Thanks for the blog Kevin. Excellent work!
- SensFan25

Agreed, but no surprise, Kevin you provide the best content on here with reliable sources and super writing. I gotta say, enjoyed reading the piece, actually read it a second time to really put into context of how badly managed the Sens are.

First off, thank you to everyone for the kind words! I truly have been overwhelmed by the response to my piece on Twitter. Over the last 24 hours, I've never received so many IM's on Twitter on HB, plus the amount of people responding to me on Twitter or retweeting the blog. Thankful how well received it has been. Naturally there are always a few haters, but the amount of people who have reached out to me has been terrific!

I will reply to everyone tomorrow when time permits. In the meantime, keep this great discussion going! We need to put heat on management and the front office. I know they're reading it, I have been told by folks in the front office.

I tweeted this out earlier.

Anyone else notice the TB/FL boxscore tonight, in which Nick Paul had the most TOI of any TB forward and only trailed Ryan McDonagh on the entire team! Wild!

22:59 TOI tonight!

The only thing that makes no sense to me is if the owner (RIP) had l these issues with Dorion, why didn't he just fire the guy and replace him with someone he actually trusted?
- OfManNotMachine

This question was asked by many that don't follow the team. I will be touching on this question and others in my next piece.

What I can say to you is, if you knew what a gong show Eugene was off the ice, you know that PD knew a lot of his antics. Cant say much else, but read between the lines! Thanks for stopping in to the blog, love new readers.

Good read, welcome back Kevin. I think what concerns me most is the perennial uncertainty with this team. Gotta say it's kind of understandable given the environment Dorion has worked in for him to be reticent to have too many voices in the room. He's likely proud of his ability to manage a budget team, to navigate management. The vacuum of a lost owner means a lot of decisions get delegated, and it appears for Dorion that you get some short term insulation.

Seems like the hiring just muddied the waters. I doubt there was any formal authority structure between the Pierres set up, so the hiring was probably a move to send a message. If you are making this move and paying that kind of money to do it, it begs the question, why not just find another GM? A strange thing for a budget conscious team to invest in.

Good read, welcome back Kevin. I think what concerns me most is the perennial uncertainty with this team. Gotta say it's kind of understandable given the environment Dorion has worked in for him to be reticent to have too many voices in the room. He's likely proud of his ability to manage a budget team, to navigate management. The vacuum of a lost owner means a lot of decisions get delegated, and it appears for Dorion that you get some short term insulation.

Seems like the hiring just muddied the waters. I doubt there was any formal authority structure between the Pierres set up, so the hiring was probably a move to send a message. If you are making this move and paying that kind of money to do it, it begs the question, why not just find another GM? A strange thing for a budget conscious team to invest in.
- Bartacus

Thanks my friend! The last paragraph you wrote says what many NHL personnel wonder as well. PD has blown money the last few years on horrible signing, trades, etc....it's wild how he's never held accountable! I know the McGuire thing was doomed from the start, as PD would try to flex his nervous muscle, which he did well, he manipulated that board once Eugene passed away as he had a prior relationship with them. Again, why blow a million bucks to make him go away?! Because PD had an agenda, he put his ego ahead of the success team, plain and simple. I have heard from so many people in the hockey world today, the stories, oh my! Wish I could write them all.

I tweeted this out earlier.

Anyone else notice the TB/FL boxscore tonight, in which Nick Paul had the most TOI of any TB forward and only trailed Ryan McDonagh on the entire team! Wild!

22:59 TOI tonight!
- Kevin Francis

Always liked him here in Ottawa. I wonder how much is his skill, nad how much is him being the most fresh of pretty much all the players on that team.

I thought alot of Tampa players looked like they were running out of gas at the end of the Toronto series.

Clearly I'm wrong about that so far though.

Always liked him here in Ottawa. I wonder how much is his skill, nad how much is him being the most fresh of pretty much all the players on that team.

I thought alot of Tampa players looked like they were running out of gas at the end of the Toronto series.

Clearly I'm wrong about that so far though.
- david22

Nick Paul is a solid player but he also is in a contract year

I would need to see him put 2-3 seasons together before believing he is the player we are seeing right now. That said, great pick up for tampa for sure

I tweeted this out earlier.

Anyone else notice the TB/FL boxscore tonight, in which Nick Paul had the most TOI of any TB forward and only trailed Ryan McDonagh on the entire team! Wild!

22:59 TOI tonight!
- Kevin Francis

Unreal. Good eye

I would need to see him put 2-3 seasons together before believing he is the player we are seeing right now. That said, great pick up for tampa for sure
- AlfieisKing

TB has been a very interesting team to watch, ever since that 1st round playoff faceplant against Columbus back in 2018/19. They worked hard to sign their core players to reasonable deals, but have also invested heavily at the trade deadline to acquire 3rd line supporting players, who are not only very hard-working, but signed to very reasonable contracts. Case in point...

Blake Coleman ($1.8Mx3yrs) - 1st Rnd ('20), Foote
Barclay Goodrow ($0.9Mx2yrs) - 1st Rnd ('20)
Nick Paul ($1.4Mx1yr) - Joseph, 4th Rnd ('24)
Dennis Hagel ($1.5Mx3yrs) - 1st Rnd ('23), 1st Rnd ('24), Raddysh, Katchouk

These may have seemed like overpayments, but it's hard to question the results... especially when you consider how these players have actually contributed to the team's playoff success (e.g. Paul scored both goals in Game 7 vs. Leafs, Coleman & Goodrow had points in 4/5 games in last year's Stanley Cup Finals). They target 3rd line players who are ready to contribute in a major way right now, and it's just another example of Cap Management 101 for a team in the prime of their competitive window.

Ottawa cannot proceed with Dorion as GM if this is true but this wouldn't have happened if Melnyk had been willing to spend a some money on a real GM, as much as I dogged on him I have a lot more respect for PM after reading this it really seemed as if he wanted to help turn things around here.

TB has been a very interesting team to watch, ever since that 1st round playoff faceplant against Columbus back in 2018/19. They worked hard to sign their core players to reasonable deals, but have also invested heavily at the trade deadline to acquire 3rd line supporting players, who are not only very hard-working, but signed to very reasonable contracts. Case in point...

Blake Coleman ($1.8Mx3yrs) - 1st Rnd ('20), Foote
Barclay Goodrow ($0.9Mx2yrs) - 1st Rnd ('20)
Nick Paul ($1.4Mx1yr) - Joseph, 4th Rnd ('24)
Dennis Hagel ($1.5Mx3yrs) - 1st Rnd ('23), 1st Rnd ('24), Raddysh, Katchouk

These may have seemed like overpayments, but it's hard to question the results... especially when you consider how these players have actually contributed to the team's playoff success (e.g. Paul scored both goals in Game 7 vs. Leafs, Coleman & Goodrow had points in 4/5 games in last year's Stanley Cup Finals). They target 3rd line players who are ready to contribute in a major way right now, and it's just another example of Cap Management 101 for a team in the prime of their competitive window.
- khawk

Tampa has SIGNIFICANT edge over Canadian Teams due to tax laws especially.

Listen to Burke who has involved with 3 Canadian Markets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23YqbcKxsUI

edit: I do agree that they've ACQUIRED a few great contracts but the cap flexibility allows them to retain players like Stamkos, Hedman, and others to good deals so they can go out and use the draft/young players they possess

Always liked him here in Ottawa. I wonder how much is his skill, nad how much is him being the most fresh of pretty much all the players on that team.

I thought alot of Tampa players looked like they were running out of gas at the end of the Toronto series.

Clearly I'm wrong about that so far though.
- david22

The players weren't happy at all when he was traded, but many will say its part of the business, but Nick Paul and Colin White had their pulse on that locker room.....Paul brought a lot more to the team off the ice and it cant be measure in dollars as they say. The sad part is they were 300k per year apart.....but they can let PM walk and pay him 500k per year, unreal!

Ottawa cannot proceed with Dorion as GM if this is true but this wouldn't have happened if Melnyk had been willing to spend a some money on a real GM, as much as I dogged on him I have a lot more respect for PM after reading this it really seemed as if he wanted to help turn things around here.
- Greenmonster1991

PM kept his mouth quiet once he realized he wouldn't be doing what he was originally told he would be doing with getting out there in front of the fans. EM just wanted to promote from within and PD wasn't even the first choice, he had the job fall into his lap!

Nick Paul is a solid player but he also is in a contract year

I would need to see him put 2-3 seasons together before believing he is the player we are seeing right now. That said, great pick up for tampa for sure
- AlfieisKing

Agreed on a small sample size if you want to see him produce more to reflect his salary!

Good piece Kev.
Glad you're feeling better.


Your NDA comment says it all.
(snort)....so what did he know and on which "fire" was it. Melnyk had so many, no doubt PD was in on putting out a couple of them. Lame.
- Octavarium

Thanks my friend, appreciated! Exactly, there were dozens of things PD knew about EM and his gongshow life off the ice.

Thanks for the blog Kevin. Excellent work!
- SensFan25

Appreciate it, thanks for the support! Glad you enjoyed it.

Well written you have excellent writing skills.

I thought it was a waste to let him go. His hockey knowledge should have been put to use some where.

Although the layers of inter-personal complexity may have a made it impossible as things stand currently.
- spazzbot

Thanks for the kind words, spread the word and retweet the blog to get more eyeballs on it, we need Sens fans to put the heat on that front office!

So true, look at what the team could be doing with that extra 500k per year with their pro scouting dept!

It's a good article but look we know the poster for LawyerSens4Life and Kevin Francis is the same person. This just comes off as weird when you pat your own back this hard. I'm not sure why you post as two separate account in this fashion but it isn't very deceptive and it is strange.

However it was a good article not taking anything away form you there.
- TDBSenatoR

Ummm no! but think what you want.

Great scoop. Very good read and glad you are feeling better.

I'd love to learn more details about Melnyk not just getting rid of Dorion all together, but obviously you can't burn sources.

I'm most frustrated that there is considerable money just sitting on the table to have McGuire do nothing. That money could be used for coaching, scouting, etc as Kevin alludes to in the blog. It's so frustrating to see a budget team just burn cash left and right.

There is something amiss with Dorion and his way of doing business. You can't successfully run an NHL franchise without legitimate help behind the scenes. The hockey world is far too vast to do everything yourself. If McGuire was the main person to drive the Brady signing, it makes you concerned about the Norris negotiations this summer.

It's personalties like Dorion that make companies and businesses struggle. Fear of having people smarter than you come along is toxic. Great leaders want smart people and successfully implement then into their teams. It's sad that Dorion can't even figure out that he only has the GM job because he was a cheap and promotable option. He was not put in the position because he is the greatest hockey mind in the world.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Thanks man, appreciate it. I love your comments in the last paragraph, beyond well said! At some point I will reveal some more info that will answer a few of your questions my friend. Great post!

Another great piece Kevin. There are very few people who cover the team that not only give an objective opinion like yourself but that give info that no other writer or media person in this town is willing to go on record with.

For that you should be applauded for it because there are far too many blow hards in this town that toe the company line and want to be the players or management's friends. Then they get info these so called insiders and don't report it.

You put Bruce Garrioch to shame with some of your work that you have written this year. I know myself and many other Sens fans appreciate your efforts and balls to write what many scribes would say are "uncomfortable topics". So a huge thank you for doing great investigative work. My buddies tell more and more people about how they need to come here and read your work.

When it comes to Dorion, many fans speculated about him but with this info, it blows him up even more for what a complete jerk he is and what a horrible job he has done yet is willing to put his own agenda ahead of that of the team. That in itself should be a fireable offense alone.

This team is doomed as long as Dorion and Smith are allowed to keep their positions. Heck, any hockey message board on the net ridicule the Sens front office and coaching staff. We are a laughing stock on so many levels. For everything good thing Dorion does he ruins it with 5 ridiculous moves that hurt the team.

Again, great job by you and I am glad you are getting recognized on Twitter for your work. The discussion that has gone on with your Twitter page since you posted the blog yesterday has been unreal and fans appreciate that you put yourself out there. It shows you care about this team in the hopes of getting info out there to put heat on the proper people in that front office to do something about it before it's too late with this fanbase.
- LawyerSens4Life

Thanks for the encouraging words, means a lot! Not sure I can add to much else to your post, but great comments as per usual in here. But yes, the discussion Twitter has been unreal, to be honest, it blew me away, it really engaged the fanbase and I am glad to get info out ther that others wont write about it. Again, thanks for the support.

Thanks man, appreciate it. I love your comments in the last paragraph, beyond well said! At some point I will reveal some more info that will answer a few of your questions my friend. Great post!
- Kevin Francis

Like many articles that reveal things that some people may not want revealed, it takes time to do. I know you will share some great insight when you can and I look forward to it. Keep up the good work and don't let the haters who don't want the garbage shared get to you.

Ummm no! but think what you want.
- Kevin Francis

Seriously, is this guy for real?! Kevin is easily one of the most reputable guys on this site. Give it a rest buddy.

Like many articles that reveal things that some people may not want revealed, it takes time to do. I know you will share some great insight when you can and I look forward to it. Keep up the good work and don't let the haters who don't want the garbage shared get to you.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

You guys are lucky to have a guy who cares about this fanbase by outing the idiots/fools that continue to derail your organization that you all pay large dollars for tickets. I follow all the Canadian teams and Kevin is top notch. I have been in his blogs and all the others on here for the Canadian markets all year. Kevin is the only one who goes above and beyond on this site.

Tampa has SIGNIFICANT edge over Canadian Teams due to tax laws especially.

Listen to Burke who has involved with 3 Canadian Markets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23YqbcKxsUI

edit: I do agree that they've ACQUIRED a few great contracts but the cap flexibility allows them to retain players like Stamkos, Hedman, and others to good deals so they can go out and use the draft/young players they possess
- AlfieisKing

This is interesting stuff, watching the Burke on Youtube. I had no idea. Thanks for posting.