Bryan Murray gives a prospect a dose of reality

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Some of you are misunderstanding the situation. The kid has a valid NHL contract and going back to europe without the club's permission.

Full quote.

Brent Wallace @tsn_wally
Murray on Wikstrand: "I told him he could go back and be a grocery clerk. He could play in the beer leagues but he could not play hockey...

Brent Wallace @tsn_wally
Murray con’t “... in any shape or form if he doesn’t play for the Ottawa organization and that’s the way it will be."

Basically Murray won't sign his transfer papers to allow him to play in Europe under IIHF rules. In other words, the Senators are blocking the from kid playing professional hockey.

That makes more sense for sure. Still, Murray could have handled it better, I think.
Basically the reverse situation of Kylington, no? AIK could have kept him in Sweden, but allowed him to go to NA. Probably don't want a potentially mopey player hanging around, which might be the case with this kid in the AHL.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Sure, it's legal. But I wouldn't keep him to go and sulk in the AHL and take up a good spot on my farm team. Maybe the Sens shouldn't pay a signing bonus to a kid with an iffy attitude.

If the kid wants to play in a Euro pro league or something, probably the best thing to do would have been to cut a deal for his release (maybe the Euro team would pay part of his bonus back).

I'm guessing ultimately in the end, this is what they'll do. It just sounds like Murray airing out his frustration with the kid more than anything else. I seriously don't think they'll keep the kid around if he really doesn't want to stay.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

That makes more sense for sure. Still, Murray could have handled it better, I think.
Basically the reverse situation of Kylington, no? AIK could have kept him in Sweden, but allowed him to go to NA. Probably don't want a potentially mopey player hanging around, which might be the case with this kid in the AHL.

Your post brings up another good point. The senators could have also potentially paid a ~$200k transfer fee to bring him to North America in the first place.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Maybe a bit coming from Melnyk.

The senators paid a $80k signing bonus to the kid on July 1st.

Remember there were stories about how pissed Melnyk was that Heatley forced a trade after Heatley's signing bonus had to be paid out by the Senators. Granted $80k is a different order of magnitude than the millions Heatley got, but Melnyk could be mad that the kid is only leaving after getting his signing bonus for this upcoming season and not deciding to leave before it was paid out.

Maybe. I know nothing about the player or his motives. All I know is that I wouldn't want to force a young man into something he wasn't comfortable with as maybe he has anxiety issues being away from home. Some young people find it hard to adapt to a new lifestyle.

[sureLoss]

Story gets weirder:

Don Brennan @SunDoniB
Wikstand has tweeted in Swedish that he left Ottawa because a "close family member is seriously ill." Bryan Murray wasn't told #sens

[Benched]

"Bryan Murray wasn't told #sens"

the doh is strong here. Either someone really messed up, or he shot his mouth off before hearing the facts.

[Sainters7]

Even without that last info, I really don't understand Murray's comments. He thinks the kid has a real shot at the NHL, but couldn't crack a European pro league, and would then be forced to bag groceries?

That's just a dumb, emotional comment.


Posted from Calgarypuck.com App for Android

[Poe969]

The only real way for Murray to clear his name right now is to trade a second round pick to the Flames for Mason Raymond. Everyone would forget how bad he handled the prospect thing and focus on the deal!

You'd have to think the prospect would have told someone about the family member though.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Even without that last info, I really don't understand Murray's comments. He thinks the kid has a real shot at the NHL, but couldn't crack a European pro league, and would then be forced to bag groceries?

That's just a dumb, emotional comment.


Posted from Calgarypuck.com App for Android

It's not that he couldn't crack a European roster, it's that the Sens don't want to sign the transfer agreement, hence the bagging groceries comment. If he's not going to play in North America, they won't let him play at all.

[Radio]

nm...Komskies beat me to it.

[Sainters7]

Ah gotcha. Well at least he's handling it maturely


Posted from Calgarypuck.com App for Android

[Hockey Fan #751]

The problem with letting him go is you set a future precedent for all your other European prospects that it's okay for them to sign NHL contracts, accept signing bonuses and then head back.

Now, if you make an exception due to his family situation that's different as it is extenuating circumstances.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

Oh yeah, from what I heard about Melnyk, he'd be pissed if they paid for his taxi from the airport.

Yeah, but anything that pisses off Melnyk is good in my books.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

The problem with letting him go is you set a future precedent for all your other European prospects that it's okay for them to sign NHL contracts, accept signing bonuses and then head back.

Considering that 99% of hockey players ultimately want to play in North America, I see that as a really marginal problem.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Locke

Well thats one way to ruin the relationship between the team and the player.

Is this kid it? Is he the final missing piece that absolutely must stay? Because if not then this probably wasnt the hill to die on.

Sorry but I could not resist commenting on the old "hill to die on" cliche. I'm not sure the Sens are dying on a hill here. Requiring a 7th round pick to honor his contract is probably not Napoleon's Waterloo or Custer's
Last Stand.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Sorry but I could not resist commenting on the old "hill to die on" cliche. I'm not sure the Sens are dying on a hill here. Requiring a 7th round pick to honor his contract is probably not Napoleon's Waterloo or Custer's
Last Stand.

I meant that in the context of any future dealings between the player and the club. You dig your heels in on this issue and any and all future negotiations are going to be a battle.

If hes absolutely dead-set on going home then ship the kid back to Sweden for the season and try again next year. Presumably if he goes to Sweden he isnt getting paid, sure he got his signing bonus, but thats it.

And the thing is, a 7th round pick is a throw-away, if they get anything out of it at all its practically a miracle, one season of playing in Europe isnt going to kill him or the Sens and at the end of the day he doesnt want to be here, so what can you do? You can play hardball and get nothing for their investment of his signing bonus and potential transfer fee or they can take that time to get him up to expectations next year.

The 'hill to die on' comment basically means that with actions and words like this, its a scorched earth policy and I dont see that it really needs to be.

Hell, until the emergence of this thread I'd never even heard of this kid.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by Locke

I meant that in the context of any future dealings between the player and the club. You dig your heels in on this issue and any and all future negotiations are going to be a battle.



If hes absolutely dead-set on going home then ship the kid back to Sweden for the season and try again next year. Presumably if he goes to Sweden he isnt getting paid, sure he got his signing bonus, but thats it.



And the thing is, a 7th round pick is a throw-away, if they get anything out of it at all its practically a miracle, one season of playing in Europe isnt going to kill him or the Sens and at the end of the day he doesnt want to be here, so what can you do? You can play hardball and get nothing for their investment of his signing bonus and potential transfer fee or they can take that time to get him up to expectations next year.



The 'hill to die on' comment basically means that with actions and words like this, its a scorched earth policy and I dont see that it really needs to be.



Hell, until the emergence of this thread I'd never even heard of this kid.

Said Tim Ramholt

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Even without that last info, I really don't understand Murray's comments. He thinks the kid has a real shot at the NHL, but couldn't crack a European pro league, and would then be forced to bag groceries?

That's just a dumb, emotional comment.


Posted from Calgarypuck.com App for Android

I felt the same way untill Sureloss posted this video from today.

I'm on the side the Sens on this one . The kid make a commitment and failed to live up to his half pf the agreement.If I signed a contract for a job and accepted a signing bonus then just disappeared I'm sure they would either sue me or expect I give them every penny back.

It's weird that he posted their is a family illness alll of a sudden right before he boards a plane. It sounds like he was trying to leave for the last week or so and that didn't work so he played a trump card.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Locke

I meant that in the context of any future dealings between the player and the club. You dig your heels in on this issue and any and all future negotiations are going to be a battle.

If hes absolutely dead-set on going home then ship the kid back to Sweden for the season and try again next year. Presumably if he goes to Sweden he isnt getting paid, sure he got his signing bonus, but thats it.

And the thing is, a 7th round pick is a throw-away, if they get anything out of it at all its practically a miracle, one season of playing in Europe isnt going to kill him or the Sens and at the end of the day he doesnt want to be here, so what can you do? You can play hardball and get nothing for their investment of his signing bonus and potential transfer fee or they can take that time to get him up to expectations next year.

The 'hill to die on' comment basically means that with actions and words like this, its a scorched earth policy and I dont see that it really needs to be.

Hell, until the emergence of this thread I'd never even heard of this kid.

It seems they already did him this favor last year tho.

[GullFoss]

In the interview he sounds pretty level headed about the whole situation. Doesnt rip the player at all. Pretty classy imo.