Proposal: Thoughts on Ottawa bringing in Fresh Blood to Front Office

[InTkachukWeTrust]

Murray needs to step down. Thinking about all the good players hes given away and bad contracts hes signed. For someone on a budget he definitely wasted alot of money.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Murray needs to step down. Thinking about all the good players hes given away and bad contracts hes signed. For someone on a budget he definitely wasted alot of money.

Disagree.

Some mistakes were made, some players simply failed to develop into dependable players (Cowen and Weircioch) but overall he's been good.

Managing to dump all those contracts and fix the D all at once was pretty damn impressive.

All that is left is to get a competent coach and this team should start making noise. That or the team is just truly and simply bad.

Next season is make or break as far as the core of this team goes.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Disagree.

Some mistakes were made, some players simply failed to develop into dependable players (Cowen and Weircioch) but overall he's been good.

Managing to dump all those contracts and fix the D all at once was pretty damn impressive.

All that is left is to get a competent coach and this team should start making noise. That or the team is just truly and simply bad.

Next season is make or break as far as the core of this team goes.

You mean dump those contracts he was responsible for? Yes, he did clean up his own mess there, but I'm not sure 5 more years of Phaneuf at 7 million a year fixes the d all at once.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

You mean dump those contracts he was responsible for? Yes, he did clean up his own mess there, but I'm not sure 5 more years of Phaneuf at 7 million a year fixes the d all at once.

It does.

For now.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

You mean dump those contracts he was responsible for? Yes, he did clean up his own mess there, but I'm not sure 5 more years of Phaneuf at 7 million a year fixes the d all at once.

3-4 years into the future, when Chabot is ready to assume the LD second pairing role, Phaneuf will become a nice bargaining chip as a rental for a team that needs help in the playoffs.

It's timed almost perfectly.

 

[topshelf15]

You mean dump those contracts he was responsible for? Yes, he did clean up his own mess there, but I'm not sure 5 more years of Phaneuf at 7 million a year fixes the d all at once.

So we should have just let Wier,Cowen and Greening along with Milo all just walk ??Yep because everybody here was just so ready to do that when everyone of these players were inkedJust so much revisionist history ,with BM haters

 

[ChelFan31]

So we should have just let Wier,Cowen and Greening along with Milo all just walk ??Yep because everybody here was just so ready to do that when everyone of these players were inkedJust so much revisionist history ,with BM haters

The point being he's had his fair amount of time to make his imprint on the team and looks where its gotten us once again....out of a playoff spot.

It's time for a change in regime, get some fresh perspectives into this organization...see if they can identify and cut dead weight in Weir/Cowen/Greening/ and especially Milo and see what they can do.

 

[Korpse]

Murray needs to step down. Thinking about all the good players hes given away and bad contracts hes signed. For someone on a budget he definitely wasted alot of money.

Can't believe we traded Rundblad. Also I don't see the point in trading a 3rd round pick to move up 3 spots like we did in 2008.

 

[topshelf15]

The point being he's had his fair amount of time to make his imprint on the team and looks where its gotten us once again....out of a playoff spot.

It's time for a change in regime, get some fresh perspectives into this organization...see if they can identify and cut dead weight in Weir/Cowen/Greening/ and especially Milo and see what they can do.

You again just go by what you think, instead of what actually happened.Opinions are fine ,uneducated ones that are passed off as fact are not

 

[ChelFan31]

Can't believe we traded Rundblad. Also I don't see the point in trading a 3rd round pick to move up 3 spots like we did in 2008.

If you want to single out and isolate the good moves from the whole body of work your just as sugar coated as those in the Ottawa media....the results speak for themselves....OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS 4 times in 9 years...1 playoff Series win in a 9 year span...its time for a change brah

 

[ChelFan31]

You again just go by what you think, instead of what actually happened.Opinions are fine ,uneducated ones that are passed off as fact are not

Facts are facts.... Milo was a declining player, wrong side of 30, in the last year of his contract not even clipping half a point per game WITH A HORRIBLE INJURY HISTORY and he gets resigned...I'm sorry but its clearly evident this management team likes to hold onto players a little longer than cut them a little too early...

 

[topshelf15]

If you want to single out and isolate the good moves from the whole body of work your just as sugar coated as those in the Ottawa media....the results speak for themselves....OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS 4 times in 9 years...1 playoff Series win in a 9 year span...its time for a change brah

Thats pretty good for a rebuilding team , ASK Toronto.FLD Car,NYI ,NJD,BUF,EDM,CGY,WPG,CLB,COL,.ETC,ETC wHY ARE THEY WINNING CUPS

 

[Bileur]

What do you guys think about Pierre McGuire as a GM? I know he's been interviewed for a lot of openings lately.

I heard his take on how he would handle Galchenyuk over the summer if he were MTL's GM and it sounds like it would work perfectly with Zibanejad.

 

[Korpse]

If you want to single out and isolate the good moves from the whole body of work your just as sugar coated as those in the Ottawa media....the results speak for themselves....OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS 4 times in 9 years...1 playoff Series win in a 9 year span...its time for a change brah

I realize the stage that this team is at. They've done fairly well for the situation they were in. Obviously the goal is to make playoffs and contend year after year but the fact is that's not realistic. It doesn't happen overnight, you've have to go through a process, we are in the middle of the process. Look at the Kings they went 17 years with 1 playoff series win before they became contenders. 17 years. And there success making the playoffs was much less. In a ten year span the Blackhawks made the playoffs once. Not every team can make the playoffs 24 years straight. Ottawa had a good run, didn't win a cup and the window closed. Ottawa is now a young team and I find they can be rather easy to play against. A lot of that comes with a lack of experience. You have a number of players who have yet to reach the 300 game plateau, often inexperienced players don't push the limits with what they can get away with. I really do believe Ottawa isn't far away from being a playoff threat, and I'm not the type of fan that has Ottawa as a shoe in for the playoffs over the past few seasons. I do like a lot of pieces in place. Zibanejad is the one I'm really looking to make a jump moving forward, not that I'm optimistic that will happen and having a healthy two way winger on the left side will go along way. The back end finally had a hole filled, and I don't really blame Murray for hoping that one of Cowen/ Wiercioch would fill that role. My biggest worry moving forward is the goaltending situation.

 

[Korpse]

What do you guys think about Pierre McGuire as a GM? I know he's been interviewed for a lot of openings lately.

I heard his take on how he would handle Galchenyuk over the summer if he were MTL's GM and it sounds like it would work perfectly with Zibanejad.

Good hockey mind but I'll be shocked if he ever gets a shot in the league. Read up about his past in this league. He wasn't very well liked and having a good relationship with the ones your competing against is important in this league.

 

[bert]

To solely analyze the 3 most recent years of his work would be foolish. You would need to judge him over his complete body of work to get the full understanding of his strengths and capabilities.

He practically robbed the Bruins and Minny clean with the acquisition of to-be HOF Thorton and Big Brent Burns, and has a masterful grasp on trade market value. Heck he even robbed Murray swindling a 50 goal scorer for Jonathan Slow as Snail Cheechoo and some Milan Bad Knees Michalek. He's got a knack for trading assets, which we certainly lack [Bishop]. That is the type of quality that our front office currently lacks and needs so desperately.

And its not like their would be a drop off at the draft table with DW and Tim Burke running things. He knows how to identify and pluck talent in later rounds: Joe Pavelski 5th rd. We wouldn't be losing anything, but only gaining in areas of managerial weakness.

Michalek has been a much better player than Heatley since the deal. One is still in the league the other is not. How you can highlite this as a good trade is beyond me.

I am an Ottawa West guy I would absolutely love for Doug Wilson to be successful. He used to speak at our banquets as a kid. However he has done nothing to get this team over the hump he has fired multiple coachs and stripped both Marleau and Thornton of the C. Gave them both no movement clauses then tried to force them out. This is not good management.

He also overpaid for Jones.

Brian Murray has drafted infinitely better than Wilson. Another poor argument.

Every GM has some good trades and some bad ones. How can you explain two second round picks for Roman Polak did you like that deal?

 

[bert]

If you want to single out and isolate the good moves from the whole body of work your just as sugar coated as those in the Ottawa media....the results speak for themselves....OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS 4 times in 9 years...1 playoff Series win in a 9 year span...its time for a change brah

Uhh playoffs more than 50 % of the time when the league has roughly 50% of the teams making the playoffs.... Those are poor results? All this with a budget team and taking over a franchise with its cupboards bear due to the worst asset management in the NHL in the last 10 years performed by Muckler. Do some research.

Good hockey mind but I'll be shocked if he ever gets a shot in the league. Read up about his past in this league. He wasn't very well liked and having a good relationship with the ones your competing against is important in this league.

Yes he is an arrogant man that no one will deal with, he shoots his mouth off way too much and thinks he is smarter than everyone. This is not the person to hire for the job.

 

[exv91]

Doug wilson would not be a good choice at all its amazing that San Jose is still competitive with the bone head moves he has made over the last 3 seasons.

Doug Wilson would be a terrible choice in deed. If it weren't for Wilson the Sharks would be a much better team. A big part of their lack of success comes from the back office's failures, because the players themselves are better than the team is performing. If you can't judge a gm on the last 3 years of their performance, what else would you judge them on?

 

[Langdon Alger]

So we should have just let Wier,Cowen and Greening along with Milo all just walk ??Yep because everybody here was just so ready to do that when everyone of these players were inkedJust so much revisionist history ,with BM haters

First off, I am not a Murray hater, but unlike you, I don't love every move he has made. I liked the Greening move at the time, so I'll give him a pass on that one, but I didn't like the Michalek or Cowen signings. Not saying we shouldn't have signed Cowen, just that I didn't like the term or the money for a guy who had only played one season. Going into the 13-14season I was hoping we would trade Michalek before the deadline, which didn't happen. When I found out we gave him 3 years at 4 million per season, I was unimpressed. He was a top six guy when we got him and continued to be that for a few years, but he was a third liner when we gave him that last contract.

Not everything is revisionist history. It is possible to not like moves or be skeptical about them when they happen.

 

[Zorf]

What do you guys think about Pierre McGuire as a GM? I know he's been interviewed for a lot of openings lately.

I heard his take on how he would handle Galchenyuk over the summer if he were MTL's GM and it sounds like it would work perfectly with Zibanejad.

The guy has basically zero hands on experience working in an NHL front office, especially in the Cap era.

His hockey brain is huge and I would be glad to have him in the front office, but having him as a GM, conducting contract negotiations and trade negotiations would be a disaster.

He, in my mind, is best suited to a President of Hockey Ops job, like Shanahan in Toronto. Let him set the direction of the team, deal with ownership, be the talking head to teh media, and let an experienced guy like Dorion do the hands-on work.

 

[Senator Stanley]

Uhh playoffs more than 50 % of the time when the league has roughly 50% of the teams making the playoffs.... Those are poor results? All this with a budget team and taking over a franchise with its cupboards bear due to the worst asset management in the NHL in the last 10 years performed by Muckler. Do some research.

Muckler was a historically bad GM, but at a certain point Murray has to be given ownership over what he's built. The fact is, we have never been more than a mediocre under Murray. He was given the chance to strip things down and build it back up, and it increasingly looks as though what he's gotten to, with his guys and following his philosophy, is more mediocrity. He has had his chance. It hasn't worked out. It's time for the organization to move on.

 

[bert]

Muckler was a historically bad GM, but at a certain point Murray has to be given ownership over what he's built. The fact is, we have never been more than a mediocre under Murray. He was given the chance to strip things down and build it back up, and it increasingly looks as though what he's gotten to, with his guys and following his philosophy, is more mediocrity. He has had his chance. It hasn't worked out. It's time for the organization to move on.

Unless Melnyk is willing to spend money on the infrastructure on coaching, specialist, skill development etc this team will never be in a position to compete for a cup.

Murrays rebuild finally has the majority of its players hitting their prime. He has had no top 5 picks and really no carry over from the original roster he inherited including prospects. If he didnt draft Karlsson, Stone, Hoffman, Pageau and Ceci or trade for Turris, Phaneuf and Methot. where do you think this team would be exactly?

This team is a top 5 scoring team in the NHL right now that is all talent that Murray acquired. With a competent coach that can provide some structure and a winning competing culture this group can do some special things.

They have the pieces, Karlsson is a top 5 player in the world Stone is a top 20. That gives them a legit first line and a legit top pairing D. I really dont think the personnel on the team is the problem. Its who is distributing the ice and developing the game plan that I have issues with.

Cameron has been absolutely horrible this season, combined with the injuries its hard to really evaluate this group in my opinion.

 

[Sensfanatic]

I really believe the fate of this team over the next few years will depend on the selection of the next coach.

Murray's decision to hire 5 consecutive coaches with no established NHL head coaching experience is still mind boggling. Melnyk needs to realize that saving money on coaching is actually costing him millions.

My dream coach would be Hitchcock but I think that's unlikely.

 

[Alfie#11]

I really believe the fate of this team over the next few years will depend on the selection of the next coach.

Murray's decision to hire 5 consecutive coaches with no established NHL head coaching experience is still mind boggling. Melnyk needs to realize that saving money on coaching is actually costing him millions.

My dream coach would be Hitchcock but I think that's unlikely.

The fate of this team over the next few years will depend on the budget Melynk gives the GM.

We have a number of good young kids that are on cheap deals that will need to be re-signed at significant cost. If they start moving those kids (as we may see with Hoffman this summer) for cheaper players, the team will never advance beyond playoff contender status.

Hoffman and Ceci this year. Zibby next year. Stone and (UFA) Turris in two years. Keeping those players and having a supporting cast is what will decide the fate of the team more than any coach.

 

[topshelf15]

First off, I am not a Murray hater, but unlike you, I don't love every move he has made. I liked the Greening move at the time, so I'll give him a pass on that one, but I didn't like the Michalek or Cowen signings. Not saying we shouldn't have signed Cowen, just that I didn't like the term or the money for a guy who had only played one season. Going into the 13-14season I was hoping we would trade Michalek before the deadline, which didn't happen. When I found out we gave him 3 years at 4 million per season, I was unimpressed. He was a top six guy when we got him and continued to be that for a few years, but he was a third liner when we gave him that last contract.

Not everything is revisionist history. It is possible to not like moves or be skeptical about them when they happen.

Please post where i have ever said this ,or dont post it please.I have admitted time and time again he hasnt been perfect ,but this nosensical approach that everything is his fault get tiresome .We have had some issues on the team ,some were mistakes by BM .But his overall body of work has been pretty good given the circumstances in which he has had to work with.

The coaching issue ,is the best one .Most people fail to realise Ottawa has had a policy of not letting incoming coaches pick both assistant ,s since Martin .Remember teflon Greg Carvel and how he outlasted a few coaches.Add in the fact that EM or the previous management has never spent big dollars on a coach ever .So knowing this do you not think it may have been difficult if not impossible ,to actually hire the big name coach??