News Article: Former Ottawa Senators’ D Michael Del Zotto on team’s culture: ‘Couldn’t believe that was an NHL organization'

[AchtzehnBaby]

Former Ottawa Senators’ D Michael Del Zotto on team’s culture: ‘Couldn’t believe that was an NHL organization’

Del Zotto joined Daily Faceoff Live to talk about his time with the organization and what the problem may be...

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Despite a GM and now a coaching change, the Ottawa Senators continue to struggle. Since firing D.J. Smith, the Sens are only 3-4-0, which isn’t terrible, but still very inconsistent for a team that sits in last in their division and needs to start stringing together wins while they have games in hand.

So what’s the issue then? Is it still an organizational problem or is it on the players? Former Senators defenseman Michael Del Zotto joined Daily Faceoff Live to talk about his time with the organization and what the problem may be in Ottawa.

Click to read more...

 

[Very Stable Genius]

#Boxed Quesadllia Gate

 

[Adrianopolous]

Starts with poor ownership

 

[SpezDispenser]

I think most of us surmised that the melnyk/Dorion years were...frugal.

 

[Senscore]

Melnyk was a great friend and employer, a pillar of the community with deep local roots, and above all, generous. It is so tragic and very sad that he is not alive anymore.

 

[Big Muddy]

I think most of us surmised that the melnyk/Dorion years were...frugal.

Yes, the article was hardly revealing & didn't offer much.

 

[robsenz]

Is he confused with Belleville? Because he would be correct that it wasn't an NHL organization.

 

[Tuna99]

Melnyk was a great friend and employer, a pillar of the community with deep local roots, and above all, generous. It is so tragic and very sad that he is not alive anymore.

Sad. Feel assured his memory haunts this city everyday

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Bobby Ryan stated that the food was well-taken care of in Ottawa. That there were problems early on, but they were addressed. He suspected that if Del Zotto played there during the COVID year, that might be the reason for it being that way.

With that said, I do remember there being that report about the players laying out through the captains what they needed to change from the organization. It might just be an acid flashback.

 

[Johnny Hanson]

Sour grapes coming from the guy who got embarrassed by the organization. Nothing story. More people kicking us when we’re already down

 

[Tuna99]

Important are the days when we didn’t care what dumb AHL dman think.

 

[armani]

f*** Del Zotto, f*** mob deep, f*** jr. mafia. Couldn’t believe Del Zotto was an NHL player for us. What a pathetic loser, trash them when they are down, stick to Real Estate and free buffet spreads you bum.

That said, what he is saying highlights what we already knew of Melnyk days of frugality and penny pinching. Melnyk was the kind of guy who would swim through the sewers to find dropped change. Those days are thankfully behind us.

The problem for this team’s current state is not catering.

 

[Micklebot]

Well, didn't take long to see Del Zotto's expectations coming to Ottawa were off;

"I remember after my first game, we had boxed quesadillas in a warming drawer. And I’m thinking, you’re spending the $80 million on your players..."

In fact, our estimated salary expenditure for the year he was here was 63 mil,

 

[ColinM]

Even if you don't like the messenger he still has a point. Melynk cut corners in places other teams wouldn't. It sounds like it is going to take a few years for the organization's culture to shift.

 

[HF Reader]

f*** Del Zotto, f*** mob deep, f*** jr. mafia. Couldn’t believe Del Zotto was an NHL player for us. What a pathetic loser, trash them when they are down, stick to Real Estate and free buffet spreads you bum.

That said, what he is saying highlights what we already knew of Melnyk days of frugality and penny pinching. Melnyk was the kind of guy who would swim through the sewers to find dropped change. Those days are thankfully behind us.

The problem for this team’s current state is not catering.

Oddly enough in part the problem seems to have been catering.

 

[BondraTime]

Even if you don't like the messenger he still has a point. Melynk cut corners in places other teams wouldn't. It sounds like it is going to take a few years for the organization's culture to shift.

Yeah, no clue why some seem to be offended by what is clearly a truth

Del Zotto sucked, doesn't make what he's saying any less true

 

[Larionov]

If you ever listen to what Mike McKenna had to say about the organization, it was very similar - it was a clown car, largely influenced by Melnyk with assistance from an awkward GM with poor people skills. Yeah, MDZ isn't the most likeable guy in the world, but his basic point isn't wrong.

 

[HSF]

Bobby Ryan stated that the food was well-taken care of in Ottawa. That there were problems early on, but they were addressed. He suspected that if Del Zotto played there during the COVID year, that might be the reason for it being that way.

With that said, I do remember there being that report about the players laying out through the captains what they needed to change from the organization. It might just be an acid flashback.

Ryan also didn't like Dorion but didnt want to comment further about things

Its pretty bad when so many players just didn't like being here due to things that were not on ice issues

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Ryan also didn't like Dorion but didnt want to comment further about things

Its pretty bad when so many players just didn't like being here due to things that were not on ice issues

Yeah, as a whole it seems we're lucky to have moved past that ownership/management group.

 

[Micklebot]

Yeah, no clue why some seem to be offended by what is clearly a truth

Del Zotto sucked, doesn't make what he's saying any less true

I wonder if him getting demoted to the AHL had anything to do with him speaking up about how much of a clown show it was.

I mean, he was getting mins from the coach when in the lineup. Not like the rest of our options were all that good...

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Del Zotto is a loser. Sometimes it's just bad luck why a player never won anything in the NHL, other times there's a legitimate reason. In Del Zotto's case; there's a reason. The guy was a loser from the start of his career to the end.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

The important thing he mentions is the culture. The losing culture.
That is going to take some time and effort to overcome with the new ownership, management and coaching group.
Whichever player is not interested in embracing that change needs to GTFO.

 

[otown]

After being spoiled by the Rangers he eventually ends up in Ottawa and is in shock! He has been with enough organizations to know that Ottawa was way off the rails!

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

We already knew this. We had the worst owner in hockey that stood in the way of success for a long time. It did not have the appearance of a professional operation before and throughout the rebuild. Only after he passed did it start to regain some credibility. Thank god its over even if the team his bad GM built is still struggling. Better days will come.

As a side note, this guy was nothing more than a waste of salary, so maybe some sour grapes, but we already knew this was ghettoville compared to the rest of the league at the time, so not really adding anything new. Im more interested in the stories of insanity within those walls that havent been told or referred to yet. The "100's" of stories Mendes and Strang said they couldnt publish sort of thing, not what was on the dinner menu.

 

[DylanSensFan]

Del Zotto has a valid point about our previous management team.

But, it also feels like sour grapes.