bounced around the league and leagues. He's picked the right team to go looking for a walk on spot from, but he's not really any better than the younger guys he'll be competing with. Hopefully his experience does something for him.

[Mike Kole]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

I remember when the Leafs were trying to break Jamie into the NHL back in the mid 90's. Guy had a f*cking howitzer of a shot, getting it up to and around 100 mph. Problem was he NEVER hit the net with it. When the Leafs gave up on him he might as well of changed his name to Jamie Whoard as he bounced around the league and leagues. He's picked the right team to go looking for a walk on spot from, but he's not really any better than the younger guys he'll be competing with. Hopefully his experience does something for him.

Actually, it was the Pens who put him on the blueline. He was drafted in the early 90s, and the Pens were so loaded at forward that the thinking was that it was the best chance for him to get into the bigs, as you mentioned, with that cannon of a shot. Never materialized in Pittsburgh, even with defense being the weakness of those great Pens teams.

Got to see him for a couple of season with IHL Cleveland. He really struggled just to play the position. That shot was really heavy, though. When he got a chance to let it go, look out.

[thepolishkid88]

I remember very little of mr.Heward. I just remember getting his rookie card in my "All Pens Package".

[bengino]

Sorry to say, but if he gets a job on that blueline, it willl a a LONG year for the Bolts goalies fishing pucks from the net... oivey