Kevin Francis: Matt Murray and the fractured relationship w/ DJ Smith & Sens Management!

Time to send in Senior VP of Player Development to smooth this over.

Time to send in Senior VP of Player Development to smooth this over.
- henny1953

lol I knew that comment was coming. But in all seriousness, the way all of this has unfolded, looks really bad on PD and DJ. You know McGuire would love to take the reigns as GM and right the ship!

Time to send in Senior VP of Player Development to smooth this over.
- henny1953

I'll say this, the moment Murray left the game against STL, my phone started blowing up with texts about how they thought he wasn't injured but was soooo pissed off with the team in front of him, that he just blew his lid. It's hard not to agree with that statement, I have rewatched that 4th goal, Murray was looking around at his teammates with this look of, why is everyone standing around doing nothing!

At that point, my sources said run the story before someone else does as many inside the org and a few media members knew about all the friction.

lol I knew that comment was coming. But in all seriousness, the way all of this has unfolded, looks really bad on PD and DJ. You know McGuire would love to take the reigns as GM and right the ship!
- Kevin Francis

As an outsider, I love what's going on in Ottawa, other than the occupation. Not sure why Sniffy is even part of this Team, people are still making fun of His Broadcast Days. For Me, easy low hanging "fruit".

As an outsider, I love what's going on in Ottawa, other than the occupation. Not sure why Sniffy is even part of this Team, people are still making fun of His Broadcast Days. For Me, easy low hanging "fruit".
- henny1953

You are a character my friend, but in all honesty, PM is looked upon with high regard in hockey circles. He will always have a job. I know he would love to have more say in Ottawa, but I'm being told Eugene is listening to him more and more....soon enough you will start to see his finger prints on this team.

I remember Murray last year at his second or third start. DJ removed Murray and Murray have a eye contact with DJ. Like saying not my fault. I am one of defender about Murray play. Saying we play bad defensively. But now you said, he work very hard to regain his old form. Why he don’t do that at the start last year. DJ like goalie that are quick and battle hard like Forsberg and Daccord do. Murray now he s more quick and battle every puck. If he keep it up , I think he stay and the will keep Forsberg too in assurance, and be the third goalie next year

I remember Murray last year at his second or third start. DJ removed Murray and Murray have a eye contact with DJ. Like saying not my fault. I am one of defender about Murray play. Saying we play bad defensively. But now you said, he work very hard to regain his old form. Why he don’t do that at the start last year. DJ like goalie that are quick and battle hard like Forsberg and Daccord do. Murray now he s more quick and battle every puck. If he keep it up , I think he stay and the will keep Forsberg too in assurance, and be the third goalie next year
- Crosside

Great points on how DJ likes guys that battle. But this is the problem with DJ, he is far too old school. You nailed it on how Murray battles everything now. He looks far more engaged since being recalled. But I'm telling you my friend, if the Sens can move him, they will. Unless DJ is removed as coach. It truly come to a head this summer, either Murray will go or DJ is removed as coach. These two can't co-exist!

I remember Murray last year at his second or third start. DJ removed Murray and Murray have a eye contact with DJ. Like saying not my fault. I am one of defender about Murray play. Saying we play bad defensively. But now you said, he work very hard to regain his old form. Why he don’t do that at the start last year. DJ like goalie that are quick and battle hard like Forsberg and Daccord do. Murray now he s more quick and battle every puck. If he keep it up , I think he stay and the will keep Forsberg too in assurance, and be the third goalie next year
- Crosside

Oh and to add to your point about how Murray will look to DJ as if to say it's not my fault....DJ needs to realize that 5 other guys allowed that puck to get behind Murray. DJ contradicts himself saying how they need to play as 5 man units, well then don't put all the blame on Murray like he does at times. In November when he said, the other teams goalie won them the game and how our team needs a goalie to steal a game, well then don't dress JBrown or Zaitsev!!!!!!

You are a character my friend, but in all honesty, PM is looked upon with high regard in hockey circles. He will always have a job. I know he would love to have more say in Ottawa, but I'm being told Eugene is listening to him more and more....soon enough you will start to see his finger prints on this team.
- Kevin Francis

"The 59-year-old has become one of the most polarizing figures in the game, with his outgoing, assertive and opinionated personality leaving little room for a grey area of judgment."

In plain English, He's know it all. I rest my case.

Keep on Truckin......out of our Nation's Capital.

I will add one last thing and this is from someone with deep ties to the organization. They said, I wonder what the results be if you flipped Mann to HC in Ottawa and DJ to HC in Belleville?!!!!

"The 59-year-old has become one of the most polarizing figures in the game, with his outgoing, assertive and opinionated personality leaving little room for a grey area of judgment."

In plain English, He's know it all. I rest my case.

Keep on Truckin......out of our Nation's Capital.
- henny1953

PM knows how to not alienate the wrong people in hockey circles. He endears himself with how he handles people.

PM knows how to not alienate the wrong people in hockey circles. He endears himself with how he handles people.
- Kevin Francis

So He's a butt sniffer, a suck hole. I have never liked PM.
Anyway, I'm not arguing with You, I enjoy your blog and insight into this entertaining Hockey Team.

So He's a butt sniffer, a suck hole. I have never liked PM.
Anyway, I'm not arguing with You, I enjoy your blog and insight into this entertaining Hockey Team.
- henny1953

Oh I hear ya my friend, totally with ya on that. He absolutely knows who to suck up to.....beyond on with ya!!!
Thanks for the kind words and for always stopping by buddy.

I wonder how many people forget the stories that were reported about Murray during his Pens days? This guy was awol a few times, given time away from the the Pens to deal with personal matters a few times. Google it, you'll find it. How in the world didn't Pierre Dorion do a background check into these things with Murray is astonishing?! There is definitely something that doesn't sit right when it comes to Murray. He tells the coaching staff a few hours before game time for the Buffalo game that he's ill, barely giving the team time to get someone called up for gametime. But then he's well enough to travel with the team to Pittsburgh 12 hours later, but doesn't dress for the Pitt game. There are so many red flags with this guy that the casual fan can identify it.

Great article, btw, to outline the incident above what player waits that close to gametime to tell the coach he can't play unless there are problems. This crap happened with Murray in Pittsburgh all the time. Just google it folks. How Pierre Dorion didn't do his homework on Murray is baffling?!

As long as the Senators have Dorien as GM, DJ as Coach and most of all Melnyk as Owner, this team will NEVER SEE THE PLAYOFFS AGAIN!!! I would not be surprised if Brady tells them after the season he wants to be traded!!

Will the government running over citizens w horses & declaring martial law affect the psyche of the Sens ? Can't imagine any free agents would voluntarily go to Ottawa now, let alone Canada generally

Will the government running over citizens w horses & declaring martial law affect the psyche of the Sens ? Can't imagine any free agents would voluntarily go to Ottawa now, let alone Canada generally
- DanielEtvs

Shoo. This bears zero relevance to the article or hockey really. Find a different pulpit.

Really excellent piece Kevin. Thought this:
"If Dorion doesn't move Forsberg, it would signal that Ottawa is looking to move Murray in the off-season, while re-signing Forsberg to have him and Filip Gustavsson be the goaltending duo next year"
...to be an interesting take. Gus has that one way deal next year which means he's waiver eligible, so he's likely with the big club irrespective if he deserves it or not... if they think they can move Murray it makes a lot of sense to keep Forsberg. If not, it makes zero sense to keep Forsberg. I'll be watching for that.

If Murray is indeed flexing to play coach with our blue line, that certainly does us a favour... but its also not a particularly viable long term option, and based off your breakdown it sounds like it's not unique to his relationship with DJ Smith. To me this highlights how fragile and stuck in his head Matt Murray seems to be, irrespective of how he is playing or who he's playing for. I know that Pit say they thought Jarry was the future, but who so readily lets go of a 25 year old who won you two cups already?

Love these kinds of articles. Thanks for posting!

Reading everything, there seems to be wrongdoings by both DJ and Murray but the way Brown just let the Blues player fall on Murray without any sort of attempt to come to Murray's defence after the fact was strange. You always protect your goalie.

I feel for Murray. He's really made some strides to improve his play and showing he could be a true #1 goalie in Ottawa. However, it's one thing to have the coach against you, but if all the players do in fact play half-ass in front of you compared to another goalie, it's hard to reverse that trend. You can get a new coach but you can't get 20+ new players. It would be interesting if DJ has anything to do with teams 'lacklustre' efforts.

You hate to hear this type of stuff. Murray now has the 15th best save percentage in the NHL on a pretty mediocre team. However, rather than celebrate the bounce back season he is having, poor relationships are being exposed through savvy posts like this.

Murray's contract is next to impossible to move. I am not sure the endgame or why you wouldn't try to find common ground with the guy, especially when his game has tremendously improved since being recalled.

Accountability goes two ways. Murray may not have liked being sent down but he has shown that he can play of late. That should be recognized by management, coaching, and teammates but it hasn't.

Again, good content. Gives one a lot to mull over.

Don’t kid everyone even yourself and me and 90% of this group was saying Murray was poop and it was a bad pickup 🤣

I will reply later to everyone! But here is one that has to make everyone think about Murray. He was 100% fine in the morning skate today. He did everything he normally would, but he isn't ever dressing as the back up tonight. Anyone else find that odd?
Or lets take it a step further, why hasn't DJ told us once since Tuesday night what Murray's supposed injury is? To start the year, he told us updates every day on how Murray was sick. Then a few weeks ago he told he was missing the game last minute because he was sick. Everyone other time Murray has been injured they tell us, if its a knee, or back or ankle. The NYR game they told exactly what his injury was. But now nobody is being told why Murray is out. Hmmm......

Don’t kid everyone even yourself and me and 90% of this group was saying Murray was poop and it was a bad pickup 🤣
- sens4life1971

You don't get rid of a starting goalie in his prime at age 25 unless there is some serious baggage!!!! Pitt fleeced PD then PD gives him a 4 year deal instead of letting him play out his last year of RFA status after Ottawa qualified him.

You don't get rid of a starting goalie in his prime at age 25 unless there is some serious baggage!!!! Pitt fleeced PD then PD gives him a 4 year deal instead of letting him play out his last year of RFA status after Ottawa qualified him.
- Kevin Francis

I’m talking about when they sent him down lol

As long as the Senators have Dorien as GM, DJ as Coach and most of all Melnyk as Owner, this team will NEVER SEE THE PLAYOFFS AGAIN!!! I would not be surprised if Brady tells them after the season he wants to be traded!!
- IBleedBlu1

That NT/NM clause was put there by Brady. But keep dreaming that just like you did back in September!