Senators Direction for the Second Half: Ottawa Sun

Here is a portion of the article:

http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/01/12/pf-7990576.html

As the Senators hit the halfway point of the season tomorrow night, several important meetings over the next couple of days will define the direction the club will take -- both on and off the ice -- for the second half.

Maybe for much longer
.
It could be a tumultuous couple of days.

GM Bryan Murray -- still on the job despite a flurry of rumours of imminent change -- returned from scouting meetings last night and is expected to deal with the goaltending and coaching situations today.

It's not out of the question Martin Gerber, a healthy scratch Saturday night as rookie Brian Elliott got the start, has played his last game as a Senator.

Speculation is that Gerber will be placed on waivers with an eye toward sending him to Binghamton to take Elliott's spot, but no action is likely until Murray sits down and talks with Gerber, likely today.

OK. So the direction of the team couldn't be figured out at these meetings in sunny F-L-A?!?

Now we wait a couple of MORE days for something to be figured out? That's a big problem.

I think that everything is likely figured out in Murray's eyes, and the hold up is selling his vision to Melynk, and getting the go-ahead from him.

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:I think that everything is likely figured out in Murray's eyes, and the hold up is selling his vision to Melynk, and getting the go-ahead from him.

I'd like to think so too. I hope that's the case and that Melnyk can be sold, and in turn, can be patient the rest of the way and stay the Diddle out of hockey decisions that he knows nothing about. I'd like to think he has some faith in his GM.

Snuh wrote:

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:I think that everything is likely figured out in Murray's eyes, and the hold up is selling his vision to Melynk, and getting the go-ahead from him.

I'd like to think so too. I hope that's the case and that Melnyk can be sold, and in turn, can be patient the rest of the way and stay the Diddle out of hockey decisions that he knows nothing about. I'd like to think he has some faith in his GM.

Murray would have been out on his Donkey long ago if Melnyk didn't have confidence in him. Eugene is a fan, and probably doesn't want to concede this year, but may have to do what the rest of us are doing (as fans) and convince himself to look forward to next year.

I've never understood where those management firing rumours came from. Everytime something bad happens, Melnyk is there on a radio station or on TV or whatever, basically saying the same thing: "I won't Fire anybody. Murray has a tremendous amount of experience, etc..."
I think, the biggest reasons he fired Muckler, among others, had something to do with a rebuilding (may be not that big) direction, the weakness of our prospects back then and Murray's past drafting history.

If we are indeed setting ourselves up for the next few years, and calling this season a bust, I think we need a new coach NOW. We need someone who can get the most of his players, not just to win games, but to increase their trade value. Hartsburgh has proven that he can't do it - young guys are sucking and so are the vetrans. I know it's getting old, but I really think the Dung hockey these guys are playing are the direct result of Hartsburgh, thus the apparent brutal offers we are getting from other GMs. Motivation isn't the problem, its using the players incorrectly and causing them to suck.

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:If we are indeed setting ourselves up for the next few years, and calling this season a bust, I think we need a new coach NOW. We need someone who can get the most of his players, not just to win games, but to increase their trade value. Hartsburgh has proven that he can't do it - young guys are sucking and so are the vetrans. I know it's getting old, but I really think the Dung hockey these guys are playing are the direct result of Hartsburgh, thus the apparent brutal offers we are getting from other GMs. Motivation isn't the problem, its using the players incorrectly and causing them to suck.

Quite the opposite.

Hartsburg would have been fine if this was a team of young, up and coming players. But they are largely veterans with a proven coach-killing component leading the way.

If the core is kept, hire a ballsy, in your face coach. If a new direction is adopted, Hartsburg becomes an ideal coach for the immediate future.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:If we are indeed setting ourselves up for the next few years, and calling this season a bust, I think we need a new coach NOW. We need someone who can get the most of his players, not just to win games, but to increase their trade value. Hartsburgh has proven that he can't do it - young guys are sucking and so are the vetrans. I know it's getting old, but I really think the Dung hockey these guys are playing are the direct result of Hartsburgh, thus the apparent brutal offers we are getting from other GMs. Motivation isn't the problem, its using the players incorrectly and causing them to suck.

Quite the opposite.

Hartsburg would have been fine if this was a team of young, up and coming players. But they are largely veterans with a proven coach-killing component leading the way.

If the core is kept, hire a ballsy, in your face coach. If a new direction is adopted, Hartsburg becomes an ideal coach for the immediate future.

sorry, I'm not following your post - Quite the opposite? to what? Again, not sure what you are saying.

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:If we are indeed setting ourselves up for the next few years, and calling this season a bust, I think we need a new coach NOW. We need someone who can get the most of his players, not just to win games, but to increase their trade value. Hartsburgh has proven that he can't do it - young guys are sucking and so are the vetrans. I know it's getting old, but I really think the Dung hockey these guys are playing are the direct result of Hartsburgh, thus the apparent brutal offers we are getting from other GMs. Motivation isn't the problem, its using the players incorrectly and causing them to suck.

Quite the opposite.

Hartsburg would have been fine if this was a team of young, up and coming players. But they are largely veterans with a proven coach-killing component leading the way.

If the core is kept, hire a ballsy, in your face coach. If a new direction is adopted, Hartsburg becomes an ideal coach for the immediate future.

sorry, I'm not following your post - Quite the opposite? to what? Again, not sure what you are saying.

What are you saying? Are you not following my post. Again, I ask what are you saying?

Rebuild = keep Hartsburg

Keep the core intact = fire Hartsburg

Coaching is not the problem. Hartsburg isn't at fault for Heatley only having 2 goals in 15 games. It's not Hartsburg's fault that our D isn't talented enough to break out of their own zone. Hartsburg isn't to blame for sub par goaltending. IMO the issue is with the players.

The issue is with the players but why aren't they performing? They wouldn't do it for Paddock nor for Murray when he stepped in for the final 20 games or so. They aren't performing for Hartsburg either. What's the answer? You can't fire the whole team.

One thing I absolutely will lay on Hartsburg is his proclamation of accountability. Where the Hell is it? Benching Schubert, McAmmond, Donovan and Bell at times through out the season just doesn't cut it IMO. I think some of these players are a little too comfortable. What we NEED Spezza and Heatley to win? Really? Look at our record. I'd rather lose with them learning something by being benched or scratched than lose with them floating out there.

Snuh wrote:Coaching is not the problem - disagree. Hartsburg isn't at fault for Heatley only having 2 goals in 15 games - disagree. something is wrong that he has not fixed. Spezza, Heatley and Alfredsson are all having their worst years in a long time - this started when Hartsburgh took over, and whether the team has the talent or not to support the top three, he has not been able to adapt. It's not Hartsburg's fault that our D isn't talented enough to break out of their own zone - agree. Hartsburg isn't to blame for sub par goaltending - agree. IMO the issue is with the players.

I really think that the big three can't excell within the style Hartsburgh has set for them.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The issue is with the players but why aren't they performing? They wouldn't do it for Paddock nor for Murray when he stepped in for the final 20 games or so. They aren't performing for Hartsburg either. What's the answer? You can't fire the whole team.

One thing I absolutely will lay on Hartsburg is his proclamation of accountability. Where the Hell is it? Benching Schubert, McAmmond, Donovan and Bell at times through out the season just doesn't cut it IMO. I think some of these players are a little too comfortable. What we NEED Spezza and Heatley to win? Really? Look at our record. I'd rather lose with them learning something by being benched or scratched than lose with them floating out there.

Hartsburg has been giving the big-money players the velvet glove treatment all year.

One of the carrots a coach has is the #1 power-play unit. He could have used that as leverage to get something out of the players who weren't pulling their weight.

Instead, he keeps letting the "big guns" have those gravy minutes despite unsatisfactory production and work ethic. Then he goes on to put Mike Fisher on the point. This decision is what has me leaning away from viewing Hartsburg as a sympathetic victim.

He clearly is letting the Big 4, including Fisher, run the team.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The issue is with the players but why aren't they performing? They wouldn't do it for Paddock nor for Murray when he stepped in for the final 20 games or so. They aren't performing for Hartsburg either. What's the answer? You can't fire the whole team.

One thing I absolutely will lay on Hartsburg is his proclamation of accountability. Where the Hell is it? Benching Schubert, McAmmond, Donovan and Bell at times through out the season just doesn't cut it IMO. I think some of these players are a little too comfortable. What we NEED Spezza and Heatley to win? Really? Look at our record. I'd rather lose with them learning something by being benched or scratched than lose with them floating out there.

I know you can't fire or trade the entire team, but you said it yourself. Neither Paddock or Murray couldn't motivate the players to play at their highest level. Now Hartsburg is under the gun because the same thing is happening. You could place Scotty Bowman behind that bench and you'd still have the same results. I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think yet another coach is the answer. Both Murray and Hartsburg are perfect for a rebuilding team if it comes to that.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

B B B Bird is the Word wrote:If we are indeed setting ourselves up for the next few years, and calling this season a bust, I think we need a new coach NOW. We need someone who can get the most of his players, not just to win games, but to increase their trade value. Hartsburgh has proven that he can't do it - young guys are sucking and so are the vetrans. I know it's getting old, but I really think the Dung hockey these guys are playing are the direct result of Hartsburgh, thus the apparent brutal offers we are getting from other GMs. Motivation isn't the problem, its using the players incorrectly and causing them to suck.

Quite the opposite.

Hartsburg would have been fine if this was a team of young, up and coming players. But they are largely veterans with a proven coach-killing component leading the way.

If the core is kept, hire a ballsy, in your face coach. If a new direction is adopted, Hartsburg becomes an ideal coach for the immediate future.

sorry, I'm not following your post - Quite the opposite? to what? Again, not sure what you are saying.

What are you saying? Are you not following my post. Again, I ask what are you saying?

Rebuild = keep Hartsburg

Keep the core intact = fire Hartsburg

heh - this could go on for a while. Sorry, I just didn't follow your post. My only point in that lot of burble I wrote, was that I think the Senators need a coach who can get the most of these under performing players. If nothing else, to increase their trade value so that Murray can have a chance at improving the team through trades.