3093 replies to this topic

[ladiesandgentlemen]

With the Ducks steadily moving in the wrong direction ever since our Stanley Cup win two seasons ago, it is obvious that changes need to be made. A quieter and gentler man has taken over as our GM, and by nature has not publicly taken the bull by the horns like his predecessor did and proclaim the direction in which the franchise will be going.

Has Bob Murray given us any indication or outlined a plan that he is going to follow to get this club going in the right direction again?

My impression so far is that he is more of a caretaker than a leader. Maybe I've missed something, but I have not heard him outline any plan or vision for this franchise other than acknowledging the previous one, which is currently not working.

I am hoping for some insight here in this thread through opinions and quotes/anecdotes and track record/history and the like.

Does Bob Murray have a plan, and what is it? Where will he take this franchise?

Any ideas anyone?

[Dark Knight]

Are you expecting answers that haven't been given in the "Time for some Changes" or the "Time to start planning for 2009-2010" threads ? Help me out here...

[ladiesandgentlemen]

Are you expecting answers that haven't been given in the "Time for some Changes" or the "Time to start planning for 2009-2010" threads ? Help me out here...

Those threads are full of a mish-mash of things from soup to nuts about ideas that all of us Tom, Dick, and Harrys have about what should and could be done with this team. Not that there is anything wrong with that at all, because most of us here like to put out our ideas and perspectives on things.

My thought for this thread was to have a place where Bob Murray's ideas and goals were more focused on.

Maybe more like an itinerary than a map of the universe?

[Todrick]

Well, I have a "State of the Franchise" ticket in my Season ticket packets...

It has a date of "TBA"

Usually it is around now....

Perhaps we'll get some answers at that.

[Dark Knight]

At this point we don't know squat (other than the couple of trades he made recently) what he'll do before trading deadline. I see your point, but I think this will turn into another mish-mash. Maybe not

Well, I have a "State of the Franchise" ticket in my Season ticket packets...

It has a date of "TBA"

Usually it is around now....

Perhaps we'll get some answers at that.

That should be fascinating if Murray decides to hold it

[Todrick]

if by "Fascinating", you mean "Ugly"...

then yes... yes it would.

[TroyLoney]

Other than MrsBevo, who has the opportunity to talk with Bob Murray directly, I don't see how any of us could have any insight into his plan that you yourself don't have. We all read the same articles, all watch the same games and all scour the internet for any information we can find. So, I guess I would say we should turn our attention to MrsBevo in hopes that she can interview Bob Murray about his vision for the Ducks and his plan for this team leading up to the deadline and into next season.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

Well, I have a "State of the Franchise" ticket in my Season ticket packets...

It has a date of "TBA"

Usually it is around now....

Perhaps we'll get some answers at that.

Yeah, I am waiting for them to get on the ball and schedule that.

I was hoping someone would have some more insight until the SotF, like from his days as GM in Chicago?

At this point we don't know squat (other than the couple of trades he made recently) what he'll do before trading deadline.

See above

I see your point, but I think this will turn into another mish-mash. Maybe not

Then close it down if it does. Sorry if I'm a waste of bandwidth...

That should be fascinating if Murray decides to hold it

He'd damn well better hold it.

[MrsBevo]

With the Ducks away most of the month, I'm not around the Ponda as much. However, this next week might be a great opportunity to do so. I have another person wanting me to do an interview of Murray for their site, so I can combine tasks. Murray isn't always around at practices, but he is on occasion. I'll ask if there is a "state of the franchise" meeting planned, too. You're right - they usually are held around the All Star break.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

Other than MrsBevo, who has the opportunity to talk with Bob Murray directly, I don't see how any of us could have any insight into his plan that you yourself don't have. We all read the same articles, all watch the same games and all scour the internet for any information we can find. So, I guess I would say we should turn our attention to MrsBevo in hopes that she can interview Bob Murray about his vision for the Ducks and his plan for this team leading up to the deadline and into next season.

Murray was a GM before in Chicago.

If anybody was a Hawk fan then or a fan of his from his playing days and has followed him, they might have some insight?

His wife?

IDK... Somebody has got to have some more poop on this guy than what I've seen.

Maybe Just Duckie or QMU? They certainly have a lot of knowledge and background about the NHL...

And I'm sure Sacred Cow would have something to say about it if even only to chastise me for bringing it up? (kinda like DK has already gotten his piece of flesh from me )

[ladiesandgentlemen]

With the Ducks away most of the month, I'm not around the Ponda as much. However, this next week might be a great opportunity to do so. I have another person wanting me to do an interview of Murray for their site, so I can combine tasks. Murray isn't always around at practices, but he is on occasion. I'll ask if there is a "state of the franchise" meeting planned, too. You're right - they usually are held around the All Star break.

That would be excellent and much-appreciated of you to do.

And it could make for a pretty unique piece if you can push the right buttons with the guy, and give you somewhat of a feature feather-in-your-cap sort of thing... you know, the writer who opened the mind of Bob Murray for Ducks fans?

Good luck and go gettem', Mrs.B !

[Dark Knight]

...who has the opportunity to talk with Bob Murray directly...

Anybody can email him

[Todrick]

Now you did it DK... Poor guy is gonna get flooded with "WTF are you doing?!?!?" emails

[Dark Knight]

Now you did it DK... Poor guy is gonna get flooded with "WTF are you doing?!?!?" emails

And if he's like Burke he'll answer every single one of them, sometimes with some wtfs in return. Yeah, write him. Or Brady, they'll get your questions answered

[TheJoeMan]

With our constant habit of losing money, the bad economy and the amount of young players getting a look this year I'd say we're going to see this team get a lot younger. I don't expect a lot of money to be thrown at free agents next year. Which based on how that's worked out this year I think we've seen the last of cup contending days for a while.

As far as this year is concerned I think he is in a wait and see mode until his hand is forced to do something drastic. This team needs a complete re-evaluation about the defense after this season. Thankfully we're pretty set offensively and in goal.

With our constant habit of losing money, the bad economy and the amount of young players getting a look this year I'd say we're going to see this team get a lot younger. I don't expect a lot of money to be thrown at free agents next year. Which based on how that's worked out this year I think we've seen the last of cup contending days for a while.

As far as this year is concerned I think he is in a wait and see mode until his hand is forced to do something drastic. This team needs a complete re-evaluation about the defense after this season. Thankfully we're pretty set offensively and in goal.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

And if he's like Burke he'll answer every single one of them, sometimes with some wtfs in return. Yeah, write him. Or Brady, they'll get your questions answered

For the record, Bob Murray has not responded to any of my emails.

Brady has, but he's careful not to step over his pay grade (as he likes to put it).

[Dark Knight]

For the record, Bob Murray has not responded to any of my emails.

Odd ...

[ladiesandgentlemen]

With Randy Carlyle's endorsement of Buster Morrison yesterday, it appears that he is running the ship...

Or that Bob Murray is as crazy as Carlyle.

And seeing as Murph's answer to the Ducks' problems so far has been Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Brown, crazy is a fit.

[TheJoeMan]

Carlyle may be vouching for Morrison but that doesn't mean Murray won't trade him. It's obvious now that Morrison doesn't have a place on this team and I think Carlyle is simply not throwing him under the bus when talking to the media. I mean he's been scratched several times lately and hasn't scored a point, not even a measly second assist, in forever. When Sammy comes off IR I imagine Morrison will be traded shortly after. Or he(Murray) is holding onto to him for the deadline to get the best return for him. But I have little doubt Morrison's time with this team is just about done.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

It's obvious now that Morrison doesn't have a place on this team and I think Carlyle is simply not throwing him under the bus when talking to the media. I mean he's been scratched several times lately...

TJM... you obviously didn't read the article.

And I'm not trying to ride you this morning, but B-Mo has only been scratched twice lately, and one other time for a total of three for the season. He still gets more ES TOI/G than Bobby Ryan for heaven's sake. Wake up, my friend.

But I dearly hope you're right about Murph moving him.

So far, Murray's solutions of Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Brown have me concerned... to say the least.

Look at the horrible cap situation we are in, and Murray continues to carry Morrison's comparatively huge contract. The guy is a waste of over 2mil/yr, which is almost a 700,000 waste of cap space right now.

In a word, it is stupid.

[sugarmama]

After his interviews and movements in the last couple weeks he's been upgraded from BIB (Big Invisible Bob) to MMM (Master of the Mini Move).

IMHO he's as confused by this team as the rest of us. Well, really maybe more so since he did have a hand in putting it together. On one hand it's good that he's taking a wait and see approach and appears at least to be analyzing the problems pretty carefully and not making any knee-jerk reaction moves. OTOH it makes him appear indecisive and maybe a little soft, as though he's accepting mediocre. His decisions would be a lot easier if the team would either take off or tank, but the middle's gotta be one of the roughest places to be. His first major move has the potential to either lift or to sink the team so he's gotta make absolutely sure it's a lifter.

[DuckNewbie]

So far, Murray's solutions of Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Brown have me concerned... to say the least.

Look at the horrible cap situation we are in, and Murray continues to carry Morrison's comparatively huge contract. The guy is a waste of over 2mil/yr, which is almost a 700,000 waste of cap space right now.

In a word, it is stupid.

Frankly, (with the exception of your valid questions about Morrison), I'm not sure what you are expecting Murray to do right now.

We don't know if we are buyers or sellers yet. There's no sense, (and little money), to bring anyone big in....and even teams on the cusp, and with little chance of actually winning the cup, WANT to make the playoffs both for prestige, and for the extra $$ that comes from playoff games.

So, not knowing right now what our status is, I wouldn't expect any BIG moves until it becomes clear closer to the deadline.

Rightly or wrongly, I think the Ducks management see Brookbank and Brown as longer term depth moves. Not indicative of a "direction", but players they wanted to have.


As for Morrison, I just think he'll be difficult or impossible to move. Afterall, if we assume WE don't want him, what are the chances that anyone else is falling over themselves to pick him up? Even as a free pickup through waivers, his salary makes him less than desireable.

And why is Morrison playing? It isn't surprising considering Carlyle has shown a strong tendancy to go with experience. Morrison wasn't scratched during this stretch until Marchant came back....and as pointed out, Pahlsson is out now. When they're both back, there may be more motivation to use Morrison less, but I don't know.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

After his interviews and movements in the last couple weeks he's been upgraded from BIB (Big Invisible Bob) to MMM (Master of the Mini Move).

IMHO he's as confused by this team as the rest of us. Well, really maybe more so since he did have a hand in putting it together. On one hand it's good that he's taking a wait and see approach and appears at least to be analyzing the problems pretty carefully and not making any knee-jerk reaction moves. OTOH it makes him appear indecisive and maybe a little soft, as though he's accepting mediocre. His decisions would be a lot easier if the team would either take off or tank, but the middle's gotta be one of the roughest places to be. His first major move has the potential to either lift or to sink the team so he's gotta make absolutely sure it's a lifter.

I appreciate your objective approach to Bob Murray and his short tenure, and agree that he hasn't had enough time to prove himself.

However, Brendan Morrison has been given plenty of time and trust to prove himself and the jury is in: he's a bust for this team. The one and only valid reason there is not to cut him loose is the slight return we might be able to get for him from some desperate team at the TDL. Meanwhile, precious cap space continues to be wasted on him, as well as precious ice time. The fact that Randy Carlyle still puts him out there at even strength more than Bobby Ryan is flat inexcusable. It shows that Bob Murray has way bigger problems than Buster Morrison... he's got a coach who has some illogical, unhealthy (as far as locker room spirit/chemistry at least) attachment to a guy that deserves no more than fourth line status.

Our team is not healthy in many respects, and Murray himself acknowledges that there is a problem in the locker room. Yet he continues to allow a coach to unfairly and illogically hand out ice time when he could stop at least half of it by taking his B-Mo Bear away from him, and instantly get us out of the dire Cap stress we are in. Instead, he sends guys that have already earned their place in the locker room like Drew Miller back down to the minors, or neglects prospects that have been toiling in the minors and need to be proven, or ships out Brad May in favor of lesser-talented and less versatile players like Mike Brown and scrubs like Sheldon Brookbank.

Murray is not only neglecting the one problem that he has identified, he is actively making it worse. All for what? To wait on Brendan Morrison's breakthrough?

[SacredCow]

I'm curious what many of you expect Bob Murray to do. Some of you seem to want it both ways - you want him to make a big move that shakes up this team but you also believe that this team has the potential to make the playoffs and challenge for the Stanley Cup this season so you don't want him to make any big changes. Knowing that the team is right up against the cap and that a major move would require a lot of salary to be shipped out I am curious what you expect him to do.

I'm also curious how you expect him to trade Brendan Morrison so easily. Morrison is 33-years old, was seriously injured last season and is having a very unproductive year this season. Other GM's know all of this and more so why would they be lining up to add him to their roster? Last year the Ducks had a guy like Brendan Morrison, only younger, more productive and with less history of injuries (Andy McDonald), and all they got for him was Doug Weight, Michal Birner and a 7th round draft choice.

Bob Murray took over this team in November and has been the Ducks GM for less than three months yet some of you already have derisive nicknames for him. I'm not sure what some of you expected out of him in his first 100 days as Ducks GM but I, for one, am willing to give the guy some more time. This isn't his first rodeo - he's been a NHL GM before and he knows what he's doing. Let's see how the team looks on March 5th (after the trading deadline). Let's see how they finish the season. Let's see what the Ducks do at the draft. Let's see what free agents the team signs - which ones they let go. Let's see how the team looks when training camp opens in the fall. By then we'll have a very good body of work to evaluate him on and can make a determination of whether or not we agree with what he's doing. Right now, though, it's tough for me to blame a guy that inherited a team in mid-season with very little cap room, very lofty expectations, a head coach in year one of a two year deal, an owner that could be facing jail time and an underachieving roster.

[TheJoeMan]

TJM... you obviously didn't read the article.

And I'm not trying to ride you this morning, but B-Mo has only been scratched twice lately, and one other time for a total of three for the season. He still gets more ES TOI/G than Bobby Ryan for heaven's sake. Wake up, my friend.

But I dearly hope you're right about Murph moving him.

So far, Murray's solutions of Sheldon Brookbank and Mike Brown have me concerned... to say the least.

Look at the horrible cap situation we are in, and Murray continues to carry Morrison's comparatively huge contract. The guy is a waste of over 2mil/yr, which is almost a 700,000 waste of cap space right now.

In a word, it is stupid.

Carlyle may have his opinion of this player but it comes down to what Murray wants to do with him and it obvious to most that what he should do is trade him. But Carlyle obviously happy with Morrison's performance. It may head-scratching to some that he constantly puts him in the lineup to try to find a niche for him but I guess he's trying to make the most of a bad situation.

But when push comes to shove Morrison has to go. He lost his top-6 spot to Andrew Ebbett and he has no business in a bottom-6 role. The only logical thing left is to trade him. Perhaps Murray has told Carlyle this but he's waiting for the deadline to move him. If that's the case, Carlyle is simply treating Morrison like a man and not throwing him under the bus which would potentially hurt his trade value and perhaps cause a distraction in the room.

For once we are both in agreement on Morrison completely. He has to go. Once Sammy is back we have no more waiver-less players to send to the minors (I don't count Ebbett because he's doing Morrison's job) so someone has to go. Being that we're center heavy the logical person is Morrison. If we can flip him for a veteran d-man I will ump for joy. Patience my friend. I have little doubt that Brendan Morrison will no longer be a member of this team after the 4th.