Jared Crozier: Melnyk: Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should

He is the ultimate douchebag owner/boss.

If I was Cameron and he came to me and told me the team needs to practice the shootout more, I would have the hardest time not laughing right in his face. That one comment alone is all you really need to understand what Sens fans have been dealing with when it comes to this guy.

I agree. Apparently in the playoffs 3 years ago Murray had to physically stop Melnyk from entering the dressing room between periods to address the team.

He doesn't know and understand and his place on the team.

His team has been disfunctional since he took it over but he still wants Murray to run the team, he's against analytics (how can you be against it when everyone is for it, this would be like an owner being against video replay and game review because a set of eyes is better)

Melnyk wasn't raised properly, he has no manners, no class and no respect for people who work for him.

And to see a guy who was given a new lease on life being so angry, agitated and unhappy, I feel sorry for him, he's pathetic for what he's been given in life.

Thee way I see it, it is inevitable that Melnyk loses this team.

Either one of two things will happen:

1. The NCC awards Lebreton to the other group and forces his hand.
2. He wins the bid, Karlsson gets fed up and realizes he should be spending his prime elsewhwere. He asks for a trade, the fans get pissed and the building is empty. He wouldn't be able to afford to support the team through another rebuild if only 14k fans show up to every game. If EK leaves, the fans will blame Melnyk.

If he was smart, he would join forces with the other bid and sell a controlling interest to the other guys. He can still call himself an 'owner', and sit in his private box.

He needs to get out in front of this because things can get ugly fas and he will be the one left without a chair when the music stops.

Thee way I see it, it is inevitable that Melnyk loses this team.

Either one of two things will happen:

1. The NCC awards Lebreton and forces his hand.
2. He wins the bid, Karlsson gets fed up and realizes he should be spending his prime elsewhwere. He asks for a trade, the fans get pissed and the building is empty. He wouldn't be able to afford to support the team through another rebuild if only 14k fans show up to every game. If EK leaves, the fans will blame Melnyk.

If he was smart, he would join forces with the other bid and sell a controlling interest to the other guys. He can still call himself an 'owner', and sit in his private box.

He needs to get out in front of this because things can get ugly fas and he will be the one left without a chair when the music stops.
- Charliebox

This is Ottawa, nothing ever gets ugly. But you put this owner in Montreal or Vancouver and they'd burn it the stadium the ground.

But you gotta think the NHL is looking at Melnyk and thinking it could be time for a change.

You don't see any Canadian owners these days saying 'for this team to survive' - what are you going to do Melnyk, move the team to Quebec City?

If we are sick of this guys crap, imagine being Gary Bettman and having to deal with him everyday. He's not coulourful, he's a raving lunatic

The relationship between spending and success might be true but it seems like the Sens have enough quality players that they should be more successful. Nothing can poison an organization like a bad managment. Nobody gives 100% to a boss who's is a Richard to them. Sometimes it's the owner thas the problem just like sometimes it's the GM or coach.

The relationship between spending and success might be true but it seems like the Sens have enough quality players that they should be more successful. Nothing can poison an organization like a bad managment. Nobody gives 100% to a boss who's is a Richard to them. Sometimes it's the owner thas the problem just like sometimes it's the GM or coach.
- Queenie_5_hole[/quote

The guys that are buying the team are awesome, one owns the Cirque de Soleil and he's a total awesome dude, never heard a bad thing about him. The other guy is super well respected and his family is seen as good solid people.

It'll be like trading Yashin for Chara and Spezza when Bettman forces him to sell the team.

The relationship between spending and success might be true but it seems like the Sens have enough quality players that they should be more successful. Nothing can poison an organization like a bad managment. Nobody gives 100% to a boss who's is a Richard to them. Sometimes it's the owner thas the problem just like sometimes it's the GM or coach.
- Queenie_5_hole

The guys that are buying the team are awesome, one owns the Cirque de Soleil and he's a total awesome dude, never heard a bad thing about him. The other guy is super well respected and his family is seen as good solid people.

It'll be like trading Yashin for Chara and Spezza when Bettman forces him to sell the team. Getting rid of a 9 year headache for two guys who turn the team around

I can't believe your trying to hold Melnyk responsible for the majority of what ails Ottawa. Melnyk is like a ton of owners, out of touch, uninformed, rich & opinionated. Melnyk's problem is he's allowed Murray to mismanage this team for years. That falls to ownership certainly & there by we got saddled with Cameron who's personal decisions are mind boggling.

Melnyk didn't build 1 of the worst defenses in hockey, Murray did. Melnyk didn't sign Ryan a 20 goal 50 point scorer for 7.25 per Murray did. Other than Karlsson there isn't currently another superstar but Stone may be & others could potentially be. The majority of the core in Ottawa are just kids. Hoffman, Stone, Lazar, Turris, Ceci, Zibanejad, etc. Young teams don't win championships. Veteran laden squads do for the most part.

Melnyk isn't responsible for the treatment of Hoffman, Cameron & Murray are. Chiasson has 1 thing going for him he's big, yet Prince was a far better player that fancy stats say was. Cameron's solution sit him & barely play him. Murray moves him for a 3rd. Smith has seen better quality power play time than Hoffman many nights & when Hoffman does get reasonable power play time it's usually manning the point. He would be far more effective off the 1/2 wall.

You need to accept that Ottawa will never spend to the cap, nor will Winnipeg. 2 small market Canadian teams. They simply can't afford to & certainly not with the Canadian dollar at 75 cents. They will be a middle of the pack team who if salary commitments time out well may make a decent run 1 season but as their players move into the high salary range most will be moved out for younger players, prospects & picks & the cycle will just keep repeating itself baring a complete change in the management structure.

Anaheim & Nashville are the models of consistency for icing solid rosters on a limited budget. Ottawa should be trying to mimic their models.

I can't believe your trying to hold Melnyk responsible for the majority of what ails Ottawa. Melnyk is like a ton of owners, out of touch, uninformed, rich & opinionated. Melnyk's problem is he's allowed Murray to mismanage this team for years. That falls to ownership certainly & there by we got saddled with Cameron who's personal decisions are mind boggling.

Melnyk didn't build 1 of the worst defenses in hockey, Murray did. Melnyk didn't sign Ryan a 20 goal 50 point scorer for 7.25 per Murray did. Other than Karlsson there isn't currently another superstar but Stone may be & others could potentially be. The majority of the core in Ottawa are just kids. Hoffman, Stone, Lazar, Turris, Ceci, Zibanejad, etc. Young teams don't win championships. Veteran laden squads do for the most part.

Melnyk isn't responsible for the treatment of Hoffman, Cameron & Murray are. Chiasson has 1 thing going for him he's big, yet Prince was a far better player that fancy stats say was. Cameron's solution sit him & barely play him. Murray moves him for a 3rd. Smith has seen better quality power play time than Hoffman many nights & when Hoffman does get reasonable power play time it's usually manning the point. He would be far more effective off the 1/2 wall.

You need to accept that Ottawa will never spend to the cap, nor will Winnipeg. 2 small market Canadian teams. They simply can't afford to & certainly not with the Canadian dollar at 75 cents. They will be a middle of the pack team who if salary commitments time out well may make a decent run 1 season but as their players move into the high salary range most will be moved out for younger players, prospects & picks & the cycle will just keep repeating itself baring a complete change in the management structure.

Anaheim & Nashville are the models of consistency for icing solid rosters on a limited budget. Ottawa should be trying to mimic their models.
- striker777

I don't accept Ottawa is a small market team, get the two richest guys in Montreal to buy the team and it won't be small market anymore

Is their cap space calculation including the long term IR that they got back from MacArthur and Phillips? Does that put it at $10-$15 mill?

Color me surprised that there are Melnyk apologists in here..the fact is that he is a bottom of the barrel owner who makes Murrays decisions for him. Until he is gone we are subject to eternal mediocrity like the Oilers in the past decade without all of the 1st overalls picks.

Hopefully Karlsson demands a trade so real action would be taken...you would think Alfie leaving was a sign of things to come but the sens choose to maintain the status quo of not good enough to compete and not bad enough to get a single top 5 pick in the last 15 years.

People scoff at the fact that you need to spend money to win claiming you can do so on a self imposed budget but then are surprised that cup winning teams are almost always in the top 10 of highest payrolls.

Oh well, I guess we'll just have to get another coach with 0 NHL experience this summer and strive for perennial mediocrity.

If Sens fans can't stand Melnyk and his apparent lies and buffoonery, what do you think the NCC thinks of him? Do we really think he stands a chance? Also keep in mind Trudeau is Quebec's biggest cheerleader so if he gets any input then no doubt in my mind the Quebec billionaires get the bid.

I'm not defending Melnyk but I wanted to point something out here. This is a table of the wage bill in the English Premier League.

NO# CLUB 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
3 Chelsea £190m £192.7m £215.6m
1 Manchester United £187m £215.8m £203 m
2 Manchester City £216m £205m £193.8m
4 Arsenal £166.4m £180.4m £192m
5 Liverpool £140m £144m £152m
6 Tottenham £112m £100.4m £110.5m
7 Newcastle United £68m £78.3m £75.8m
8 Everton £66m £69.3m £74.7m
9 Stoke City £55m £60.6m £72.3m
10 Sunderland £55m £69.5m £71m
11 West Ham United £60m £63.9m £69.5m
12 Aston Villa £74m £69.3m £65.1m
13 West Bromwich £49m £65.4m £68.5m
14 Southampton £47m £55.2m £59.5m
15 Swansea City £55m £48.1m £51m
16 Crystal Palace £45.7m £54.3m
17 Leicester City £36.6m £48.2m
18 Norwich City £37m
19 Watford £29m
20 Bournemouth £25m

Now Leicester City are currently sitting top of the Premier League by 5 points with 7 games to go. In 2nd is my team Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham are the 6th highest spenders on wages whilst Leicester are 17th. I guess my point is that Melnyk may actually have a point that spending doesn't necessarily mean success. I know its a different sport but it might be something to think about.

The only thing that melnyk has in common with the other owners u mentioned is he tries to be hands on. The others have championship rings on their fingers and don't bat an eye at spending millions and millions of dollars on their respective teams. The reason they are hands on is because they have those rings that uncle gene does not. Shut your yap gene and continue to line your pockets and leave the team decisions to the experts that u hired and are paying to make those decisions.

You can have a low payroll, then load up with rental players. And you don't even need to give up a ton. How much did the Leafs really need for Parenteau at the deadline? Would that even be worth it? It's good to see a player like Dzingel play, but another 20 goal scorer would have been nice

Melnyk has every right to be disappointed about the team. Where he crossed the line was calling his coach stupid and suggesting they work on shootouts. He can say no one is safe in the offseason, but sounded dumb backing out on those words and giving Bryan Murray the choice to stick around or not.

In short, the guy needs a public relations coach or something when talking to the media.

The money stuff, it is what it is. It's frustrating to see a rich guy not know how to handle his money properly. It seems like he is only banking on the Sens making him money. He should be having other avenues of income coming in as well for a man of his net worth. It's not hard to invest in property, safe stocks, even bonds to get some extra cash when you have millions. It would be ideal to get a 2nd owner who could own 49% of the team so Eugene can still have his day in the sun, but that will never happen.

Most concerning, the notion from ownership and management that they feel this roster is a top 5 roster in the NHL when healthy. A ridiculous notion. Time to bring in a guy who has never been involved with the Senators to call the shots on the management side.

Eklunds thread has Taylor Hall being traded at the draft. I'll play along.




To Ott: Hall

To EDM: Hoffman, Weicoch & 2016 1st (8th - 11th overall)

Melnyk has every right to be disappointed about the team. Where he crossed the line was calling his coach stupid and suggesting they work on shootouts. He can say no one is safe in the offseason, but sounded dumb backing out on those words and giving Bryan Murray the choice to stick around or not.

In short, the guy needs a public relations coach or something when talking to the media.

The money stuff, it is what it is. It's frustrating to see a rich guy not know how to handle his money properly. It seems like he is only banking on the Sens making him money. He should be having other avenues of income coming in as well for a man of his net worth. It's not hard to invest in property, safe stocks, even bonds to get some extra cash when you have millions. It would be ideal to get a 2nd owner who could own 49% of the team so Eugene can still have his day in the sun, but that will never happen.

Most concerning, the notion from ownership and management that they feel this roster is a top 5 roster in the NHL when healthy. A ridiculous notion. Time to bring in a guy who has never been involved with the Senators to call the shots on the management side.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Agree with your last sentiment there about external management. Melnyk is in a difficult position with Murray being sick as he can't really just let him go. Although I suppose he could force the move to upper office position. Coaching and players need to be addressed as well though.

That being said what would people think of Alfie being GM? I know he is not from outside but I am curious as to what people think.

What you Melnyk non fan's might wish to try & remember is that Melnyk bought the team out of Banckruptcy in 2003. That was the last time the dollar was bottoming out. It was in the 62 cent range when Melnyk started negotiations & at 71 cents at closing. Had Melnyk not stepped up chances are Ottawa would be playing in Kansas City or else where today. No 1 else stepped up.

Rich owners don't change the fact that Ottawa is a small market Canadian team that has limited revenue sources. Melnyk is currently worth over a billion dollars & is ranked as the 77th richest Canadian in the 2014 Canadian Business magazines top 100 richest Canadians.

The fact he forces the Senators to run with in a budget based on team revenue is smart business. Why should he pay out of pocket to run a sports team. This isn't a team who's other businesses are directly related to the hockey operations like many other teams in the NHL.

Factor in that the local & provincial governments screwed the Senators in expansion forcing them to Kenata & even forcing them to pay for their own off ramps off the HWY; 10's of millions of dollars. The Senators have been screwed at every turn with support by government & you should be thankful you even have a team as if Melnyk hadn't stepped up you wouldn't.

Getting into the city in the future would greatly increase the potential revenue streams but those of you that think Melnyk is going to get screwed out of this team with the potential development are living in Wonderland. The potential development needs the Senators more than the Senators need the development.

Eklunds thread has Taylor Hall being traded at the draft. I'll play along.




To Ott: Hall

To EDM: Hoffman, Weicoch & 2016 1st (8th - 11th overall)
- Erik6Karlsson5

Waits for Calsen to say Hoffman>Hall

Waits for Calsen to say Hoffman>Hall
- ClarksonDavid

It's almost a lateral move; adding the 1st is too much.

I'm not defending Melnyk but I wanted to point something out here. This is a table of the wage bill in the English Premier League.

NO# CLUB 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
3 Chelsea £190m £192.7m £215.6m
1 Manchester United £187m £215.8m £203 m
2 Manchester City £216m £205m £193.8m
4 Arsenal £166.4m £180.4m £192m
5 Liverpool £140m £144m £152m
6 Tottenham £112m £100.4m £110.5m
7 Newcastle United £68m £78.3m £75.8m
8 Everton £66m £69.3m £74.7m
9 Stoke City £55m £60.6m £72.3m
10 Sunderland £55m £69.5m £71m
11 West Ham United £60m £63.9m £69.5m
12 Aston Villa £74m £69.3m £65.1m
13 West Bromwich £49m £65.4m £68.5m
14 Southampton £47m £55.2m £59.5m
15 Swansea City £55m £48.1m £51m
16 Crystal Palace £45.7m £54.3m
17 Leicester City £36.6m £48.2m
18 Norwich City £37m
19 Watford £29m
20 Bournemouth £25m

Now Leicester City are currently sitting top of the Premier League by 5 points with 7 games to go. In 2nd is my team Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham are the 6th highest spenders on wages whilst Leicester are 17th. I guess my point is that Melnyk may actually have a point that spending doesn't necessarily mean success. I know its a different sport but it might be something to think about.
- kratosmr

Other than Blackburn, this will be the first time since the Premier League began, back in 1992-93, that a team might win the league without being top 3 in both spending (transfer fees) and wage bill. Maybe count Liverpool who would've been 4th or 5th.

It's very rare

Other than Blackburn, this will be the first time since the Premier League began, back in 1992-93, that a team might win the league without being top 3 in both spending (transfer fees) and wage bill. Maybe count Liverpool who would've been 4th or 5th.

It's very rare
- walshyleafsfan

Absolutely its rare. But its doable. I think team spirit is more important as looking at other teams teams like Real Madrid money does not guarantee success. Neither does team spirit but it makes you a hell of a lot more competitive. But that being said I think Ottawa is severely lacking in that department too.

Is their cap space calculation including the long term IR that they got back from MacArthur and Phillips? Does that put it at $10-$15 mill?
- Ottawa Fan

LTIR is only for when you spend to the cap, you get that much space back. It doesn't affect the Senators