Bryan Murray needs to step down as GM of the Senators.

[KPower]

3 reasons.

1. He lowballed the franchise's all time best player out of town 2 years ago.

2. He has become a puppet for a miserable owner and the lying that goes along with that has tarnished his legacy in the game.

3. He's in the battle of his life with his health and one that he's not very likely to win. He needs to step away and take care of his health because the stress of running the sens can't be helping him.

I do wish him all the best in his fight but he needs to step down for the sake of his health and the future of the senators.

Agree or disagree?

Click to read more...

 

[AnomX]

I think he should appoint an interim GM to do his day-to-day while dealing with his health issues.

Take on a lesser role perhaps.

 

[starling]

You two first points are a joke but he does have to retire. It's pretty obvious, just like MacLean's firing.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Don't think he was responsible for Alfie leaving.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

3 reasons.

1. He lowballed the franchise's all time best player out of town 2 years ago.

2. He has become a puppet for a miserable owner and the lying that goes along with that has tarnished his legacy in the game.

3. He's in the battle of his life with his health and one that he's not very likely to win. He needs to step away and take care of his health because the stress of running the sens can't be helping him.

I do wish him all the best in his fight but he needs to step down for the sake of his health and the future of the senators.

Agree or disagree?

Strongly disagree on #'s 1 & 2, and only he can say for #3.

Alfie wanted a "make-up" deal for the "cheap" contract year that was added to his last contract strictly to lower the cap hit. (We'll ignore the fact that this was a blatant abuse of the salary cap just like the NHL did). If you are a team on a budget - do you want to be giving Alfie a 2 year $11M deal like he wanted?

I'm not aware of the details of the situation, but apparently Melnyk's businesses have lost a ton of value, and no longer has the ability to subsidize the team like he did previously. That being said - being 30th in team payroll is going to keep the team from being competitive long term, and if his personal financial situation doesn't change, he should consider selling the organization.

Murray's doing the best he can with a difficult situation. I don't have a problem with firing the coach when the coach basically states that he doesn't think he has the talent on the team to compete. All that does is give the players an excuse not to play hard IMO.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

His hands are tied.

 

[Super Cake]

You try being a GM of a team with an owner who is unwilling to spend any money.

People need to stop scapegoating Murray and focus on the real problem which is Melnyk.

Every one of the Sens problems can be traced back to him.

Having said that, I think he should retire. Not because he is the reason for all of our problems (which he isn't by the way), but because he shouldn't have to currently go through the stress of being the GM of a budget team. This type of stress just cannot be good for his health.

 

[Quo]

Yet Murray defends the org at every turn and seems to resent the constant haranguing over the budget. He never sounds like a victim. So I don't treat him like one and have next to no reason to believe he's being disingenuous. Y'all can save your pity party.

 

[NyQuil]

Well, there's an owner thread, a coach thread, and a GM thread.

Who is next to go?

Personally, I find the old guys handing out programmes don't do it with the kind of efficiency I expect.

 

[OzzyFan]

You really think another GM would have done better in his situation in the last few years?

He's worked with an incredibly tight budget, and done very well with it. Alfie leaving? Blame ownership. Spezza leaving? Blame Spezza/coaching/ownership.

Then the good. He got Ryan to resign. His drafting's been good. His resignings/contract management has been good to great(Anderson contract in question imo). MacLean hiring look like a genius not too long ago because of him, and now fired him at the right time rather than let them linger into another failing season before establishing a new coach too late.

Step down? Come on now. You are highly likely downgrading in GM if he steps down now. Honest question, what the hell do you think a new GM will do in the next 2yrs that Murray wouldn't to make this team "that" much better? Seriously what?

 

[Emerica]

Personally think he'll step down after the season. So your wish should come true sooner than later.

 

[Jerk Store*]

Yet Murray defends the org at every turn and seems to resent the constant haranguing over the budget. He never sounds like a victim. So I don't treat him like one and have next to no reason to believe he's being disingenuous. Y'all can save your pity party.

Everything that people are speculating about re: Melnyk, Murray's hands being tied, etc. is true.

FWIW.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

I'm bothered by your strong wording. He doesn't "NEED" to do anything. At least not because you said so.

He can do what he likes, and ultimately the decision is in the man who pays him hand's.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I feel bad for Murray. He seems, to me, like one of those genuine old-school guys who doesn't take things for granted (e.g. relationships), and it seemed to me like he was, sort-of, forced to fire MacLean. If thats true I'd hate to see a man like him being puppeteer'ed by a guy like Melnyk.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

No, and you're a complete joke for saying this stuff when you have no clue whats going on with the Sens or with Murray's personal life. This thread should be deleted and you should use your ****ing brain in the future.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Okay i'm not a staunch defender of Murray by any means but here it goes....

-Murray took over a SCF as GM with a very talented roster but no prospects or farm
-Goaltending and locker room problems crippled the SCF and probably lost 3 coaches their jobs
-Murray dismantled the SCF subparly but rebuilt the farm system
-Murray is a players GM and has taken worse deal and arguably given bad contract because of sentimental reasons.


Its my firm belief that Murray fired MacLean because the team despite putting up okay numbers it has looked like crap for three years and has given up tons of chances leading to the goalies having to bail the team out.

MacLean was an ok coach but outside his first year the team was probably giving up more chances against then any team in the league over that 3 year span which is inexcusable.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Well, there's an owner thread, a coach thread, and a GM thread.

Who is next to go?

Personally, I find the old guys handing out programmes don't do it with the kind of efficiency I expect.

I've been outraged at those guys for years.

 

[MisterMethos]

Personally think he'll step down after the season. So your wish should come true sooner than later.

I have a strong feeling this will be the case.

My money is on them beginning the new GM search towards the end of the season and Murray will either completely retire or take on a lighter role within the organization (adviser role?). I also think even though Cameron does not have the interim tag on, they will re-evaluate at season's end with possibly a new GM in place.

All speculation on my part.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Everything that people are speculating about re: Melnyk, Murray's hands being tied, etc. is true.

FWIW.

Meh, Melnyk opens up his wallet when big names need to be re-signed. Macarthur, Ryan and Anderson all got good contracts.

We'll see what he does as the team goes forward and the youngsters need to get paid. Throwing money at free agents like the sabres did when your team isn't ready isn't going to win a championship.

I still don't buy this whole perpetual budget team thing, its a whole lot of conjecture and speculation.

 

[Benjamin]

No, and you're a complete joke for saying this stuff when you have no clue whats going on with the Sens or with Murray's personal life. This thread should be deleted and you should use your ****ing brain in the future.

Murray isn't immune to criticism just because he's sick.

 

[Reign Nateo]

I did actually feel pretty bad for him during his latest press conference, he looks like he's struggling a lot from his sickness. Hard to watch a good guy like that suffer, but perhaps he wants to do what he's done his whole life, be around a hockey rink.

 

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

Holiday Sweater

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

You don't know the Murrays well if you think any of them ever step down. Murray will be in Ottawa throwing players, coaches and media under the bus until the cows come home. Lifetime position.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Murray isn't immune to criticism just because he's sick.

Not at all, in fact I've been more critical then ever, but using his health as a premise for why he "needs" to step down is insensitive, wrong and ****** in general. Talking about his "legacy", saying what he must do, its insulting. He will likely step down at the end of the season, let the man do it on his own terms.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

I personally thought he should have been fired for the Heatley fiasco.