Your faith in Murray?

[MtRundle]

Total Knee Jerk Thread But Who Cares


DOES MURRAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET US TO THE CUP?

I like Murray, he has done some good stuff through the draft and trades to get Turris, Methot. I even gave him the benefit of the doubt and blamed Melnyk pushing him to do idiotic stuff like sign Kovalev and give away picks for some bad rentals.

But the Phillips signing and his overall love of our D is worrisome.

I don't know if he is the man to get us back to the cup finals or even be competitive in the East (top 4 team). Do you have faith in Murray to guide us to the promised land?

Click to read more...

 

[Super Cake]

We won't get to the cup finals as long as we have Melnyk as our owner. Murray has nothing to do with it. No other gm can do better.

 

[RedWhiteBlackGold]

Murray has the ability to get us back to the big show, but not the financial backing one needs to put the best team on the ice.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

.....how can he say he likes our defense?

 

[Benjamin]

I dont think Murray can get us a cup. I do think he can make a great team.

All irrelephant as long as Melnyk owns the team

 

[MainDotC]

Murray can do anything if he has the right resources.

 

[HavlatMach9]

i think he couldn't figure out what we should have been this year with the budget constraints.

 

[Whippet]

We won't get to the cup finals as long as we have Melnyk as our owner. Murray has nothing to do with it. No other gm can do better.

Obviously Melnyk is the biggest issue, but its way over the top saying that the guy who resigns Chris Phillips for 2more years with a NMC (No ****ing way he will want to move considering his business and ****) has nothing to do with it and that no one can do better.

He should know that those 2.5m would be way better off spending them on someone else.

 

[Icelevel]

There is no chance until melnyk And Murray are gone.

I thought there was hope with Tim Murray taking over. The hope has moved to buffalo.

 

[Icelevel]

.....how can he say he likes our defense?

You realize he is senile yes?

 

[aragorn]

This is so unfair. At the beginning of this season people were talking about this team not just making the playoffs but potentially challenging for the cup. A number of players have under performed & some of the younger players that were expected to step up had their problems. The addition of Hemsky automatically gave Ottawa two very good offensive lines but it could be too little too late because of the poor start of the team from day 1. You can't blame everything on one player or one game or the coach or the GM. This team has played poorly most of the season & if they would have done better earlier they wouldn't be in the position they are in now. It's a mystery why on so many occassions this yr this team has come out flat & were beaten badly while in other games, not many mind you, they came out & played very well like in the Winnipeg game. If they can solve this problem they could be a great team.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Trades a #1 goaltender to a divisional rival, gets an untalented, 5'8 grinder in return, essentially trades a playoff spot in the division for a waiver wire giveaway

Refuses to dump the deadweight on this team, keeps Stone, Pageau, Da Costa, Borowiecki in the AHL, while Greening, Condra, Michalek underachieve all season

Thinks the defense is fine as it is, despite the team's D proving otherwise night after night

Phillips negotiates his own extension, manages to get Murray to cave in on a 2 year term, still gets 2.5M and a limited no-trade clause, despite no longer being a capable NHL defenseman.


My faith in Murray is at an all time low. A ton of facepalm worthy decisions by management this year.

 

[StefanW]

Add me to the list of people saying BM has the ability to put together a great team, but the finances probably wont allow it.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

The fact that he said defence was fine before the deadline is worrisome. He's also handing out pricy contracts to bottom pairing dmen/4th line forwards, despite the fact that we're a budget team.

He's done some good things for sure, but he's made some terrible decisions as well.

 

[Berserker*]

I am starting to question whether he has what it takes to bring us to a championship. It is difficult to make a proper assessment as we can't fully know what restrictions or constraints are imposed on Murray and what decisions or lack of decisions are completely within his control. I get the impression that he is overly committed to this group of players and is unwilling to move players out even though they fully deserve to be moved. That he led to a lack of accountability among the players. One area where he really seems to struggle is building the identity of his team. We seem to change our ideneity every season. At one point we had a big physical defense with both Sutton and Volchenkov, but it lacked offense from the back end. The next season we let both players walk in the off season and brought in Kuba and Gonchar, because Murray wanted to be more of a possession team and play in the other teams zone. Then we were in desperate need for a shutdown d man. Then we had a tough team with both Carkner and Konopka in the roster, then he let both go and we started getting bullied. Then we were a pesky team and now we are a no identity team. I think overall Murray needs to figure out the identity he wants and stick with it.

IMO this off season will basically determine whether Murray can make a cup contender or not. We won't be making the playoffs and the players have played poor enough that there is an argument to move just about anyone on the roster. If he doesn't make changes in the off season then we are basically lost with him at the helm.

 

[Slow Hands]

This is so unfair. At the beginning of this season people were talking about this team not just making the playoffs but potentially challenging for the cup. A number of players have under performed & some of the younger players that were expected to step up had their problems. The addition of Hemsky automatically gave Ottawa two very good offensive lines but it could be too little too late because of the poor start of the team from day 1. You can't blame everything on one player or one game or the coach or the GM. This team has played poorly most of the season & if they would have done better earlier they wouldn't be in the position they are in now. It's a mystery why on so many occassions this yr this team has come out flat & were beaten badly while in other games, not many mind you, they came out & played very well like in the Winnipeg game. If they can solve this problem they could be a great team.

Yep.

 

[MtRundle]

If he doesn't make changes in the off season then we are basically lost with him at the helm.

I agree. He overvalues players he's drafted and put his stock in.

I wonder if the Hemsky effect convinces Murray/Melnyk to add.

 

[aragorn]

I am starting to question whether he has what it takes to bring us to a championship. It is difficult to make a proper assessment as we can't fully know what restrictions or constraints are imposed on Murray and what decisions or lack of decisions are completely within his control. I get the impression that he is overly committed to this group of players and is unwilling to move players out even though they fully deserve to be moved. That he led to a lack of accountability among the players. One area where he really seems to struggle is building the identity of his team. We seem to change our ideneity every season. At one point we had a big physical defense with both Sutton and Volchenkov, but it lacked offense from the back end. The next season we let both players walk in the off season and brought in Kuba and Gonchar, because Murray wanted to be more of a possession team and play in the other teams zone. Then we were in desperate need for a shutdown d man. Then we had a tough team with both Carkner and Konopka in the roster, then he let both go and we started getting bullied. Then we were a pesky team and now we are a no identity team. I think overall Murray needs to figure out the identity he wants and stick with it.

IMO this off season will basically determine whether Murray can make a cup contender or not. We won't be making the playoffs and the players have played poor enough that there is an argument to move just about anyone on the roster. If he doesn't make changes in the off season then we are basically lost with him at the helm.

What about the players? Don't they deserve some blame for what has gone on this season? BM can't score or stop pucks from his suite above the ice surface. In such a big home game tonight why did they come out so flat & did nothing for two periods? Where was the emotion, the energy, the never say die attitude? They are a very difficult team to figure out & I imagine it's the coaching staff's biggest problem to correct. But on the other hand when this team is going one could argue they have the players they need, my only concern is the young defence who IMO will only get better but how long that will take is anyone's guess.

 

[Tundraman]

I like BM and I really believed he'd get the team to a cup final but now not so much. Quite a few of his moves have been questionable and can easily be second guessed. Some people might say that its hindsight which is 20-20 but in most cases the probable results were easy to foresee and they happened.

That said the coaching and many players have disappointed but these are the players BM chose and/or signed.

 

[Caje]

Trades a #1 goaltender to a divisional rival, gets an untalented, 5'8 grinder in return, essentially trades a playoff spot in the division for a waiver wire giveaway

Bishop had played like 30 career games by that point and Conacher was having a great rookie season. Funny how you complain about his size and then say this:

Refuses to dump the deadweight on this team, keeps Stone, Pageau, Da Costa, Borowiecki in the AHL, while Greening, Condra, Michalek underachieve all season

So you want the smallest, softest team in the NHL? Go cheer for the Habs. You need some grit in your line-up, and Pageau, Da Costa and Stone do not have that. Boro didn't look good in his NHL call-up last year and would be a lateral move at best.

Thinks the defense is fine as it is, despite the team's D proving otherwise night after night

I'll give you this, but I think he knows we can't compete now and with the D being as young as they are, might as well just wait out the growing pains.

Phillips negotiates his own extension, manages to get Murray to cave in on a 2 year term, still gets 2.5M and a limited no-trade clause, despite no longer being a capable NHL defenseman.

Phillips wanted a 3 year term, Murray wanted 1. If you don't think he's a capable NHLer then why was Murray getting calls for him at the deadline? He's a fine 5-6 d-man, and 2.5 a year isn't that bad for that.

 

[Caje]

This is so unfair. At the beginning of this season people were talking about this team not just making the playoffs but potentially challenging for the cup. A number of players have under performed & some of the younger players that were expected to step up had their problems. The addition of Hemsky automatically gave Ottawa two very good offensive lines but it could be too little too late because of the poor start of the team from day 1. You can't blame everything on one player or one game or the coach or the GM. This team has played poorly most of the season & if they would have done better earlier they wouldn't be in the position they are in now. It's a mystery why on so many occassions this yr this team has come out flat & were beaten badly while in other games, not many mind you, they came out & played very well like in the Winnipeg game. If they can solve this problem they could be a great team.

Completely agree.

 

[Berserker*]

What about the players? Don't they deserve some blame for what has gone on this season? BM can't score or stop pucks from his suite above the ice surface. In such a big home game tonight why did they come out so flat & did nothing for two periods? Where was the emotion, the energy, the never say die attitude? They are a very difficult team to figure out & I imagine it's the coaching staff's biggest problem to correct. But on the other hand when this team is going one could argue they have the players they need, my only concern is the young defence who IMO will only get better but how long that will take is anyone's guess.

The players deserve a ton of flak, but Murray is the one who built this roster. If these players have issues with motivation, compete level and intensity, then Murray either needs to find a way to get them going or replace them with more competitive players.

 

[Tundraman]

Despite his new GM / Advisor contract, IMO the coming summer will be make it or break it for Bryan Murray.

1) Which 2014 UFA does he re-sign and who does he let go or can't sign because they won't accept a new contract with us.

2) What additional trade can he make to improve the top 6 and/or D.

3) Which of the 2015 pending UFA does he re-sign this summer and which won't accept an extension meaning they will probably have to be dealt before the trade deadline next year.

Those 3 things are not independent of each other because that mix and match plus some rookie blood will be our future team. It's all in BM's hands to mold a team for the future to take us to a cup. I'm willing to wait until the end of summer to render a final judgement but based on the activities of the recent past I'm doubtful of the results at this point.

 

[Alfie#11]

I can echo the concern over the comment about the defence being fine. I wonder if that wasn't a public vote of confidence meant for the players though. I mean, anyone who watches the team for more that 4 or 5 games can see our defence is not fine.

But I do have a problem with the "is the guy to lead us to a Cup". WTF. Do people think we are competing for a Cup? Because we're not. This team along with teams like the Islanders and a handful others are just NHL filler. There's a team but it doesn't have the resources to compete.

We're 26th in spending and we're 21st in the standings. If anything that's outperforming his budget. The fact we are in the hunt for the playoffs with this payroll is a positive.

Murray has has a couple of chances to re-do his roster and hasn't had exceptional success, so I wouldn't blame the team from moving on. I would classify his performance as competent.

However, no GM is going to win with this budget. When you spend this much less than the top teams, you aren't trying to win. I don't get how people talk about trades and signings and coaches like we are one of 30 equal teams in the NHL and evaluate them on those lines. Because the Ottawa Senators are not one of 30 more or less equal franchises. They are one of 4-5 franchises that are in the league that are just along for the ride.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

buying out emery, vermette trade, corvo/eaves trade, butler buy out, Mezsaroe trade, alfie fiasco, Volchenkov for nothing and I would have liked murray to have stuck to his guns and traded heatley for vlasic. I dont like those moves.
Jury still out on greening/ phillips/cowen extentions