TSN: Bettman discusses LeBreton Flats, flatly denies Senators relocation question

[WaitingInVain]

I thought it would be a nothing interview, but Bettman's body language betrayed his displeasure with the situation and he carefully chose his words.

NHL is absolutely pressuring Melnyk.

 

[scallionjj11]

Melnyk's forensic investigators?

So you're saying they'll get rid of Melnyk before they would relocate? I like it!

 

[alfstheman]

this is the same horrendous logic horrible companies and there decision makers use to justify **** decisions.

firing Dorion is 100% the right play.

I wouldnt be surprised if Melnyk thinks Dorian is a good GM. He doesnt have any balls so he's EM perfect little pet.

Dorion should def be fired but I wonder how many of PD's moves were dictated from above?

 

[coladin]

I don't trust anyone. Melnyk or Bettman.

 

[GrantLemons]

I don't trust anyone. Melnyk or Bettman.

I trust Gary. He gets shit on because of the lockout but it was necessary to help keep franchises like ours afloat.

He's worked extremely hard to bring the NHL to where it is today, and I've no doubt he's pissed one of his owners is making a mockery of one of the franchises and simultaneously bring loads of bad PR and criticism from the media. It's a bad look for the league.

Gary may not have "stepped in" yet, but Bill Daly admitted they were in contact with Eugene, so there's definitely some dialogue happening behind the scenes.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

What can he really say? Were we expecting him to call out an owner for a financially motivated fire sale cloaked in a rebuild? Ya, probably not going to happen.

 

[HF Reader]

I think you just want star players here but with no ties to actually winning anything because we had both of them and weren't winning for many different seasons.

If the Senators had the financial resources of, say, the Toronto Maple Leafs, do think they'd have traded Stone, EK, etc. (ignoring possible 'locker room" issues)?

 

[Silencio]

I thought it would be a nothing interview, but Bettman's body language betrayed his displeasure with the situation and he carefully chose his words.

NHL is absolutely pressuring Melnyk.

I didn't see the interview, was Bettman doing his "angry bobblehead" thing?

 

[JD1]

Karlsson was identified by the swedish scout who informed Dorion of the player. So in a way yes as he would have ended up watching him as head scout. But the amateur scout who found kalrsson is no longer with the organization.

Thanks Bert. From what i can find it was Vaclav Bunda as the initial euro scout.

 

[stempniaksen]

Thanks Bert. From what i can find it was Vaclav Bunda as the initial euro scout.

Who is also not with the organization anymore.

 

[topshelf15]

Who is also not with the organization anymore.

Didnt one of them pass away ??

 

[stempniaksen]

Didnt one of them pass away ??

Burda is with the Oilers and Forsberg is with Mora. Not sure who you are referring to here.

EDIT: Actually Burda passed away last summer, good call. Pretty sad, he was still a young(ish) guy.

 

[topshelf15]

Burda is with the Oilers and Forsberg is with Mora. Not sure who you are referring to here.

EDIT: Actually Burda passed away last summer, good call. Pretty sad, he was still a young(ish) guy.

Thought it was him wasnt sure though

 

[JD1]

Are Vaclav Bunda and Vaclav Burda the same person? Ive seen the name spelled both ways in articles.

 

[stempniaksen]

Are Vaclav Bunda and Vaclav Burda the same person? Ive seen the name spelled both ways in articles.

Yes. Sportsnet ran a few articles at one point referring to him as "Bunda" which might be what you're referring to.

 

[coladin]

I trust Gary. He gets **** on because of the lockout but it was necessary to help keep franchises like ours afloat.

He's worked extremely hard to bring the NHL to where it is today, and I've no doubt he's pissed one of his owners is making a mockery of one of the franchises and simultaneously bring loads of bad PR and criticism from the media. It's a bad look for the league.

Gary may not have "stepped in" yet, but Bill Daly admitted they were in contact with Eugene, so there's definitely some dialogue happening behind the scenes.

By and large I have too. But as @BonkTastic alluded to in #34, he has his own interests first and foremost. Certainly, he is not happy with the fallout with the fans and the organization, and definitely pissed about Lebreton. The NHL loves shiny new arenas.

At the end of the day, the team is doing something that happens: rebuilding. People doubt the intentions behind the rebuild is the bigger issue.

 

[SensFactor]

Ottawa is the birth city of the Stanley cup. It's not going to be moved. Melynk will be moved first.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

this is the same horrendous logic horrible companies and there decision makers use to justify **** decisions.

firing Dorion is 100% the right play.

Firing Dorion doesn't solve the actual problem we have here, which is ownership not being separate from management. (Source being how guys like Friedman and Burke characterize Melnyk's involvement in the team). Firing Dorion doesn't solve that because it would take an incredibly experienced adept manager to successfully handle Melnyk. We aren't attracting that sort of hire with what we have to offer salary wise.

Have we brought on experienced expensive coaches? Are we looking at the cream of the crop in that regard now to replace Boucher? No. All the names that have come out so far are entry level coaches. Melnyk isn't spending money on a big time GM, so if we fire Dorion, it doesn't solve anything, we're bringing in another inexperienced GM with the caveat being he possibly won't have the scouting background Dorion has, which is what this team needs now that they've sold out the entire top end of their roster for draft picks.

It's perfectly logical, why would we fire a GM when we are in a position to actually take advantage of what he excels at? That is drafting players. All the big trades are done, and any damage Dorion's inexperience could have caused when it comes to training or negotiating extensions with these stars has already been done. If we wanted to avoid that, the time to fire Dorion was February of 2017 when it was decided this team would start a rebuild. The primary focus going forward is now using those draft picks.

 

[RAFI BOMB]

Sounded like a mob boss who just put a hit out on someone. Bettman would never publicly say he is going to axe an owner. He will say as little as he can and then send his crew in to clean up house.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

The unfortunate reality of all of the chaos dumb and dumber has caused is that it won't attract young Sens fans which is what this organization needs to do to grow the fanbase.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Former sens owner Bruce Firestone just tweeted that commissioners will always support owners publicly until a few minutes before they dont

 

[justafan22]

Gary Bettman discusses Senators, CBA talk at GM Meetings - Sportsnet.ca

The commissioner said he didn’t have any of these worries and was not involved in the goings-on in and around the Senators franchise.
“Major projects, the ebb and flow of team performance, is something that will change over time,” Bettman said. “I know Eugene Melnyk is very committed to the Senators and is very focused on looking for what he has to do and what his best options are under the circumstances.
“Teams go through ebbs and flows both on the ice and with their fan bases and Eugene Melnyk is doing what is expected of him as an owner in terms of meeting the team’s obligations and management, ownership for any franchise at any given point in time may think it’s time for a rebuild and that’s what has to be done. Teams go through cycles.
“I haven’t been asked to step in, but we’re always willing to help when appropriate and when asked.”
And as far as relocation goes, something the commissioner has been vehemently against in the past, he pointedly said he was not concerned about that happening with Ottawa “because there’s no reason to be.”

 

[aragorn]

I'm just not sure why Bettman would do anything about EM? If anybody knows something about being hated by fans it's Bettman who gets booed at every draft every time he gets in front of the microphone to say anything. EM owns the team & can say the team sucked, they were one of the worse teams in the NHL the last two yrs & the only way forward in their opinion was to burn it down & rebuild.

EM could say we have a number of very good prospects & by trading away their best players at the deadline they also got more assets & prospects for the future & to accelerate the rebuild. Other teams have done it, so why would Bettman not support EM on this since EM has supported Bettman in the past. I wish EM would sell but I can easily see him hanging on here & continue to play games at the CTC until something else comes along & if this new young group start getting better in two or three yrs people could start coming back. I just don't see the NHL stepping in & the only thing we can hope for is EM selling & that even seems very remote at this point.