Confirmed with Link: #MelnykOut Campaign - successfully raised 8K over this past weekend.

[Uncle Nilly]

Another ill-informed guy writing an article. The campaign has already served its purpose because the conversation has started. The unfortunate part is that people are making this about Erik Karlsson, which it is not.

Here is a much more interesting take on the matter from (of all people) Don Brennan:

Brennan: Melnyk could read the signs even before they were displayed on Ottawa streets

The author is making the point that the conversation shouldn't be about Melnyk... it should be about Karlsson.

What would your rather, #MelnykOut or Karlsson to stay with the Sens? What's more important?

The answer is obvious, and that is where the fans should be drawing their attention to. Melnyk does not need anymore publicity.

 

[Sensung]

Just a reminder, from someone who has gone through it, that cities and fans do lose their teams.

These franchises are the playthings of the rich. When it comes down to it, one man and a small club of his rich colleagues will determine what happens to the team you love and live and die with.

I love Ottawa and hope all of this sorts itself out the way you guys want.

The Lebreton development will go ahead with or without Eugene.
It will have an NHL franchise.

In the entirely unlikely scenario that Melnyk is allowed to move the team, the NHL will ensure this market has a team. There is simply too much money to be made for there to be any other outcome.

The good thing for Sens fans when this movement takes flight after the EK trade is that social media will make it very easy to show their support for the team while not giving Melnyk any money. Get fellow Sens fans together and go to your local bars. Wear your Sens gear, take pictures and simply tag the NHL, Melnyk, the Sens and Melnykout. No chance Eugene can pretend that the fans don't care and zero chance the NHL doesn't step in to appease the fanbase.

 

[Qward]

What's funny about the looming Karlsson trade is that I think most Senators' fans would be reasonable to some degree if Dorion came out, said that the team was not going to win in its current incarnation, had to rebuild, and was looking to gain some positive assets in return for its superstar player.

But when it came out that Ryan HAD to be packaged along with Karlsson, the fans rightly were pretty miffed at the idea that the future of its franchise in terms of the return was being compromised due to short-term cost savings.

If Karlsson was 32 and slowing down, maybe. But he is not, he is entering his prime. He has won two Norris trophies and would have won a third if not for Cooke.

You build your team around a player like Karlsson.

Look at Montreal, they felt Subban was not the right type of defense their system needed and Weber was. Nashville is poised to return to the finals and Montreal is racing us to the bottom.

Dorions trade history does not lend well to Ottawa getting a good return for a talent like Karlsson. What would Toronto want for Mathews? Winnipeg for Laine? Edmonton for McDavid? Tampa for Stamkos? The types of returns those teams would get is what Ottawa should get. But they wont. Especially when the owner wants an anchor attached to the deal.

 

[Sensung]

I wonder if instead of #melnykout if something like #saveKarlsson or #helpusBettman would have been more effective and less divisive.

SaveKarlsson would be like taking an aspirin to fight cancer.
Melnyk is the problem and the team will not be viable until he is gone.

 

[NyQuil]

If Karlsson was 32 and slowing down, maybe. But he is not, he is entering his prime. He has won two Norris trophies and would have won a third if not for Cooke.

You build your team around a player like Karlsson.

I'm not debating his accomplishments in the past.

Is he the same player he was? Sometimes. We might know better next season.

It's going to be interesting.

Look at Montreal, they felt Subban was not the right type of defense their system needed and Weber was. Nashville is poised to return to the finals and Montreal is racing us to the bottom.

The difference being that Montreal made that trade because they felt they were becoming MORE competitive and ready for a Cup now.

It's really apples and oranges. The organization wouldn't be trading Karlsson because they think they'd have better odds at winning a Cup in the near future with a replacement player or players.

What do you think the Cup window is for this team? In 3 years?

That's about as optimistic as I can possibly muster.

Who will be our goalie in 3 years?

Dorions trade history does not lend well to Ottawa getting a good return for a talent like Karlsson. What would Toronto want for Mathews? Winnipeg for Laine? Edmonton for McDavid? Tampa for Stamkos? The types of returns those teams would get is what Ottawa should get.

No one ever gets the value for the return on superstar players.

It's not just about Dorion, regardless of his record.

But they wont. Especially when the owner wants an anchor attached to the deal.

Well, that's what I said.

 

[Qward]

No one ever gets the value for the return on superstar players.

It's not just about Dorion, regardless of his record

Lindros is the dream, Yashin is the okay, Roy is the likelihood.

 

[Micklebot]

The author is making the point that the conversation shouldn't be about Melnyk... it should be about Karlsson.

What would your rather, #MelnykOut or Karlsson to stay with the Sens? What's more important?

The answer is obvious, and that is where the fans should be drawing their attention to. Melnyk does not need anymore publicity.

I really don't think the conversation should be about re-signing Karlsson. That's a symptom, not the cause. The conversation should be about addressing the root causes that lead to the team considering not signing Karlsson.

 

[NyQuil]

Lindros is the dream, Yashin is the okay, Roy is the likelihood.

What are the post-cap examples?

 

[NyQuil]

I really don't think the conversation should be about re-signing Karlsson. That's a symptom, not the cause. The conversation should be about addressing the root causes that lead to the team considering not signing Karlsson.

I'm with this perspective.

As great as Karlsson is, he's just one player. The issues go far deeper than that.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

I really don't think the conversation should be about re-signing Karlsson. That's a symptom, not the cause. The conversation should be about addressing the root causes that lead to the team considering not signing Karlsson.

Absolutely. The Karlsson trade talk may have been the catalyst behind a lot of fans getting fed up, but the issues run so much deeper. And they start with a dramatic lack of investment into the team's day-to-day operations and, probably somewhat as a result, the game day experience. That falls on Eugene.

 

[BatherSeason]

The author is making the point that the conversation shouldn't be about Melnyk... it should be about Karlsson.

What would your rather, #MelnykOut or Karlsson to stay with the Sens? What's more important?

The answer is obvious, and that is where the fans should be drawing their attention to. Melnyk does not need anymore publicity.

Why does the author get to decide what the campaign should be, did he create it?? The hashtag #MelnykOut was created waaaaay before any of the "Trade Karlsson" nonsense.

 

[Steenager]

The Lebreton development will go ahead with or without Eugene.
It will have an NHL franchise.

In the entirely unlikely scenario that Melnyk is allowed to move the team, the NHL will ensure this market has a team. There is simply too much money to be made for there to be any other outcome.

The BOG main concern is with protecting their own investments. If a fan mutiny is allowed to force out an owner in Ottawa, then virtually every other owner has to start looking around at their own fanbases.

No way the BOG lets fans threaten the value of their investments or their personal ownership of their toys.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

LOL

 

[Sensung]

The BOG main concern is with protecting their own investments. If a fan mutiny is allowed to force out an owner in Ottawa, then virtually every other owner has to start looking around at their own fanbases.

No way the BOG lets fans threaten the value of their investments or their personal ownership of their toys.

No other owner treats his fanbase so poorly.

The group could use it as a cautionary tale to keep their mavericks in line.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

The BOG main concern is with protecting their own investments. If a fan mutiny is allowed to force out an owner in Ottawa, then virtually every other owner has to start looking around at their own fanbases.

No way the BOG lets fans threaten the value of their investments or their personal ownership of their toys.

How is this a bad thing? The teams wouldn't exist without the supporters. Most owners understand this. Compare and contrast:

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon:
"If we don't sell more tickets, it's not the fans' fault — it's our fault," Dundon said. "Clearly, this is a winning town, this is a winning place with a team that is ready to win. ... They'll come when we give them a reason to come."

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk:
“I think the market here has to prove itself, otherwise you do have to make changes,” Melnyk said. “We’ve cut everything to the bone in the organization and we are probably one of the thinnest management groups that you have in the league now. The next place that you have to look at is players.”

 

[BatherSeason]

The difference being that Montreal made that trade because they felt they were becoming MORE competitive and ready for a Cup now.

It's really apples and oranges. The organization wouldn't be trading Karlsson because they think they'd have better odds at winning a Cup in the near future with a replacement player or players.

What do you think the Cup window is for this team? In 3 years?

That's about as optimistic as I can possibly muster.

Who will be our goalie in 3 years?

If you build around a core of Karlsson, Hoffman, Stone, Duchene, you are off to a pretty good start. Throw in Chabot, White, Dzingle, Batherson, Brown, Formenton, Chlapik....pretty sure the window would be WIDE open in 3 years.

 

[NyQuil]

If you build around a core of Karlsson, Hoffman, Stone, Duchene, you are off to a pretty good start.

That's a pretty average first line in the NHL and a superstar defenceman.

Among playoff teams and contenders, it's not particularly noteworthy.

Throw in Chabot, White, Dzingle, Batherson, Brown, Formenton, Chlapik....pretty sure the window would be WIDE open in 3 years.

Not all of these guys are going to develop into stars, let alone NHLers.

And how long will it take for them to make a real impact on a competitive team?

We saw last year what veteran players can do for a playoff run.

Wide open is putting it pretty strong I think. Is Anderson still in the net BTW?

 

[BatherSeason]

We saw last year what veteran players can do for a playoff run.

Nope, we saw what Erik Karlsson can do for a playoff run. Not sure too many other vets made any huge impacts other than maybe Mac.

Wide open is putting it pretty strong I think. Is Anderson still in the net BTW?

Maybe, maybe not. Point is, the team has a strong nucleus to build around, look at every other team near us at the bottom of the standings, not one team has comparable talent to what we have.

 

[Upgrayedd]

The author is making the point that the conversation shouldn't be about Melnyk... it should be about Karlsson.

What would your rather, #MelnykOut or Karlsson to stay with the Sens? What's more important?

The answer is obvious, and that is where the fans should be drawing their attention to. Melnyk does not need anymore publicity.

Personally im more concerned with the long term success of the franchise, so for me while id love to have both if I have to pick one it's Melnyk out, I have negative faith in him at this point, in that getting my respect back would take miracles to occur, im done with him and his antics.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Nope, we saw what Erik Karlsson can do for a playoff run. Not sure too many other vets made any huge impacts other than maybe Mac.

Bobby Ryan? Derrick Brassard? Andy standing on his head? Even Phaneuf was pretty steady on the back-end.

Maybe, maybe not. Point is, the team has a strong nucleus to build around, look at every other team near us at the bottom of the standings, not one team has comparable talent to what we have.

I agree for the most part that we'd be in better shape than a lot of rebuilding teams in the past. But I think Nyquil raises a good point. We've seen how much the struggle for a good goalie can stall a team's development. Look at Carolina this year, for example. It's a strong nucleus to build around but the importance of strong goaltending can't be handwaved away

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

How is this a bad thing? The teams wouldn't exist without the supporters. Most owners understand this. Compare and contrast:

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon:
"If we don't sell more tickets, it's not the fans' fault — it's our fault," Dundon said. "Clearly, this is a winning town, this is a winning place with a team that is ready to win. ... They'll come when we give them a reason to come."

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk:
“I think the market here has to prove itself, otherwise you do have to make changes,” Melnyk said. “We’ve cut everything to the bone in the organization and we are probably one of the thinnest management groups that you have in the league now. The next place that you have to look at is players.”

Holy shit eh.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

First of all, by suggesting this you are mocking the attention legitimate ribbon campaigns try to generate about serious issues like cancer, aids, teen suicide, homophobia, school shootings, etc. Secondly, Nobody likes any of the things I just listed, but you don't see everyone walking around covered in ribbons.

On pink shirt day, did you wear one? If not, does that mean you support bullying? Am I only against bullying on the days I wear a pink shirt? I am for it on days I don't?

Hey everyone, this guy doesn't want to wear pink on stop bullying day! Maybe we need to teach him how to wear a pink shirt.

 

[NyQuil]

Nope, we saw what Erik Karlsson can do for a playoff run. Not sure too many other vets made any huge impacts other than maybe Mac.

Er, Bobby Ryan and Brassard against Boston?

How many minutes did Phaneuf and Methot log a game?

Maybe, maybe not. Point is, the team has a strong nucleus to build around, look at every other team near us at the bottom of the standings, not one team has comparable talent to what we have.

I'm sure we look good compared to the other teams at the bottom of the standings.

We don't look good compared to the other teams at the top of the standings.

 

[Steenager]

How is this a bad thing? The teams wouldn't exist without the supporters. Most owners understand this. Compare and contrast:

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon:
"If we don't sell more tickets, it's not the fans' fault — it's our fault," Dundon said. "Clearly, this is a winning town, this is a winning place with a team that is ready to win. ... They'll come when we give them a reason to come."

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk:
“I think the market here has to prove itself, otherwise you do have to make changes,” Melnyk said. “We’ve cut everything to the bone in the organization and we are probably one of the thinnest management groups that you have in the league now. The next place that you have to look at is players.”

I think it's a good thing, but it's not something the owners want to do (though they will pay it some lip service). There's no way they let a revolution in Ottawa change the rules so that the tail can wag the dog.

Melnyk may not be able to move the team on a whim, but he can set its price and if nobody in Ottawa meets it... (see Winnipeg/Quebec 1995, Atlanta 2011). And you can be sure that the BOG will support a valuation of at least $500 million US (Vegas, Seattle) which could become close to a billion Canadian if the dollar tanks.

I don't really think these things that will happen. I'm just saying be careful what you wish for. It's Melnyk's toy and he holds almost all of the cards. These things happen fast and then can't be undone.

Good luck guys.

 

[BatherSeason]

I'm sure we look good compared to the other teams at the bottom of the standings.

We don't look good compared to the other teams at the top of the standings.

Agree to disagree. The quartet of Karlsson-Duchene-Stone-Hoffman is as good or better than most playoff teams, its the spare parts assembled by Dorion/Boucher that have sunk this team.