Dany Heatley - International Play

International Play

Heatley competed in two World Junior Championships during his two-year career at the University of Wisconsin. His first, in 2000, ended with a bronze medal win against the U.S. in a shootout; Heatley scored a goal in the 4-3 victory. The next year, in 2001, Heatley scored 3 goals and 5 points as Canada won a second straight bronze.

Heatley made his senior international debut with Team Canada at the 2002 World Championships, after his rookie season with the Atlanta Thrashers. He scored 4 points as Canada was defeated in the quarter-finals by Slovakia. The following year, Heatley led Team Canada in scoring (7 goals and 10 points) at the 2003 World Championships in Finland, en route to his first gold medal.

Having missed the playoffs once more with the Thrashers, Heatley participated in the 2004 World Championships in the Czech Republic. Heatley dominated with 11 points to lead all tournament scorers, earning his second straight MVP award. Canada captured a second straight gold medal, defeating Sweden 5-3 in the final. Heatley scored his eighth goal of the tournament in the third period, starting a rally from a 3-1 deficit. Several months later, Heatley competed in the 2004 World Cup and contributed 2 assists as Canada defeated Finland in the final to capture the second ever World Cup championship.

At the 2005 World Championships in Austria, his fourth straight World Championships, Heatley did not achieve the same success, with 7 points in 9 games, as Canada was shut out by the Czech Republic in the gold medal game.

On December 21, 2005, Heatley was chosen by Team Canada to participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin – his first Olympic games. Heatley managed 3 points in 6 games as Canada, defending its 2002 gold medal, was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Russia.

As Heatley returned to the World Championships after a three-year absence in 2008 – he was added to the roster with teammate Jason Spezza after the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the playoffs – he became Team Canada's all-time goal-scorer and then all-time point leader for the World Championships, passing Marcel Dionne and Steve Yzerman, accordingly. Heatley finished the tournament with a staggering 12 goals and 8 assists in 9 games, however, Canada was defeated by Russia in overtime of the gold medal game. Heatley was given MVP, Best Forward, and All-Star Team honours.

In the summer of 2009 Heatley was invited to Team Canada's Olympic tryout camp in Calgary, where he was booed on the ice by fans. On December 30, 2009, Heatley was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Heatley helped lead Team Canada to an 8-0 win in the first game of the 2010 Olympic tournament by scoring two goals. On February 28, 2010, the team defeated the United States to win Canada's eighth gold medal in Olympic men's hockey.