Dominant Dany Heatley has turned out to be a dud.

The former Senators winger, who demanded a trade out of Ottawa in 2009 because he felt his role had diminished under Cory Clouston, was made a healthy scratch for the first time in his career Saturday night in Phoenix.

Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo told the Star Tribune “we’re not done with him. We’re going to need him again.”

That might be the case but you have to wonder if anybody in the NHL will need the 33-year-old Heatley once his failed stop with the Wild comes to an end on July 1.

A unrestricted free agent, the club can’t wait to get his $7.5-million contract off the books. He has only 12-15-27 points in 74 games and had fallen to a fourth-line role before being banned to the press box.

So, will Heatley get a contract next season or is he finished?

A check with three league executives suggested he may get a one-year deal somewhere.

“I’m sure somebody will take a chance on him at $1 million,” said a league executive.

You’d have to think it will be a bottom-feeder and the Florida Panthers always need help.

OFF THE GLASS

The Philadelphia Flyers paid two draft picks to get defenceman Andy MacDonald from the Islanders at the deadline and the club has no intention of letting him get away. Don’t be surprised if the Flyers sign MacDonald, a UFA on July 1, to an extension sooner rather than later ... The belief in Montreal is defenceman Andrei Markov will sign a three-year extension before becoming a UFA ... Voting will be done on the major awards later this month with the end of the regular season fast approaching. A guy who should be at the top of the list for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top blueliner is Boston Zdeno Chara. He hasn’t played with his defensive partner Dennis Seidenberg since he was lost to knee surgery in December. At the very least, Chara has to be in the conversation.

THIS ’N’ THAT

Before being fired by GM Dale Tallon last Tuesday, former Florida assistant GM Mike Santos denied a report in this space last Sunday the Panthers had offered RFA blueliner Dmitry Kulikov a four-year, $20-million deal and he wanted an average of $5.5 million per season. Sources say the offer to Kulikov’s camp is true and Santos wasn’t kept in the loop on negotiation ... The shine has worn off Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins. Once considered one of the bright up-and-comers, the way the situation has unravelled with the Oilers doesn’t reflect well on him. The club has taken a step back under Eakins. He won’t get fired because he’s headed into the second season of a four-year deal but he needs a good start next season ... Are the Winnipeg Jets waiting in the wings? When the Jets fired coach Claude Noel earlier this season, the last thing the organization wanted to do was commit to his replacement long term. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff just wouldn’t do it. While he spoke with former Philly coach Peter Laviolette, he wasn’t willing to take a short-term contract, but former Toronto coach Paul Maurice didn’t mind the terms so he did. You have to wonder if the Jets aren’t keeping a close eye on the situation in Toronto as well. Randy Carlyle grew up in the Winnipeg organization and is a graduate of the Manitoba Moose. Nobody is sure what will happen to Carlyle if the Leafs don’t make the playoffs. At the very least, don’t be surprised if the Jets take a wait-and-see approach hiring a full-time replacement.

RUMOURS DU JOUR

The San Jose Sharks won’t decide what to do with UFA defenceman Dan Boyle until the off-season. The two sides have held contract talks but neither is in a hurry to get a deal done. The Sharks resisted offers for Boyle at the deadline and they would like him back. You’d have to think the Tampa Bay Lightning will show interest if Boyle does become a UFA in the off-season. GM Steve Yzerman would like to strengthen the club’s blueline and Boyle would be a nice fit ... While Carolina GM Jim Rutherford is expected to move upstairs into a full-time role as president at the end of the season, the word is owner Peter Karmanos has to sign off on the decision to elevate Ron Francis. You’d have to think it is a rubber stamp and if that’s the case then coach Kirk Muller will likely be thanked at the end of the season ... The Wild’s late-season fall has a lot of eyes on Yeo. Though it’s doubtful the Wild would pull a move like Lou Lamoriello did with Claude Julien in 2007 and pull the plug before the end of the season, it’s paramount the Wild make the playoffs. Owner Craig Leipold has spent to the cap so Minny can be in the post-season and general manager Chuck Fletcher along with assistant general manager Brent Flahr have done a good job bringing in talent. Many agree that the Wild should be better than it is. If Yeo is let go at the end of the season, you can expect to hear the names of former Dallas coach Marc Crawford and Laviolette as replacements.

Have a nice Sunday.

Twitter: @sungarrioch