Senators GM stands pat despite taking 'quite a number of phone calls' before deadline

Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray stood pat prior to the trade deadline on Monday, but he wasn't without options.

“I had quite a number of phone calls and we did attempt to do one or two minor things,” Murray told reporters in his post-deadline news conference Monday.

“We’ve got a real young group, for the most part, I’m very happy now that we see development in a lot of the younger guys. Our team’s getting better. We feel that way. There were a couple inquiries on a couple of players, but they weren’t the people I wanted to move.”

The Senators have won five consecutive games and seven of their last nine. The streak has vaulted Ottawa back into the Eastern Conference playoff race, although they sit seven points back of the eighth-place Boston Bruins.

Murray said he was close to making one deal, but it fell through at the last minute.

“I did talk about one (defenceman). I thought we had something going, at the very end the other team couldn’t get it done on their part,” he said.

The general manager did not move one of the team's eight blue-liners, nor did he find a buyer for forward Colin Greening and the $5.3 million he is owed over the next two seasons.

"I had no intent other than (trading) one defenceman," Murray said.

The Senators would have had suitors for veteran forward Chris Neil had he not broken his thumb prior to the deadline. Chris Phillips was also reportedly the subject of trade offers, but the club ultimately held on to its elder statesmen.

Ottawa has 22 games remaining to leapfrog three teams and secure the final playoff spot in the conference.