I was totally surprised to hear Bryan Murray decline to say that this year's Senators were Stanley Cup contenders. While he attempted to skate around the question, Murray was forced in the end to say that his goal was to see the Sens make the playoffs.



"It's a good building project with good veterans", said Murray. "We'll be a competitive team and we project to improve. Our goal is to get to the playoffs in a comfortable position. Once in the playoffs, anything can happen". A "bulding project"??

That smells suspisciously like someone trying to avoid stating absolutes; like someone trying to protect his job. Murray had a one-year extension pinned to his contract as Genral Manager to the Sens last February. On that occasion, Murray said "I feel that we have moved this franchise into a strong position where we can challenge for the Stanley Cup each season". So what happened since?

What happened were some hard salary cap realities. Murray had to get rid of all his rental players, and lose a great shutdown defenceman in Anton Volchenkov. He has brought Alex Kovalev from Montreal, a decision that famously didn't pay off. He brought Pascal Leclaire as a goaltending saviour, another decision that has famously not paid off.

Asked who impressed him during camp, Murray said that of course he was impressed with Sergei Gonchar, but also with Jared Cowen. Well of course he would say that. Gonchar is Murray's latest (and perhaps last) big dollar gamble, and Cowen was his first round pick in 2009. The man has to put those decisions in the best light possible, as they may be the ones that make or break him as a GM.

In an effort to redeem himself, Murray is trying to make the Senators a little more offensive. Asked about the loss of Volchekov, Filip Kuba's injury, and whether he would be looking for more blue line help, Murray replied that the team was good to go as it is. "We count on having the puck a little more", said Murray. One should hope so. While Sergei Gonchar is a good blueliner, he brings an even more potent offensive element to the Sens. But there is a serious lack of shutdown D-men on the roster.

I find it somewhat disappointing to see Murray, a local man that I respect for his usually strongly held views, become somewhat wishy-washy. It could be that Murray is trying to play his cards close to the chest, or that he is very delicately calling a spade a spade in that the Sens are truly not Cup contenders this year. If so, those are comments not likely to put butts in the seats at Scotiabank Place.

But I don't think so. More than anything, Bryan Murray sounded like a man who was looking at the season ahead with fingers crossed behind his back.