Commentary: Bye, Bye Bryan (Murray)
By Stephen DanielContributing Writer
April 20, 2008
The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is drawing to a close. Players are looking ahead to their next opponents, and fans will be re-energized to see their favorite team be one step closer to Lord Stanley’s cup. This is not the case for head coach Brian Murray and his Ottawa Senators, who might want to be browsing around good golf courses in Florida right about now. After being swept 4-0 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and being an embarrassment in the playoffs, I am sure Gary Bettman is glad to see the Senators out, and especially seeing Mr. Murray out of the spotlight.
Before the 1st round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Murray accused the Penguins of “tanking” their regular season finale so that the Penguins would play the Senators, and not the Flyers. Now, the confusing thing about Murray’s “profound and completely accurate” argument is that if Pittsburgh had won, they would have played the Bruins, not the Flyers. In addition to that, the Penguins were a team that the Senators beat 4-1 last season, in dominating fashion. The Senators have so much talent with a great fan basis. Why should they be worried?
Well there were three reasons why Murray didn’t want to play the Penguins. First off, injuries had plagued the Senators late in the season. All-Star forward Daniel Alfredsson was out for the first two-playoff games with a “knee and head injury”. While Moral boosters, Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly were put on the DL before the series started. Secondly, the Senators, who started the season 15-2, closed out the season 7-10 before entering the playoffs. So the Senators were not playing up to the caliber that they were used to. Lastly, head net-minder Ray Emery was not playing very well and the Senators decided to go with the streaky back-up Martin Gerber to start the series with the Penguins. Now, although things looked bad for the Senators, fearless leader Bryan Murray decided to whine and complain of how bad he has it, and point fingers at the Penguins.
Well way to rally the troops there, Leonidas
In all honesty, Michael Therrien, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins was plagued with injury for half the season. Let’s not forget that the Penguins were without the forward phenomenon, Sidney Crosby for the last half of the season. In addition, Therrien was without Moral leader Gary Roberts and lead Net minder Marc Andre-Fluery. Instead of whining about injuries, Michael Therrien gave the unsung hero’s a chance to win, and they did. The Penguins ended the regular season first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. The penguins showed a great deal of heart to overcome injuries.
Now, speaking of overcoming injuries, Daniel Alfredsson showed a great deal of heart to join his Senators and try to come back from a 2-0 deficit. In addition, Alfredsson was one of the best players on the ice during his return. Afterwards, Murray spoke to the media claiming that no one should poke fun of Alfredsson’s meaningful return, or else he would be mad. Well, heaven forbid anyone make you mad, Mr. Murray. It’s not like you have complained and pouted the entire series. It’s not like you threw in the towel before the series even started. No wonder the Senators played so poorly! The head coach of the team didn’t believe in them. If I were a Senator, I would probably look down on the series myself. In all honesty, throwing in the towel and pouting is something 10 year olds do in kickball. You’re an NHL coach, believe in your team and stop complaining who you had to play in the first round.
My suggestion to the Senators: Next year hire the Spartan who came out before game 3. Have him draw his abnormally small sword and have him do his motivational monologue to rally the Senators to victory! Oh right, they lost 4-1 that game. Either way, it’s a good time of year to play some golf.
Until next year, Senators…
Comments (5)
perhaps you should learn the game of hockey before you try and comment and the game within the game. Brian Murray was tactically putting all the attention on himself to try and give his players some breathing room. They live in a hockey market - there are only 4-5 of them in the NHL - and the local media had been throwing stones for weeks. Mind you for good reason. Murray did what all top end coaches do (he is one of the best coaches still coaching) and used the media to motivate his team.
It is am embarassment for you to try and compare a hockey legend in Brian Murray to a nobody in Therrien. He has a long career ahead of him but what has he done so far? Take his very healthy team into a farm team in Ottawa? Wow what a track record.
Posted by Jimmy C | April 21, 2008 1:34 PMLet me start by saying the comment before me is utter trash. Brian Murray managed to make one of the most potent offensive teams in the league into one of the worst. I agree with the author of this article Therrien is a great coach. What he accomplished this season with all the injuries is truly remarkable.
Posted by Charles Vargo | April 21, 2008 1:54 PMI just want to point out one glaring flaw in the article. Had the penguins won, they would have played the flyers like Murray said. With a win the penguins would have finished in first, and the flyers would have recieved no points for the final game of the season. The Flyers would have finished with 93 points, in 8th place, and the penguins with 104 making them 1st. However philly won and got the 2 points propelling the to the 6th position.
As much as I hate Ottawa because Buffalo has a huge rivalry with them, that is beside the point. Brian Murray deserves respect much more than Therrien does.
He got lucky that Conklin played amazing in goal and Malkin stepped in absence of Crosby, and to compare their records of coaches is a joke.
Secondly to correct your bashing of Murray's statement about Pitt 'tanking' their last game against Phily. Had the Pens won, they would have finished with a record of 48-26-8 for 104 and 1st place in the East due to more wins than Montreal (47-27-8; 104).
So the Penguins WOULD have played the Flyers as the 1 vs. 8 matchup. Ottawa would have ended up the 6th seed and thus facing the Capitals (the 3rd seed). Furthermore if there any question of this favoring Ottawa, Washington swept Ottawa this season.
Looking at it does draw attention to whether or not Pittsburgh lost the game on purpose because they had something to gain the #1 seed. I'm aware of players that say they never throw a game but since Ottawa dismantled Pittsburgh in last year's playoffs, it suggests the idea of payback.
Posted by Brett | April 21, 2008 1:57 PMThanks for the comments!
I noticed that glaring flaw later. The Penguins would have played the Flyers if they had won that last regular season game. That is a major mistake that I wish I would have caught before I published this.
2nd, I am not saying that Murray is a bad coach. I am saying that he handled a situation poorly. Yes, he had to play the Penguins. So why do you go on National TV and blame the Penguins for "tanking" a game? By saying this, He has made the Penguins superior already. He has basically stated that the Pens are so good, they are going to dismantle his beaten up team. Murray put more pressure on his team by saying that, not less. I agree that the media then took that and said that the Sens we're done, which they obviously were.
Lastly, Take a look at the Calgary Flames, they to were in a 2-7 matchup with a red hot San Jose Sharks team. They are now tied going into game 7. This was a matchup that experts were saying the Sharks would win easy. The flames have made it extremely hard for the Sharks. It's the same thing in this instance
Once again, Bryan Murray is not a bad coach. But it is not smart to consistantly complain about how bad he's got it, and just coach his team.
Thanks for the comments once again.
Posted by Stephen Daniel | April 21, 2008 2:24 PMAttacking a hall of fame coach and then trying to draw a direct comparison to a new bench boss as if he out played Murray is what highlights the lack of hockey knowledge and respect in this article.
If attacking my comments as "utter trash" makes you feel like a man then hats off to you pal. Life must be easy for you in that glass house.
Posted by Jimmy C | April 21, 2008 4:09 PM