Melnyk: Win 27 of the next 37 or else...

It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that Eugene Melnyk hasn't already started the executive search, in case Bryan Murray doesn't deliver...

It would be massively idiotic.

Even his statements today were stupid. Its like he wants Murray to fear for his job and do something stupid like trade our 1st. Melnyk is proving to be nothing more than short-sighted.

I realize the economic situation, but the only thing Melnyk is doing is making things worse. He needs to quiet down completely.

The star players on this team (Spezza and Heatley) are so incredibly arrogant and the only thing Melnyk does is fuel that arrogance. However, as that arrogance disappears - thanks to the reality of their every day performance - fear and anxiety become its replacement. When that happens, his statements of winning streaks and playoff runs only make the potential for failure that much greater.

May be : " We have to deal with it" means: we`re gonna trade up for Hedman

Whatever it means, I hope he doesn't do anything rash. Murray needs time to finish fixing the farm before he can be accurately judged. He made a mistake by slowing down this team's defensive corps, but I don't think anyone realized what kind of impact it would have on our scoring forwards. I'm confident he learned his lesson and Imo he deserves another chance to make things right.

Cash, Eugene Melnyk is just doing what every smart businessman does...protect his investment.

If he WASN'T looking for a replacement in case Murray falters, he would be a fool. That doesn't mean he will replace Murray.

And frankly speaking, there is no such thing as job security. Especially these days.

I also think, and indeed his statements (if you read both the Mendes interview and the press conference) suggest it, that Eugene Melnyk has lost his patience with Mssrs Spezza and Heatley.

I agree with Marakh that a trade for Hedman is quite possible.

Looking into my K-Mart Made In China 'Happy Hockey' Crystal Ball ($17.95, batteries not included), I see more than a few WJC stars in Senators uniforms and in the starting lineup October 2009. With a heavy Swedish accent.
:pirat:

I hope Rundblad is one of them! He's going to be good.

I hear what you're saying, Dave, but the idea of replacing Murray before the draft just makes me uneasy.

Cash, I'm sure the idea makes Bryan Murray uneasy as well...

Still a ways to go before then. Melnyk has set the benchmark: 27 wins or else.

I want Murray here to keep restocking the system and building this team, but its time to cut your loses in Ottawa before things just drag on for years and the fans stop caring.

Right now the Sens are sending out TONS of "fans first" new letters and basically begging the fans no to go anywhere while they are losing. The fans will stay as long as the effort is there, not just on the ice but through managment as well. If the same team is iced next year, why would anyone give a damn or pay to see the sam ecrap we have been seeing for almost 2 seasons now?

Im cool with letting the year play out how ever it will, Im not ok with starting the year next year with the status quo and the same group. Not just the role players changed either, there needs to be a major shakeup.

Holy cow, you have to tip your hat to Melnyk. This is a winner through and through. He talks like a winner, he acts like a winner and he definitely thinks like a winner - and I can imagine that he feels pretty much the same way we all do about things right now.

He would probably make a really good coach if he wasn't so much of a cheerleader.

We're lucky to have him as owner of our hockey team.

If neither of Spezza, Heatley or Fisher leaves, I dont know where the Major shakeup will come from. We still dont have enough money to add some fresh acquisitions.

marakh wrote:If neither of Spezza, Heatley or Fisher leaves, I dont know where the Major shakeup will come from. We still dont have enough money to add some fresh acquisitions.

There's a lot of middle money tied up.

3 million on Kuba, 2 on Kelly, 2.8 on Vermette, 3.5 on Phillips (I realize there's not much we can do here), Gerber's salary is coming off (finally!), Fisher we need to wait until 2010/11 to trade him I believe.

I think it's Fisher that's killing us. 4.2 million? So...1.8 million less than Zetterberg's new contract? Makes me want to ralph. If something doesn't happen with him, we're so Diddle next year. I don't even want to think about it.

However, bright light in the sky dictates that we'll have some $$ for a star acquisition (or 5) on the backend.

504Heater wrote:

marakh wrote:If neither of Spezza, Heatley or Fisher leaves, I dont know where the Major shakeup will come from. We still dont have enough money to add some fresh acquisitions.

There's a lot of middle money tied up.

3 million on Kuba, 2 on Kelly, 2.8 on Vermette, 3.5 on Phillips (I realize there's not much we can do here), Gerber's salary is coming off (finally!), Fisher we need to wait until 2010/11 to trade him I believe.

I think it's Fisher that's killing us. 4.2 million? So...1.8 million less than Zetterberg's new contract? Makes me want to ralph. If something doesn't happen with him, we're so Diddle next year. I don't even want to think about it.

However, bright light in the sky dictates that we'll have some $$ for a star acquisition (or 5) on the backend.

I woudl say players who get over 20 mins a game and get paid 14.5 mil who are not producing like they should be are hurting us. Yeah, they are still the top scorers on this team and they should be. Fact of the matter is they dont draw penalties, they dont kill penalties, they are not helping the team win.

Your best players have to be your best players on most nights, this year and most of last year they havnt been close.

The only reason they have the points they do this year is because guys like Donovan, Ruutu, Vermette draw penalties on a regular basis so they can get thier points. Even strength they are a huge liability.

This team needs to drop one of the two to move forward, if not, they are just asking to lose. Those two are losers. They quit, they whine, and they have no leadership qualities what so ever. These are the two guys that should be leading, its starts and ends with them.

Yeah, but Neely, I strongly feel with the infusion of 3 quality D-men - including one stud - that they'd be back to controlling games. Their offense has a lot to do with our D skating in cement and being cross-eyed.

504Heater wrote:Yeah, but Neely, I strongly feel with the infusion of 3 quality D-men - including one stud - that they'd be back to controlling games. Their offense has a lot to do with our D skating in cement and being cross-eyed.

Spezza has never been able to control a game. He has spurts where he is on fire and then spurts where people wonder if the guy walks upright. He cant even play a consistant game, let alone playing consistant hockey day in and day out. Heatley just doesnt give a damn.

For this team to move forward they have to get rid of the dead weight and losers, and say what you want about Spezza, you can have your opinion on him, the one thing that he has proven thus far in his career, he knows how to lose and seems to accept it.

I have a hard time accepting that Heatley doesn't give a damn. It's like...do you know something that literally the entire organization missed in his tenure here before he signed long term?

You think Melnyk and Murray didn't grill the kid about wanting to be here and wanting to assume more of a responsibility? I can't buy that all of a sudden Heatley doesn't care about winning a Stanley Cup. He's been dreaming about it since he was 5.

As for Spezza. I'm not sure anymore. He was player of the month in the entire NHL twice last year and had a good shot with Alfie at some hardware had the Sens not gone into this tremendous tank. He hasn't had a top tiered, mobile defense since the beginning of last year - when he was lighting the NHL up like a Christmas tree. Now...he's meant to do it on his own. With Heatley who's in a horrid slump and Alfie who looks hurt - or is at the tail end of his career.

Add to that, they have all talked about how a blanket of negativity just keeps snowballing until they can't have fun at the rink, can't get a good practice in, then they lose again and the team is all of a sudden a failure.

The thing we haven't seen is a consistency break through with these top end guys - and I believe we won't see it until we give a damn about our blueline. This is the worst Ottawa has had since...you know what? I don't even know when it's been this bad.

I know it all sounds like a giant excuse, but for me personally, when a guy like Jason Spezza has done as much as he has - at such a young age - I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. People only remember Alfie in the playoffs, but it was Spezza as well, they were both the main reasons we got to the Finals. Then when we got there, Spezza got killed in tight checking scenarios and Heatley did as well. Alfie could fight through it, they could not. Add to that, the 2nd liners couldn't do anymore to help - and you have a Cup loss. It was pretty much a question of momentum and a question of matching up against the wrong team.

They didnt have 7 million dollar contracts either. Like it or not, they have reach their pinacle when it comes to financal sucsess in the NHL and there is not even close to as much motivation as they had before.

It doesnt matter who is on the blue line, the effort is all on him, same as Heatley.

Spezza has put up a lot of points, thats about all he has done and has ever done in the OHL and NHL. Is he talked about as one of the greatest jr players ever? Nope, he is forgoten in that aspect because all he did was find a way to lose. His NHL career looks to be going the same way.

Spezza has never had the ability to make those around him better, being paid 7 million a year for 7 years, he has to. If he cant, well you cut bait. This was Spezza's make or break year, and so far its been a failing grade.

I can't argue that the paychecks might have something to do with it, but as an organization I would just hope that Murray, Melnyk and co. are doing their due diligence to try to ascertain if Spezza will be the next Datsyuk or the next Kovalev.

Hindsight being 20/20, the re negotiating of a lot of guys contracts came after tremendous over-achieving in the playoffs.

Datsyuk has had to work for everything he has gotten, Spezza for the most part of it, like Kovalev is blessed with tons of skill and is spoiled beond beleife.

They are either going to cut bait with Spezza this year or he will drag the Sens down with him. Losers are losers, leaders are leaders. Spezza up until this point in his life has a rap sheet of losing. Murray gets paid to use foresight, not hindsight.

Again, Ive said for the last year, Spezza has this year to show what he is made of and what he is about. Reality is going to hit Spezza in the face with a vengence very soon.