"Wednesday might have been the most frustrating day in Bryan Murray's long National Hockey League career, but he was hoping it would at least end with Dany Heatley getting fitted for an Edmonton Oilers jersey.

The Ottawa Senators general manager spent all of Canada Day waiting to hear if Heatley would agree to waive his no-trade clause and accept a proposed deal to the Oilers.

Several members of the Oilers management team, including general manager Steve Tambellini, president Kevin Lowe, and new head coach Pat Quinn, flew to Kelowna, B.C., where Heatley has a summer home, to sell the 28-year-old left-winger on a move to the Alberta capital.

However, they had no such luck.

Heatley's agents were upset at Murray, saying that he hadn't worked hard enough to arrange a trade. They had hoped to be presented with more options. They also didn't want Heatley making a decision on Ottawa's timetable, so they decided to take more time.

"Edmonton is the only option that has been presented to us, and you can't tell that there aren't more," J.P. Barry told Sportsnet.ca.

Heatley's refusal meant that as of midnight the Senators were on the hook for Heatley's $4-million contract bonus.

Murray took a double hit Wednesday.

Because Heatley's $7.5-million U.S. salary-cap hit was still on the books, Murray was forced to sit on the sidelines during the lushest free-agent day of the year, while Northeast Division rivals, in particular the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, loaded up.

Murray's work on Wednesday was modest. He signed three minor-league players and re-signed right-winger Chris Neil to a four-year contract for $8 million U.S.

It was thought the New York Rangers would enter the fray for Heatley, but they signed Marian Gaborik for precisely the same amount of money they would have had to pay Heatley (five years and $37.5 million), so the Senators' focus shifted back to the Oilers."