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Hello,
I've been coming to the site for a long time, but just reading comments. I recently joined as I've just about had enough with what's going on and need a place to vent, and check to see if I'm way off base. The people I work with no nothing of hockey, and I'm pretty stong opinionated so friends and family tend to vocally agree even if I'm wrong. So please share thoughts...
On the Ottawa Situation:
I'm very confused when it comes to our current management structure. Melynk has always been a vocal owner, even when times were tough in the past, so it's odd that during this "bad time" he's silent. That tells me something is up, but the organization isn't prepared to annouce what their plans are. For that I don't blame them, while as a fan I want to know what's going on, I understand not allowing all the other teams in the league to know what you're plans are until it's time to make them public. That sort of takes any leverage your team has away.
For me it's about the coach and GM. I like Murray, and while I understand the views that his trades and UFA acquisitions haven't been great, his drafting and college signings have been very very good (IMHO). I also understand that he's on a year to year plan, so he may decide to pack it in, or Melynk may decide not to bring him back. Either way I don't understand why he hasn't either been signed or let go. If Melnyk wants him back, then it only makes sense to pressure him for a commitment now. Waiting for him to make up his mind only puts Ottawa in a bad position.
Let's consider that either Melnyk doesn't want him back after this year, or Murray doesn't want to come back. Taking that into consideration then by not acting now, Melnyk is allowing a GM to make decisions now, that the future GM may not want. Maybe Murray trades Regin, where the new GM might want him, or may have got more by trading to another team. Second, if they wait to acquire a new GM until the off season, you run the risk of not getting anyone currently associated with another team. Similar to what happened to Chiarelli (spelling) when Boston hired him, what team would allow their employee to move to a new team before the draft and thus have all the draft knowledge from that team with them.
My opinion, either make Murray make a 2 year commitment so that he can continue his master plan, or cut him loose now so the new GM can enact change before the deadline.
As for the Coach, it's clear that while it's not entirely the coaches fault, the team just isn't performing for him and his methods much like a Keenan, or Hitchcock only last for so long. I understand that this team is currently or has recently paid several coaches at the same time, and Melnyk may not want to have another guy he's paying sit at home, but by keeping a coach the players appear to not want around, you run the risk of alienating the veteran players you have and souring the room long term.
Maybe I'm off base, but I'm confused why nothing has been done. As for trading players, I understand why no one has gone yet. The players were not exactly lighting it up (the ones everyone is talking about trading, Kuba, Ruutu, Kovalev) so trading them when their value is low doesn't make sense, where seeing as the team isn't going to make the playoffs, there isn't a rush to make a move. Why not wait to see if they play better and maybe their value goes up. What's the worse that happens, someone offers a 4th rounder for Ruutu now, and closer to the deadline that isn't likely to go down.
Thoughts?
I've been coming to the site for a long time, but just reading comments. I recently joined as I've just about had enough with what's going on and need a place to vent, and check to see if I'm way off base. The people I work with no nothing of hockey, and I'm pretty stong opinionated so friends and family tend to vocally agree even if I'm wrong. So please share thoughts...
On the Ottawa Situation:
I'm very confused when it comes to our current management structure. Melynk has always been a vocal owner, even when times were tough in the past, so it's odd that during this "bad time" he's silent. That tells me something is up, but the organization isn't prepared to annouce what their plans are. For that I don't blame them, while as a fan I want to know what's going on, I understand not allowing all the other teams in the league to know what you're plans are until it's time to make them public. That sort of takes any leverage your team has away.
For me it's about the coach and GM. I like Murray, and while I understand the views that his trades and UFA acquisitions haven't been great, his drafting and college signings have been very very good (IMHO). I also understand that he's on a year to year plan, so he may decide to pack it in, or Melynk may decide not to bring him back. Either way I don't understand why he hasn't either been signed or let go. If Melnyk wants him back, then it only makes sense to pressure him for a commitment now. Waiting for him to make up his mind only puts Ottawa in a bad position.
Let's consider that either Melnyk doesn't want him back after this year, or Murray doesn't want to come back. Taking that into consideration then by not acting now, Melnyk is allowing a GM to make decisions now, that the future GM may not want. Maybe Murray trades Regin, where the new GM might want him, or may have got more by trading to another team. Second, if they wait to acquire a new GM until the off season, you run the risk of not getting anyone currently associated with another team. Similar to what happened to Chiarelli (spelling) when Boston hired him, what team would allow their employee to move to a new team before the draft and thus have all the draft knowledge from that team with them.
My opinion, either make Murray make a 2 year commitment so that he can continue his master plan, or cut him loose now so the new GM can enact change before the deadline.
As for the Coach, it's clear that while it's not entirely the coaches fault, the team just isn't performing for him and his methods much like a Keenan, or Hitchcock only last for so long. I understand that this team is currently or has recently paid several coaches at the same time, and Melnyk may not want to have another guy he's paying sit at home, but by keeping a coach the players appear to not want around, you run the risk of alienating the veteran players you have and souring the room long term.
Maybe I'm off base, but I'm confused why nothing has been done. As for trading players, I understand why no one has gone yet. The players were not exactly lighting it up (the ones everyone is talking about trading, Kuba, Ruutu, Kovalev) so trading them when their value is low doesn't make sense, where seeing as the team isn't going to make the playoffs, there isn't a rush to make a move. Why not wait to see if they play better and maybe their value goes up. What's the worse that happens, someone offers a 4th rounder for Ruutu now, and closer to the deadline that isn't likely to go down.
Thoughts?
