Senators GM Murray: Sloppy breakouts, poor communication resulted in MacLean's dismissal

"Well I've had some tough days lately," began Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray, who was recently diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. "But this is one of them."

A former Senators coach himself, Murray has been in this spot before. As general manager of the Senators he's dispatched four different head coaches, actually five if you count the time he replaced himself with John Paddock. 

On Monday, Murray met with the media once again to discuss his surprising decision to fire yet another head coach - this time Paul MacLean, a recent Jack Adams winner.

"Maybe I'm a tough judge of coaches, maybe in some cases I didn't pick the right guy," Murray admitted.

During the course of a roughly 25-minute media availability, Murray spoke candidly about the factors that cost MacLean his job. 

In particular there were two major themes, or criticisms of MacLean, that Murray developed.

Let's break them down.

The Breakout

The Senators currently employ a one-man breakout machine on the back-end in captain Erik Karlsson. Other than Karlsson though, Ottawa's blue line personnel is limited.

Because veteran Marc Methot has been out of the lineup for much of the season, one can convincingly argue that the Senators don't have another top-four quality defender on the roster.

Murray indicated on Monday that in his view MacLean's systems - or his inability to get his players to buy in to his system - is what's largely been responsible for the Senators getting stuck in their own end so often.

"There's an obligation from a lot of people, the players also, to perform better," Murray said. "But the coach - as the leader of the pack - has to guide, has to assemble a group or a system that allows you to be good in your own end, good defensively. 

"And it's not that we're bad defensively!" Murray said. "It's that we continue to turn the puck over before we get it out of our zone ..."

Murray went on to reject the notion that the club's issues moving the puck are personnel related.

"I think of our defenseman, (they're) not as bad as - I read articles, that kind of thing - (are not) that bad," Murray said. 

"Positioning in their own end is a big issue. I've watched many nights our defense get the puck, whether it's Jared Cowen or Cody Ceci, and the forwards are at the opposing blue line ...

"Forwards can't disappear and not give defensemen options," Murray continued. "We talked about it, and nothing changed in that area. That's why I think our turnover numbers are so atrocious ..."

It would appear that Ottawa's inability to breakout, was a major reason the Senators' general manager decided to break up with the club's head coach.

Communication

Beyond the breakout, Murray suggested that MacLean wasn't getting along with his players - and his star players in particular.

"I would say that there was an uneasiness in our room, without a doubt," Murray admitted. "Some of the better players felt that they were singled out a little too often maybe. 

"And they want to be corrected, coached, given chances to play, without being - I guess - the center-point of discussion in the room."

Murray told reporters that he met with players over the weekend. It doesn't sound like they gave their bench boss a ringing endorsement.

"I thought when (MacLean) came here that he was a guy who related very well to the players. He had been a player himself. He understood what it took to play in the NHL."

It seems that somewhere along the line, MacLean's ability to relate to and communicate with his players slipped in Murray's estimation.

"Maybe (it was) the pressure of the business," Murray said searchingly. "Maybe you guys are too tough on our people, but very definitely (MacLean) became more demanding of some of the players, very critical of some of the players.

"I actually had several meetings (with players) yesterday," Murray continued later in his availability. "And I found that what had happened - and this sometimes happens when there's pressure on people too - they're not as open to listening to people, taking ideas ... 

"Players today more than ever want and need that," Murray concluded. "I think that hopefully that will happen now."