Confirmed with Link: Melnyk talks about new coach, new arena, etc

[DylanSensFan]

http://video.senators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=700387&catid=1141

Some interesting things to hear.

Click to read more...

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

Summary anyone?

 

[BonkTastic]

http://video.senators.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=700387&catid=1141

Some interesting things to hear.

Summary of Sens-related bits:

ON COACHING CHANGE
- Bryan Murray makes the decisions, Melnyk stays out of hockey ops
- Murray gets paid "big bucks to make the decisions"
- Melnyk always consulted on major trades
- Murray can do whatever he wants within his budget

ON BUDGET
- "Bryan has not come back to me ... we're not in any way restricted... there's nothing out there he can spend money on right now". (All over the place in answering that particular question.)
- "Wait until kids start getting into first contracts": stone, lehner, zibanejad, etc...

ON ARENA
- you have to build a new one eventually. Where are you going to put it?
- Always will have nay-sayers
- want to do right for the city in the long term - looking 20 years from now

ON MUMPS OUTBREAK in NHL
- it's bizarre, never seen anything like it
- could be serious if it gets into the dressing room. Every team taking it seriously - we do.

ON CAMERON
- good with kids
- has patience. Said Maclean also had patience.
- will do well if team listens to him
- met him when he acquired St. Mikes Majors
- fond memories of his junior days

ON LEBRETON FLATS
- It's early.
- no comment other than "if we qualify, we'll pursue it as a 1st class venue"
- can't say anything else, disclosing any more info might disqualify them from the process.

ON ON-ICE CHANGES
- on ice changes are Murray's area, not his
- we have more money to spend if needed
- "Look, everyone says money money money, but we're looking like the smart ones. UFAs not panning out lately. I won't name names, but you know who they are."
- Some teams are stuck now.

 

[DylanSensFan]

Said hes interest in a new arena: has to follow due process.

Said that he is spending low right now to be able to afford contracts for players like Zibanejad later. Does not want to be stuck spending at the cap with a player that he paid too much for and has no way of getting rid of.

The coaching change was said to be Murray decision, as are any other personal decisions. Said that if Murray felt Cameron was not good enough that he would have sent him packing too.

A lot more little things talked about.

 

[pepty]

Some evasive eye action going there especially early on with the Coach change questions, but he was sober as a judge.In fact this is the most sober I have seen him for years.

 

[HavlatMach9]

well i guess he's not wrong in the things he said

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Some evasive eye action going there especially early on with the Coach change questions, but he was sober as a judge.In fact this is the most sober I have seen him for years.

Your saying hes a drunk//

 

[swiftwin]

As much as people like to rag on him for budget, he's sortof right in waiting for our players to grow into their first and second contracts. He did open up his wallet for Ryan. This gives us flexibility in the future.

 

[pepty]

Your saying hes a drunk//

I said he was sober as a judge!

I always get a kick out of when he goes on about Cameron's great loyalty in agreeing to go back to Junior for Melnyk's team.

He didn't just leave Bingo, he was ridden out of Bingo on a rail and no one was about to offer him anther job in the AHL. He would have been lucky to get another job in Junior; Melnyk saved his career and in fact he has worked only for Melnyk for 14 years now, and there have never been any rumours about any other team expressing any interest in him.

Also it appears we have a team of young superstars and Melnyk has to save up his cash to pay these superstars which evidently include Chiasson, the vast sums they will need in a couple of years..

 

[Minister of Offence]

As much as people like to rag on him for budget, he's sortof right in waiting for our players to grow into their first and second contracts. He did open up his wallet for Ryan. This gives us flexibility in the future.

You can't actually know whether the money's there or not.

To be fair:

Contracts awarded to internally developed players tend to come at bargains.

Contracts signed by external ufas tend to be overpriced.

If the strategy is actually to spend the next 2-4 years determining which young players they want to commit long term to, and attempt to pad the roster as opportunities come, they aren't stupid.

The team won't compete spending little, but if they magically found a way to spend to cap this year it probably wouldn't be any better.

The teams that spend to the cap and find success do so by spending on top tier players. If you think ottawa is a team that gets to July 1 and finds success throwing bags of money at top ufas you're out of your mind.

The best way for this team to spend is to do it slowly with players they know really well (their own) and take opportunities that come as they do (seldomly).

Good draft and development and space under the cap gives you a chance to make good moves.

No magic pills. Not in this market

 

[Sun God Nika]

man I liked this one BuckleUp

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

I said he was sober as a judge!

I always get a kick out of when he goes on about Cameron's great loyalty in agreeing to go back to Junior for Melnyk's team.

He didn't just leave Bingo, he was ridden out of Bingo on a rail and no one was about to offer him anther job in the AHL. He would have been lucky to get another job in Junior; Melnyk saved his career and in fact he has worked only for Melnyk for 14 years now, and there have never been any rumours about any other team expressing any interest in him.

Also it appears we have a team of young superstars and Melnyk has to save up his cash to pay these superstars which evidently include Chiasson, the vast sums they will need in a couple of years..

I dont understand Sober as a judge lol No doubt Melnyk over estimates our youth just as Murray did. Chiasson has played well. I dont get the hate.

 

[ottawa]

Summary of Sens-related bits:

ON COACHING CHANGE
- Bryan Murray makes the decisions, Melnyk stays out of hockey ops
- Murray gets paid "big bucks to make the decisions"
- Melnyk always consulted on major trades
- Murray can do whatever he wants within his budget

ON BUDGET
- "Bryan has not come back to me ... we're not in any way restricted... there's nothing out there he can spend money on right now". (All over the place in answering that particular question.)
- "Wait until kids start getting into first contracts": stone, lehner, zibanejad, etc...

ON ARENA
- you have to build a new one eventually. Where are you going to put it?
- Always will have nay-sayers
- want to do right for the city in the long term - looking 20 years from now

ON MUMPS OUTBREAK in NHL
- it's bizarre, never seen anything like it
- could be serious if it gets into the dressing room. Every team taking it seriously - we do.

ON CAMERON
- good with kids
- has patience. Said Maclean also had patience.
- will do well if team listens to him
- met him when he acquired St. Mikes Majors
- fond memories of his junior days

ON LEBRETON FLATS
- It's early.
- no comment other than "if we qualify, we'll pursue it as a 1st class venue"
- can't say anything else, disclosing any more info might disqualify them from the process.

ON ON-ICE CHANGES
- on ice changes are Murray's area, not his
- we have more money to spend if needed
- "Look, everyone says money money money, but we're looking like the smart ones. UFAs not panning out lately. I won't name names, but you know who they are."
- Some teams are stuck now.

Putting in work, thanks. I don't see the big deal people always make with the sens not having a big payroll, there really isn't much out there right now.

 

[Back in Black]

As quoted: Murray can spend more money if needed.

Time for a new GM to get us to the next level. Thank you for your services Mr. Murray

 

[member 137785]

He doesn't look very healthy, but if I lived in Barbados at Bert's Bar I wouldn't either...

He's right about the UFAs, who would you have wanted the Sens to spend big on, given that many (ahem Clarkson) have not panned out?

 

[HavlatMach9]

we've lost a lot of talent lately with Alfie, Spezza, and Gonchar. The budget may have been an issue with Alfie and Spezza but of course i don't know that

 

[coladin]

Don't know why but with that cap on and his googily eyes, kinda looked like Rodney Dangerfield. Loved how the reporters tried to get him to bite on budget and hockey decisions. He is not dumb.

Same old Eugene. Stick with the plan, save the money for the guys that are coming up and he was quite confident that there is money. All the top teams have developed their own players and have been able to keep them: Anaheim drafted Perry, Getzlaf. Chicago drafted Toews, Kane, Keith etc... Pittsburgh drafted Crosby, Malkin, Letang, etc...Ottawa is no different. The days of getting a Chara in a trade as we did are few and far between, so I am content with letting this team grow up together.

 

[Karlsson2Turris*]

As much as I dislike Melnyk, this interview was really good. But he's known to go back on his word before so I won't get too excited.

 

[aragorn]

That sounded like we are going to wait for our young guys to mature & the budget will increase with them. It also sounded like don't expect Ottawa to sign a top UFA or make any deals that will bring in more salary, Ottawa will not over pay for anyone. Murray has to work within his budget, I think he made that clear, same money coming in as going out. I guess if Ottawa is in a playoff hunt they will make a deal at the deadline to help otherwise they will either stand pat with what they have or sell the UFAs for picks, same as other yrs basically. Nothing new there.

 

[MiscBrah]

He doesn't look very healthy, but if I lived in Barbados at Bert's Bar I wouldn't either...

He's right about the UFAs, who would you have wanted the Sens to spend big on, given that many (ahem Clarkson) have not panned out?

I would have liked to trade for Ehrhoff.

 

[member 137785]

I would have liked to trade for Ehrhoff.

In hindsight, maybe, but many UFA/trades have not turned out well. It's a roll of the dice.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Melnyk says that the current building wasn't built to last 30 years...

Unreal...

 

[Clamshells]

Murray has to work within his budget, I think he made that clear, same money coming in as going out.

If Bonk's summary is correct, then it looks like he's saying smart spending, not budgeted spending. Everyone was pissed when they were buying players like Gonchar and Kovalev, but now that they aren't, everyone is mad again... impossible to win scenario here.

Would rather be the lowest spending team than having contracts like Clarkson and Nikitin on the team, if that's all that's available.

 

[MiscBrah]

In hindsight, maybe, but many UFA/trades have not turned out well. It's a roll of the dice.

Ehrhoff wasn't a risky trade, it was just a really expensive one. His contract is ridiculous. Which is exactly my point. We could have gotten a great player, but the $$ prevented us from getting him.

 

[Icelevel]

Referred to stone zib and chiasson as superstars
Those guys upgrading their wallets now