Quick question from an Ottawa Senators fan on Kirk Muller

I think Muller will make a great head coach in the NHL one day, and by all looks that could be next season. Keeping in mind that he had very little experience other than as an assistant, no one should mistake him for a saviour. Muller, it is told, will receive up to six offers come summer, and in my mind he won’t go for the rebuilt that is needed to revamp Ottawa into playoff contender.

As I see it, the big problem in Ottawa is that Melnyk thinks highly of Bryan Murray, and will keep him on as a senior advisor. Mistake one, right there.

Thanks for the input, it’s much appreciated.
As for Murray, I know what you mean. However, he is good at the draft table, so I like that he’ll be able to offer input to the new GM, especially if they’re inexperienced. I just hope they don’t let him give advice on trades!

I hate to tell you this, but I stood in front of Murray at the ‘09 draft as he explained the reasoning behind Sens second round choice of Jakob Silfverberg to the assembled media. After quickly describing what he felt were two of the player’s main assets, he admitted to never having seen him play personally. For a better explanation, he offered that reporters should talk to Tim Murray, his son and head scout. Tim stepped over and stated that he and another scout saw Silfverberg play twice in Europe, and that he showed consistently good habits.

I couldn’t beleive my ears.

I’ve noted for quite a long time that in many organizations, a Murray trait has been to rise from the coaching ranks to management positions. Word out there among his peers was that he was a good backstabber. Once in a GM’s chair, especially in Ottawa, after unseating Muckler, Murray surrounded himself with yes-men, hiring men well below what was available to the organization. Very credible people were out there, but he brought in hacks like Hartsburg, Paddock, Clouston, none of which owned a track record that tells they were suitable to Ottawa’s challenges at the time. Long story short – Murray is weak minded and hired men who couldn’t possibly take his position. Shit, he even refused Scotty Bowman as a director of hockey operations at one time!

From the moment Murray took over the running of the club, he has made one disastrous trade after another, essentially dismantling a Stanley Cup contender. I’ve brought it up once before at this site, he has the habit of openly discussing what the Senators plans are, and possibly even fueling rumours with his loose lips.

Perhaps in an advisory role, Murray wouldn’t be so harmful to the organization

Photo of Murray was taken by myself at 2009 draft.

As a GM, the only Murray picks to graduate to the NHL since 2007 are Erik Karlsson and…..nothing. A few of Murray drafted players such as Zack Smith, Jared Cowen, Robin Lehner, and Jim O’Brien have made little dents. That is brutal. Murray has managed to find the odd young UFA, but again were talking crumbs.

For comparison, maybe a bit unfair, four of the first five Habs picks in 2007 are in the NHL (McDonagh, Pacioretty, Subban and Weber).

My quote from the ’09 draft is misleading, taken out of context maybe, but it was said. I distinctly remember turning my face away then to find some other unknown member of the press in sheepish mid-grin.

His son as head scout is typical Murray. They let go of Frank Jay, when he came to Murray after seing the writting on the wall as Tim was concerned. Jay should have been kept and made the head after years in Ottawa. Instead he was given his wished-for release. He was signed on the very next day by Montreal.