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

As a Canadian, it's sad to see Ottawa lumped into the same conversation at the friggin Arizona Coyotes. Pathetic.

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

np

As a Canadian, it's sad to see Ottawa lumped into the same conversation at the friggin Arizona Coyotes. Pathetic.
- PuckPix

Ottawa, unlike Toronto, cannot tolerate losing teams. They need a winner

I think it has a lot to do because of the TREMENDOUS success of the Ottawa Senators from 1999-late 2000s. Even from 2013-2017 this team had a good team. Maybe it's my own POV growing up with the team, but my expectations are high as well. I think a team that will fall victim to this may be the Vegas Golden Knights. Solid team on paper but they've traded away their top prospects, have an aging [overpaid] veteran players, and their young prospects are questionable for various reasons: Nolan Patrick, Jake Leschyshyn, Jonas Rondbjerg, Paul Cotter, Kaedan Korczak.

Interesting story but it is just hard for me to wrap my head around McGuire being the knowledgeable good guy.He always came across as arrogant on TV IMO. If you listened to what he said he tended to repeat the same facts about players year after year after year. He never could mention Sean Couturier without saying “He scored 96 points two years in a row for Drummondville”. Is that knowledge or trivia? Not a fan.

If Dorian is really the heavy I feel bad for the Ottawa fans. Maybe we could do an incompetency swap with Fletcher from Philly.

Interesting story but it is just hard for me to wrap my head around McGuire being the knowledgeable good guy.He always came across as arrogant on TV IMO. If you listened to what he said he tended to repeat the same facts about players year after year after year. He never could mention Sean Couturier without saying “He scored 96 points two years in a row for Drummondville”. Is that knowledge or trivia? Not a fan.

If Dorian is really the heavy I feel bad for the Ottawa fans. Maybe we could do an incompetency swap with Fletcher from Philly.
- Djapana

He also had back to back 76 point seasons for the Flyers

And He swallowed the whole thing

https://tenor.com/view/pi...c-nhl-hockey-gif-21748715

Crazy question, why didnt the Melnyk fire Dorion? Seems fairly straight forward, no?

Crazy question, why didnt the Melnyk fire Dorion? Seems fairly straight forward, no?
- i'mjustafan

Melnyk likes puppets and yes men?

Save $?

Who knows

Ottawa cannot tolerate losing teams. They need a winner

I think it has a lot to do because of the TREMENDOUS success of the Ottawa Senators from 1999-late 2000s. Even from 2013-2017 this team had a good team. Maybe it's my own POV growing up with the team, but my expectations are high as well. I think a team that will fall victim to this may be the Vegas Golden Knights. Solid team on paper but they've traded away their top prospects, have an aging
- AlfieisKing[overpaid] veteran players, and their young prospects are questionable for various reasons: Nolan Patrick, Jake Leschyshyn, Jonas Rondbjerg, Paul Cotter, Kaedan Korczak.

Ottawa going through a bad power outage - hope ya'll are doing ok

- Leafsmart

What I meant by what I said is this ......

Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens won't see a difference in terms of attendance and merchandise sales to the extent Ottawa or a smaller Canadian Market will. In Ottawa the team has seen a great fluctuation in support throughout the years because the team has seen fluctuation

Do you think ottawa could offersheet Jason Roberston from Dallas to put on stutzles line? Would it be worth doing?

Do you think ottawa could offersheet Jason Roberston from Dallas to put on stutzles line? Would it be worth doing?
- TDBSenatoR

First off, apologies to those who I haven't replied too, like many in Ottawa I had no power for over two days.

As for Jason R, his skating is an issue and many feel giving him a longterm deal will come back to bite the team in rear end down the road.

What I meant by what I said is this ......

Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens won't see a difference in terms of attendance and merchandise sales to the extent Ottawa or a smaller Canadian Market will. In Ottawa the team has seen a great fluctuation in support throughout the years because the team has seen fluctuation
- AlfieisKing

All good and well said my friend.

Melnyk likes puppets and yes men?

Save $?

Who knows
- AlfieisKing

He truly did but he hired PM to keep things in check then sadly he passed away, paving the way for PD to fire him.

All good and well said my friend.
- Kevin Francis

He truly did but he hired PM to keep things in check then sadly he passed away, paving the way for PD to fire him.
- Kevin Francis

With new ownership, do you think a new GM will be selected?

With new ownership, do you think a new GM will be selected?
- AlfieisKing

They aren't for sale though, so its PD this season, sadly!

No, even if it "works" this would cost them $8.5M+, in addition to multiple valuable draft picks, including at least two 1st round picks. Look at the deal they gave Hesikanen, if you don't think Dallas is well aware of how offer sheets might come into play... he makes $8.45M/yr, while the high-threshold of a Level-3 offer sheet (i.e. just a 1st/2nd/3rd round pick compensation) is $8.40M.

Not to mention that Stutzle needs help with the responsibility of playing C, not just someone who can score points... and Dorion has gone almost out of his way to do jack-$hit to provide anything even close. Honestly, Stutzle keeps getting thrown into the fire, and it needs to stop. Just sign Giroux, and let him serve as a veteran mentor to help him develop into an effective NHL centre. He's also a very good offensive player in his own right, even in his mid-30's, plus they get to keep the draft picks and keep making the rest of the team better.

No, even if it "works" this would cost them $8.5M+, in addition to multiple valuable draft picks, including at least two 1st round picks. Look at the deal they gave Hesikanen, if you don't think Dallas is well aware of how offer sheets might come into play... he makes $8.45M/yr, while the high-threshold of a Level-3 offer sheet (i.e. just a 1st/2nd/3rd round pick compensation) is $8.40M.

Not to mention that Stutzle needs help with the responsibility of playing C, not just someone who can score points... and Dorion has gone almost out of his way to do jack-$hit to provide anything even close. Honestly, Stutzle keeps getting thrown into the fire, and it needs to stop. Just sign Giroux, and let him serve as a veteran mentor to help him develop into an effective NHL centre. He's also a very good offensive player in his own right, even in his mid-30's, plus they get to keep the draft picks and keep making the rest of the team better.
- khawk

Agree

Dorion will be hard pressed to sign Giroux as a veteran talent without a cup ring. Giroux probably thinks he has better things to do than babysitting the Sens up and coming.

Dorion will be hard pressed to sign Giroux as a veteran talent without a cup ring. Giroux probably thinks he has better things to do than babysitting the Sens up and coming.
- TDBSenatoR

Better things to do ? Like working on his playoff powerplay?
Its a hard pass on Giroux, let him get his retirement contract elsewhere. I think he would be a fine addition to the Leafs for their next spring ritual.

Better things to do ? Like working on his playoff powerplay?
Its a hard pass on Giroux, let him get his retirement contract elsewhere. I think he would be a fine addition to the Leafs for their next spring ritual.
- spazzbot

I mean, if Girioux were interested in Ottawa it would be foolhardy not to sign him. Yeah his team just got swept by Tampa but the guys still produces roughly at a PPG pace and I look at Giroux as being of the Joe Pavelski quality that will keep going for at least another 3 years of solid production.

Giroux seems like the perfect dude to have around Ottawa's current core. Between Giroux, C. Brown and Watson you would have some character men to help the boys.

This isn't a Stepan, Dadonov or Gudbranson type of deal. You would be getting a former Captain and again a roughly PPG player.

I mean, if Girioux were interested in Ottawa it would be foolhardy not to sign him. Yeah his team just got swept by Tampa but the guys still produces roughly at a PPG pace and I look at Giroux as being of the Joe Pavelski quality that will keep going for at least another 3 years of solid production.

Giroux seems like the perfect dude to have around Ottawa's current core. Between Giroux, C. Brown and Watson you would have some character men to help the boys.

This isn't a Stepan, Dadonov or Gudbranson type of deal. You would be getting a former Captain and again a roughly PPG player.
- TDBSenatoR

Imo. I think they should focus on higher end talent at a younger age.
I am suspect of Giroux being able to sustain points. Perhaps he will. If he is cheap go for it. Otherwise hard pass

Better things to do ? Like working on his playoff powerplay?
Its a hard pass on Giroux, let him get his retirement contract elsewhere. I think he would be a fine addition to the Leafs for their next spring ritual.
- spazzbot

Have to disagree with your dismissal of Giroux. He finished with the 2nd most playoff points on the Panthers (8Pts/10GP), including the 2nd most playoff goals (3G), plus we went >55% in the faceoff circle. There are many reasons for why FLA lost in 4 games, but I don't see much evidence that Giroux was the root cause.

Unfortunately, the smoke around Fiala is getting to be too much. I just hope Dorion doesn't get absolutely fleeced, and give up something he really shouldn't.

Yup.
Dorion is going to over pay FOR Fiala and then over pay HIM on his next deal. The same way someone else will with Kadri.

It was a weird offensive season last year with record points being put up. I'd call it a "weak goalie cycle". Yes there were a few Vezina all world characters. But there were way more dud net minders that let in everything thrown at them.

it's like in baseball....when the ball is flying out of the park the pitchers are crying about juiced balls and hitters get fat contracts. The next year (like this one) hitting is down, the ball isn't flying and bunch of pitchers are gonna get overpaid.