It's all about winning for new Sens coach

[Madferret]

Whine not fine with Murray
By BRUCE GARRIOCH, Ottawa Sun

BRYAN Murray didn't have to spell out the message yesterday. It was posted on the wall for everyone to read.

A group of 49 players reported for medicals at the Corel Centre to start Senators training camp. And all it took for each of them to figure out where they stand in the organization was to look at the way the new Sens coach set up the roster.

Group one for today's first training camp session in two years features the likes of captain Daniel Alfredsson, Martin Havlat, Dany Heatley and Dominik Hasek.

While the 26-man roster for that group is filled with players who will have a legitimate shot at making the team, the second includes those who look like they'll start the season in Binghamton (AHL).

"History plays a big part in these sorts of decisions and so do contracts," said Murray. "I wanted to divide it up so that the players who were going to have a legitimate chance to play on the big team were in one group.

'A LOT OF DECISIONS'

"We have a lot of decisions to make and we've got work to do with the eight pre-season games. There could be guys in the second group -- like Steve Martins -- who are going to get a shot to play pre-season games, but if anybody in the second group is going to move up, they're going to have to earn it."

After being poked, prodded and having their eyes checked by doctors yesterday, the players hit the ice today at 9 a.m. Instead of holding a team dinner last night, Murray simply held a 6 p.m. meeting to introduce the coaching staff and tell these players what's expected of them.

Erasing the memory of another first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs in June 2004 no doubt tops the list.

"I don't feel I have to say a lot to these guys. They know what is expected of them," said Murray. "I'm going to tell them that I expect them to come to practice ready to work hard and we're going to do things the right way."

Murray is going to run a tight ship. He has asked captain Daniel Alfredsson to form a four or five-man player committee to handle concerns in the dressing room and doesn't want to hear any whining during the year.

NO COMPLAINTS

"We're going to have days during the season where we're going to have off-ice workouts for conditioning," said Murray. "They're all scheduled for the whole year right now and I don't want to hear any complaining about them. I want all complaints handled by the (committee).

"If those complaints get to my level, then there's going to be problems."

The players have already noticed the difference in attitude. Winger Martin Havlat met with Murray yesterday morning to discuss moving to the left side on a line with Alfredsson. Havlat, a natural right winger, isn't going to resist the change because he wants to win.

"We just talked about me playing the left side," said Havlat. "I don't have a problem with it. I'll do whatever the coaching staff wants me to do and I'll play whatever role they want me to play.

"I'm excited to be back and I'm excited to get going."

http://ottawasun.ca/2005/09/14/ott_main_photo298.jpg

[grim]

"Murray is going to run a tight ship. He has asked captain Daniel Alfredsson to form a four or five-man player committee to handle concerns in the dressing room and doesn't want to hear any whining during the year......I want all complaints handled by the (committee). "If those complaints get to my level, then there's going to be problems. The players have already noticed the difference in attitude."

Uh oh. I didn't know Murray was such a tyranical harda$$.

[Madferret]

Change is good. No more Ottawa Senators Country Club.

:)

[Max Power]

Another article

Sheriff lays down lawMurray makes presence known at first workout
By BRUCE GARRIOCH, Ottawa Sun



Senators coach Bryan Murray stands at centre ice during the team?s first on-ice workout yesterday at the Corel Centre. Murray, who felt some of the Senators were turning in sloppy performances, stopped practice five or six times to give them a piece of his mind. (Sean Kilpatrick, SUN)
IN HIS first act as coach of the Senators, Bryan Murray cracked the whip.

Only minutes into yesterday's first on-ice session, the club's new bench boss made his presence known by stopping drills five or six times because of sloppy performances.

Then, during his first media availability, Murray described the results of the fitness testing as being "okay" and chastised "a couple" of veteran players for not scoring well Monday and "being behind some rookies."

As for yesterday's practice?

"It looked like the first day," said Murray, the Shawville native who hasn't coached since a 2-1 loss to Los Angeles on April 14, 2001 while behind the Anaheim bench. "I have been told and I have read that this is a talented team that has a lot of good skills.

NEW ATTITUDE

"Well, if you've got good skills then you've got to be able to use them in practice and you've got to do things right. We should be able to pass the puck and hit each other with the passes if we're a skilled team.

"That didn't happen an awful lot. You expect the guys with good skills to be able to do these drills really well. I want things done right."

Yes, everybody noticed the difference in attitude from the guy that is going to stand behind the bench this season. Gone is the stoic Jacques Martin, who preferred not to publicly criticize his players.

Even from his perch in the Corel Centre seats, GM John Muckler noticed the difference in the way the on-ice workout was run and the jump in the players' step. It was the first practice without Martin as the coach of the Senators since he was hired by former GM Pierre Gauthier on Jan. 24, 1996.

"Sometimes you just need a change," said Muckler, who hired Murray to replace Martin in May, 2004. "This had nothing to do with Jacques Martin being a bad coach. In fact, it was made because we just needed to have somebody different behind the bench.

"We want to get it done here and we didn't get it done. I'm sure (Martin) is going to go (to Florida) and have success. Sometimes, that's the way coaching works.

"I thought we had a great first day with Bryan Murray. I was an offensive coach and he's an offensive coach who also believes you have to play well defensively. We did a lot of offensive drills. That's what I want to see."

'FRESH START'

The players noticed the change, too, and they are looking forward to a fresh start.

"It was different. There's no question about it," said captain Daniel Alfredsson. "It's going to take some time to get used to the difference (in philosophy), but I think the change was good and we're excited to get going.

"(Murray) brings a fresh start and we have to forget all the luggage we have with us.

"I feel like we've got a good team here and I know it's going to be tough, but with the talent we've got here, we're going to have a team that can challenge for the Stanley Cup."

Coach fires challenge at Hasek on first day
By Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun

Dominik Hasek was already sweating it out on the first day of training camp.

While it was sweltering outside the Corel Centre, Senators coach Bryan Murray was turning up the heat on the Senators veteran goalie as camp got underway.

Murray told reporters if the Senators are going to win the Stanley Cup, the 40-year-old Hasek must be outstanding.

"He has to be great," said Murray. "Your goaltending has to be great if you're going to go far in the playoffs. That was my experience with John Vanbiesbrouck when we went to the final with the Florida Panthers and with J.S. Giguere (in Anaheim). In both those situations, we had great goaltending.

"If you look at guys like Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hasek, their teams have had success in the playoffs because they've been great. I'm not concerned about getting him ready (for the start of the season). We want to make sure that we've got him ready and in top form for the playoffs (next spring)."

Hasek, who took part in his first organized practice since he left the Red Wings to have groin surgery in February, 2004, said he knows all eyes will be on him when the puck is dropped for real on Oct. 5 against Toronto.

"My goal is to get back to where I was in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings when we won the Stanley Cup. That is my goal and if I'm able to do that then everything is going to be fine. I feel good out there," said Hasek