News Article: Mike Babcock Pretty Much Confirms Melnyk Involved In MacLean Firing

[TonySoprano11]

“I always side with the coach, [but Senators general manager] Bryan Murray is a real good friend of mine as well. These are hard decisions for people, and when ownership is involved, that can make it even more difficult,†Babcock said.

From this article:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...nto-maple-leafs-paul-maclean-ottawa-senators/

Click to read more...

 

[FreakyBunny]

Didn't Uncle Eugene give an interview in Toronto last week where he hinted this might happen? IIRC he was given a chance to talk about coaching going forward and he didn't exactly say thing would remain status quo.

 

[starling]

Another thread? Seriously?

 

[krapsik]

Who cares. Stop living in the past. We have a new coach now.

 

[The Lewler]

Who cares. Stop living in the past. We have a new coach now.

Exactly.

Plus, I'm looking forward to the next game of the season , because the other games didn't matter, they are in the past.

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

This should effectively snuff out the pipe dream that Ottawa had a chance at Babcock.

It should also show you how coaches around the league view the circus that is the Ottawa Senators. Only coaches this team will ever see are retreads no one else wants or promotions of our AHL coaches. But seeing as even Richardson isn't that interested in this job, we might be able to scratch that out too.

Go Euge!

 

[Busboy]

I would imagine that ownership is always invovled on some level when a coach is fired. Are there really teams in the league where an owner wouldn't have a hand in firing or hiring a coach?

I don't really get the point of having this discussion though, Murray stated at the end of last year he was unhappy with the job Maclean did, then when he did finally fire him his story didn't change nor did his tune. This seems like a Murray decision (firing Maclean) more than a Eugene decision.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

This should effectively snuff out the pipe dream that Ottawa had a chance at Babcock.

It should also show you how coaches around the league view the circus that is the Ottawa Senators. Only coaches this team will ever see are retreads no one else wants or promotions of our AHL coaches. But seeing as even Richardson isn't that interested in this job, we might be able to scratch that out too.

Go Euge!

1. Who ever said there was a chance of that? if Maclean wasnt working then Babcock sure as hell wouldnt.

2. I don't think it does, at all. I think this is you projecting your own negativity.

3. Anyone who is even slightly informed on the situation (i.e, not you) knows that Richardson is staying in Binghampton until his daughter, who plays div 1 hockey nearby, graduates. He had a traumatic event in his life, I'm not sure if you know or care, but some people have priorities beyond being an NHL coach.

4. HE OWNS THE TEAM (this means, he pays for everything in the organization (some people dont seem to know this)). OWNERS HELP MAKE DECISIONS.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Exactly.

Plus, I'm looking forward to the next game of the season , because the other games didn't matter, they are in the past.

Hopefully Melnyk becomes part of the ' past' at some point when it comes this organization.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Hopefully Melnyk becomes part of the ' past' at some point when it comes this organization.

Pining for the glory days of Rod Bryden, are we?

 

[Engineer]

4. HE OWNS THE TEAM (this means, he pays for everything in the organization (some people dont seem to know this)). OWNERS HELP MAKE DECISIONS.

I've always found these comments interesting.

He is a hockey fan, and the owner, and he wants results. People expect him to just be a piggy bank? Of course he is going to have influence on the decisions.

You see it around the league as well, it was Geoff Molson (Montreals owner) who overstepped Bergevin and told him to meet Subbans demands and sign him.

 

[Boud]

This should effectively snuff out the pipe dream that Ottawa had a chance at Babcock.

It should also show you how coaches around the league view the circus that is the Ottawa Senators. Only coaches this team will ever see are retreads no one else wants or promotions of our AHL coaches. But seeing as even Richardson isn't that interested in this job, we might be able to scratch that out too.

Go Euge!

Richardsson wants to stay with his familly for now isn't that weird? You think the guy wouldn't want a spot here where he played and is part of the organisation?

For the Babcock thing, who even cares at this point. If someone thought that we could have Babcock here he's more than optimistic. It seems like you thought Babcock was coming here maybe? Well lets see Holland is willing to make him the best payed coach of the NHL and he would come to the Ottawa Senators?! Makes no sense at all. If ever he doesn't sign with Detroit he won't come to Ottawa that wasn't even a thought.

Great coaches are made from what they show and we haven't seen nothing from Cameron yet. Who knows, he may be a great coach that suits our players better. You could bring Quenneville here and he could fail.

You really need to relax, this is a business and Melnyk saved this team from bankruptcy when he got here. If he wasn't there in that time, maybe we wouldn't even have a team anymore. He owns this team so he's going to do whatever the **** he wants until otherwise whether we like it or not.

 

[ChocolateLeclaire]

Pining for the glory days of Rod Bryden, are we?

Ah yes, this old strawman. Because our only options to buy this team would be Eugene Melynk, Rod Bryden or no one else?

It's not like a multi-millionaire from Ottawa just purchased a hockey team in Arizona recently. You don't think there would be a list of suitors interested in this team? Anthony Leblanc would drop his Coyotes share faster than a Glendale vote to own this team.

 

[OttawaSenators11]

Pining for the glory days of Rod Bryden, are we?

What a predicable reply from you, Goombah

Yes, because a new owner means worst ownership, right?

I know you think so, but people would be inning up the purchase this team should it go up for sell.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Ah yes, this old strawman. Because our only options to buy this team would be Eugene Melynk, Rod Bryden or no one else?

It's not like a multi-millionaire from Ottawa just purchased a hockey team in Arizona recently. You don't think there would be a list of suitors interested in this team? Anthony Leblanc would drop his Coyotes share faster than a Glendale vote to own this team.

What straw man? My argument is that Melnyk is worse than some, better than some, and although he's going through a particularly hard time right now the situation has been slowly improving. He earned the right to own our team by paying money for it when no one else would, and now he is exercising control fully within the rights of his ownership.

 

[pm88]

what a gongshow we can be at times. i'm worried karlsson will be gone too at some point

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

What a predicable reply from you, Goombah

Yes, because a new owner means worst ownership, right?

I know you think so, but people would be inning up the purchase this team should it go up for sell.

My only point is that Melnyk bought the team, other people could have, he made the best offer. He now owns our team. Suggesting we could have a better owner is fair, but ridiculously useless and hypothetical... because there is a) no reason for Melnyk to sell the team, and b) even if there was a reason, it would be entirely up to Melnyk to decide to sell. I obviously hope we get a better owner, I also think that Melnyk himself can be a better owner, other than that I operate under the understanding I laid out above. No ****, I'd love Steve Ballmer to offer up Melnyk double value for the team and take over. That's unlikely to happen, and Melnyk, whos finances seem to be improving, is unlikely to sell unless we are in really dire straights... and if thats the case, who knows what type of owner we get next? Some people on here just have a very romanticized idea of a sports team.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Pining for the glory days of Rod Bryden, are we?

I know I am.

When the biggest concern was "We need to sell 1,500 season tickets by the end of the month" and the team is putting up huge seaons with fast, skilled lineup and we are getting past the first round regularly...and yes, there was no cap then and free agents were at 31 years of age, I'll go back to those halcyon days.

Never heard of Bryden intefering with Johnston or Martin or anyone, that's for sure.

 

[Derivation]

Richardsson wants to stay with his familly for now isn't that weird? You think the guy wouldn't want a spot here where he played and is part of the organisation?

For the Babcock thing, who even cares at this point. If someone thought that we could have Babcock here he's more than optimistic. It seems like you thought Babcock was coming here maybe? Well lets see Holland is willing to make him the best payed coach of the NHL and he would come to the Ottawa Senators?! Makes no sense at all. If ever he doesn't sign with Detroit he won't come to Ottawa that wasn't even a thought.

Great coaches are made from what they show and we haven't seen nothing from Cameron yet. Who knows, he may be a great coach that suits our players better. You could bring Quenneville here and he could fail.

You really need to relax, this is a business and Melnyk saved this team from bankruptcy when he got here. If he wasn't there in that time, maybe we wouldn't even have a team anymore. He owns this team so he's going to do whatever the **** he wants until otherwise whether we like it or not.

When I first heard about Richardson I was confused, but then I remembered about his other daughter Daron and it made sense.

 

[aragorn]

I think we all knew that when Cameron was hired as an assistant coach most of us commented that he was the head coach in waiting. I think we all suspected that when Maclean got fired that Cameron would be the head coach, I think that was fairly obvious. Melnyk has wanted this guy as his head coach almost since he bought the team I believe.

On Richardson he said he wanted to be near his daughter as she went to school at Cornel University near Binghamton NY & he wasn't going to consider any NHL jobs until after she was done university. She has another yr so we will see how the team is doing at that point & whether Melnyk will want to make another coaching change. If Cameron is doing well I could see them hire Richardson as an assistant coach since he has worked with Cameron in the past here. If the team is not doing well I wonder how long Melnyk will wait before firing his hand picked guy & whether he will want Richardson as coach even though the fan base does. I have lots of respect for Richardson for putting his family first especially considering what happened to his daughter Darren. Interesting times ahead here in Ottawa.

 

[dpw]

what a gongshow we can be at times. i'm worried karlsson will be gone too at some point

I'm actually hoping for this.

He is part of the gong show. Play diminished while the ego augmented.

 

[aragorn]

I'm actually hoping for this.

He is part of the gong show. Play diminished while the ego augmented.

 

[God Says No]

I'm actually hoping for this.

He is part of the gong show. Play diminished while the ego augmented.

Hold on, we talking about Spezza or Karlsson?

 

[Benjamin]

I'm actually hoping for this.

He is part of the gong show. Play diminished while the ego augmented.

I dont think we'd average 2 goals for a game without Karlsson.

You people need to relax.

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-1200...-cameron-can-change-things-in-ottawa-1.156313

@ 5:20

 

[Upgrayedd]

I've always found these comments interesting.

He is a hockey fan, and the owner, and he wants results. People expect him to just be a piggy bank? Of course he is going to have influence on the decisions.

You see it around the league as well, it was Geoff Molson (Montreals owner) who overstepped Bergevin and told him to meet Subbans demands and sign him.

While i don't agree to everything he does my brother made a good point to me the other day and said.....if you owned the team im sure you would provide your opinion to the GM once and ahwile.....which is 100% correct, just like every other person on this thread/site would. Looking more and more like an old fashioned snipe hunt here in the nation's capital.