Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was live in the studio with Steve Lloyd and Kenny Walls earlier today on TSN 1200’s ‘TSN Mornings’ broadcast.
Not a big Dorion fan either and while I agree with the commenter below that there is a Melnyk factor, I don't think he has played his hand well at all within the constraints (and recently without those constraints). He has had to clean up his own messes multiple times and even then, has taken the easy route out. He is a bad negotiator, while people complain about Dubas overpaying 1st line players, Dorion overpays 3rd and 4th line players and we always seem to be on the wrong end of deals. We either pay too much or get too little...always. He could've handled Debrincat like Colorado did Duchene but instead he too the easy route, negotiated in the media (unprofessionally in my opinion) and then blamed the player.
In all of this, what is getting missed is what was/is his cap plan? If we signed ADC to 8 x 8 how would we have fit that under the cap while building out the roster? He seems so emotional and unprofessional he just gets excited about things like a kid and then doesn't know how to deal with the consequences.
Anyways rant over...cant wait for new ownership, a new GM, and new scouting to build a team based on logic and data versus emotional swings. Don't get me started on all the wasted pics either in the draft or bad trades for 3rd liners haha
I’m not a huge Dorion fan. He has a pattern of saying things publicly that either betray poor negotiating judgement by revealing too much, or of exposing his lack of thorough consideration of what his words mean. However, the Melnyk factor cannot be ignored. The owner’s impecunious state had to have limited and influenced Dorion to a significant degree. It did Murray who was far more experienced. So 6 years of futility is nothing to be happy with but the former owner has to take a ton of the blame as well. And the lengthy sale process may well be partially to blame for uncertainty recently as well.
I don't disagree that it would be challenging workign for a mercurial owner like Melnyk, but that's what Dorion signed up when he took the job knowing it was likely his only opportunity to get a GM job in the league. I find it hard to blame every mistake on the owner, however. I believe you can certainly see the influence of decisions over acquiring Duchene and pivoting shortly thereafter to a rebuild. On the other hand, it's Dorion allocating the money and acquiring the talent. He could have done a better job, even with the lack of resources and money available to him.
I’m not absolving him, but no one knows what limitations and bizarro direct orders he was given. I mentioned Murray: with far more experience and credibility he still caved to obvious desperation on the part of the owner to do PR signings and whatever it took to squeak into the playoffs while cheating out on what had been a robust and respected hockey ops. Hubris? Belief that despite the interference he could succeed? I don’t know. I’m not disagreeing with the argument PD has made many errors. I just think working for a mercurial and on the verge of bankruptcy at any minute boss contributed to his mindset. Like you said, this was his big shot to make it. He had no real profile or credibility as manager and a nutbar riding his shoulder. No money for ops, no money for proper scouting. For all his inexperience he never had Dubas’ level of support and resources to work with.
I feel like I’m defending PD far more than is my inclination. Was just trying to nuance his situation a bit and to put all the heat the former owner deserved for creating his own financial mess and consequently causing our team such a prolonged period of distress.
Not a big Dorion fan either and while I agree with the commenter below that there is a Melnyk factor, I don't think he has played his hand well at all within the constraints (and recently without those constraints). He has had to clean up his own messes multiple times and even then, has taken the easy route out. He is a bad negotiator, while people complain about Dubas overpaying 1st line players, Dorion overpays 3rd and 4th line players and we always seem to be on the wrong end of deals. We either pay too much or get too little...always. He could've handled Debrincat like Colorado did Duchene but instead he too the easy route, negotiated in the media (unprofessionally in my opinion) and then blamed the player.
In all of this, what is getting missed is what was/is his cap plan? If we signed ADC to 8 x 8 how would we have fit that under the cap while building out the roster? He seems so emotional and unprofessional he just gets excited about things like a kid and then doesn't know how to deal with the consequences.
Anyways rant over...cant wait for new ownership, a new GM, and new scouting to build a team based on logic and data versus emotional swings. Don't get me started on all the wasted pics either in the draft or bad trades for 3rd liners haha
I’m not a huge Dorion fan. He has a pattern of saying things publicly that either betray poor negotiating judgement by revealing too much, or of exposing his lack of thorough consideration of what his words mean. However, the Melnyk factor cannot be ignored. The owner’s impecunious state had to have limited and influenced Dorion to a significant degree. It did Murray who was far more experienced. So 6 years of futility is nothing to be happy with but the former owner has to take a ton of the blame as well. And the lengthy sale process may well be partially to blame for uncertainty recently as well.
I don't disagree that it would be challenging workign for a mercurial owner like Melnyk, but that's what Dorion signed up when he took the job knowing it was likely his only opportunity to get a GM job in the league. I find it hard to blame every mistake on the owner, however. I believe you can certainly see the influence of decisions over acquiring Duchene and pivoting shortly thereafter to a rebuild. On the other hand, it's Dorion allocating the money and acquiring the talent. He could have done a better job, even with the lack of resources and money available to him.
I’m not absolving him, but no one knows what limitations and bizarro direct orders he was given. I mentioned Murray: with far more experience and credibility he still caved to obvious desperation on the part of the owner to do PR signings and whatever it took to squeak into the playoffs while cheating out on what had been a robust and respected hockey ops. Hubris? Belief that despite the interference he could succeed? I don’t know. I’m not disagreeing with the argument PD has made many errors. I just think working for a mercurial and on the verge of bankruptcy at any minute boss contributed to his mindset. Like you said, this was his big shot to make it. He had no real profile or credibility as manager and a nutbar riding his shoulder. No money for ops, no money for proper scouting. For all his inexperience he never had Dubas’ level of support and resources to work with.
I feel like I’m defending PD far more than is my inclination. Was just trying to nuance his situation a bit and to put all the heat the former owner deserved for creating his own financial mess and consequently causing our team such a prolonged period of distress.