Michael Stuart: The Ottawa Senators Have a Matt Murray Problem

You is stuck with him!!

It's not a problem until next year. It's a blessing this year. If you're gonna be bad, do it when there aren't any fans paying to watch you play. A first overall pick helps out the team a lot more than battling with the Canucks for sixth.

Could be worse....you don't have a Skinner, Okposo, Hall and Eichel problem. $33M and what.....5 goals so far!

It's not a problem until next year. It's a blessing this year. If you're gonna be bad, do it when there aren't any fans paying to watch you play. A first overall pick helps out the team a lot more than battling with the Canucks for sixth.
- Hunkulese

I take this point and don't disagree, but I still think it's a problem that they've committed term and dollars to someone that is essentially now a lottery ticket for them. It's a problem now. It'll be a huge problem next year and beyond, to your point.

I take this point and don't disagree, but I still think it's a problem that they've committed term and dollars to someone that is essentially now a lottery ticket for them. It's a problem now. It'll be a huge problem next year and beyond, to your point.
- Michael_Stuart

While I agree that he is paid way too much, I don't think it's that crazy to think he can bounce back and be an average goalie when things tighten up in front of him.

After watching the Flames play the Sens over and over and over and over, it's not just a Murray problem. He wasn't good, but most of the Flames' goals were direct results of turnovers or poor coverage.

My hope is they expose him in the expansion draft. His contract is structured so I dont think Seattle takes him.

He has until mid season next year to turn it around. Then, if he doesn't this is the contract the gets Dorion fired. Not even Zub saves him.

Agree Michael, the problem here is the value and term. I'd much rather have Brayden Holtby's contract than Murray's. The writing was on the wall vis a vis Murray's play, but Dorion and co refused to look at the obvious decline in performance, just taking two cups several years ago into consideration. Similar faulty approaches employed with Stepan (once a 1C), Paquette (won a cup), Gudbranson (high draft pedigree, Ottawa born), and correspondingly losing Balcers to play those players. Sure there are solid signings like Dadonov, but it seems like for all the positive news with this team, it continues to needlessly self inflict wounds that most people reading the tea leaves could have told them was a bad idea. The reality appears to be that no 'starting' goaltender that gets left to UFA is worth more than 4-5 per season. Pay any higher and 9 times out of 10 you'll have buyer's remorse. You only pay them more because they have proven consistent play for *your* franchise over several years, like Vas, or Price. I truly hope Murray can fix things up and wish him well, but this is starting to look like a Schneider situation.

I dont really see it as an issue. You don't want to rebuild too quickly, or all goes wrong. Or we get good picks the coming 3 years or he bounces back to an average goalie. Fine either way.

Matt Murray was a big mistake. Losing Balcers as a depth guy. It's the term. They have to get a goalchie coach for him.

Matt Murray is right guy at the right time today.

I get nervous when people suggest that a better goaltender would put Ottawa in the thick of a playoff run. No thanks, not this year, please everyone be satisfied that this season is unfolding in exactly the way we need for it to be. And, Murray is the perfect guy for a team that wants to improve but not win...yet!

Exactly- I am not worried about this year, it will be a bigger issue next year. Need one more high draft pick to start competing or move towards that. I feel goaltending will be addressed if next season does not start well

Murray has definitely let in some awful goals, but I swear his performance is determined how the team plays in front of him. Gudbranson, Coburn, J. Brown, and Reilly have not been good defensively for the majority of their time here. Who knows if they will even be here next season. Sens could have another completely different looking d-core next season.

I'm not too worried about Murray until we have established defense.

I still find whatever is going on with Brown in Belleville to be strange. On one hand he put up solid points last season, but the team seems to have an issue with his compete level. Haven't heard any good thigns about him this season so far. You figure something's gotta give eventually though.


Also, Sokolov having a good start on a Belleville team that is having difficulty getting wins.

He is older than most drafted players, but still good so far.

I still find whatever is going on with Brown in Belleville to be strange. On one hand he put up solid points last season, but the team seems to have an issue with his compete level. Haven't heard any good thigns about him this season so far. You figure something's gotta give eventually though.


Also, Sokolov having a good start on a Belleville team that is having difficulty getting wins.

He is older than most drafted players, but still good so far.
- david22

I watched the game Saturday & Brown is turning it around. He was good yesterday & engaged. He'll be ready in 3 or 4 more games. Gustavsson is horrible, Sokolov looks like the real deal. Thompson is getting better & Formenton looks like a 4th line agitator & I don't care what Mann says.

WTF didn't Ottawa sign Tyler Toffoli. I would've given him 5.25 if he wanted for 5 years even

WTF didn't Ottawa sign Tyler Toffoli. I would've given him 5.25 if he wanted for 5 years even
- AlfieisKing

I like Toffoli.But wrong age and wrong time.

I like Toffoli.But wrong age and wrong time.
- spatso

Ok

but if you are willing to sign Dadonov - go for TT !!

Ok

but if you are willing to sign Dadonov - go for TT !!
- AlfieisKing

Fair enough. I wonder if Dadanov was signed with a view to moving him at the deadline.

WTF didn't Ottawa sign Tyler Toffoli. I would've given him 5.25 if he wanted for 5 years even
- AlfieisKing

Same reason that Mark Stone wouldn't sign an extension in Ottawa... Toffoli had one chance at signing a UFA-level contract in his prime, and said he wanted to do it for a team that had a clear commitment to winning vs. an uncertain number of rebuilding years ahead. Dadonov is 3yrs older and more wiling to play a mentor role, and given the time it took him to move from the KHL to NHL was seemingly happy to accept a pretty large $$$ contact at a very uncertain time.

While I agree that he is paid way too much, I don't think it's that crazy to think he can bounce back and be an average goalie when things tighten up in front of him.

After watching the Flames play the Sens over and over and over and over, it's not just a Murray problem. He wasn't good, but most of the Flames' goals were direct results of turnovers or poor coverage.
- Hunkulese

This. Players often suck in their first year of a big contract. It's like they try to earn all the money at once and nothing goes right. If management doesnt like what they see they can buy him out at 1/3 of his contract during the offseason because of his age. Yes that's 2.3M against the cap in years 4, 5, 6 but the cap will have increased by then.

good god did the refs ever do their goddamn best to hand that game to the flames. that was some of the worst officiating i've ever seen in an NHL game.

Stu with the full canopener on him, and they call him for embellishment. what a joke.

good on the sens for playing through that poop.

good god did the refs ever do their goddamn best to hand that game to the flames. that was some of the worst officiating i've ever seen in an NHL game.

Stu with the full canopener on him, and they call him for embellishment. what a joke.

good on the sens for playing through that poop.
- sensarmy_11

I thought the phantom call on Stutzle was really ugly. When you compare it to the calls on Chabot it was really bad.

However there is a larger issue. Sens need to be careful not to go on an extended run. Too many teams are struggling and Sens need to ensure their precious placement on the high end of the lottery.

I thought the phantom call on Stutzle was really ugly. When you compare it to the calls on Chabot it was really bad.

However there is a larger issue. Sens need to be careful not to go on an extended run. Too many teams are struggling and Sens need to ensure their precious placement on the high end of the lottery.
- spatso

most of the players that ottawa would want in this draft are penciled in to be drafted kind of in the 5,6,7 range........almost no danger of them falling lower than that.

plus, i'd much rather see them win games and start to build that culture, especially in a year such as this, where the draft will end up being a crap shoot, and there doesn't appear to be any elite level talent.

most of the players that ottawa would want in this draft are penciled in to be drafted kind of in the 5,6,7 range........almost no danger of them falling lower than that.

plus, i'd much rather see them win games and start to build that culture, especially in a year such as this, where the draft will end up being a crap shoot, and there doesn't appear to be any elite level talent.
- sensarmy_11

I'm torn on this issue. Yes a winning culture is nice, but there is still a serious lack of talent at Centre on this team. Alot rides on Stutzle's potential swap to centre.