Bryan Murray says ‘it was the right time’ to leave Ottawa GM job

Bryan Murray wanted to spend more time with his family.

That was the message he gave when he announced he would step down as the Ottawa Senators general manager and handing over that role to assistant general manager Pierre Dorion.

“How much time I’ve taken away from my family, tolerant is an underused word, but putting up with me wanting to be the young man still in hockey, I felt after much discussion it was time to pull the plug,’ Murray said in a news conference announcing he would move into an advistory role within the organization. 

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The 74-year-old Murray added his health and his age were also factors in his choice, which became public Sunday morning. Murray was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer two summers ago. In an interview with TSN from November, 2014 Murray noted there was no cure for him at that time. Still, he had kept his role as general manager as he managed his disease.

“With the medical situation I’m in I felt I have to look after that as well and after talking to the doctors I’m involved with on a regular basis I thought it was the right decision to come to as well,” Murray said.

Murray often referenced how he never really looked at himself as a boss, but more someone who had last word on transactions after soliciting opinions from people he worked with.

“I’d like to think I had respect, I treated people fairly, I communicated well. I loved the game. I put a lot into the game,” Murray said. 

Since Murray’s diagnosis became public, there had often been speculation about when he would step down. The actual choice happened Wednesday.

“I thought about it. I met with (owner) Eugene (Melnyk) and we had a long discussion about where we’re going and what we’re doing and I just felt at the time, and I suggested at the time, I felt it was the right time,” Murray said. 

Murray added that all final team decisions will go through Dorion, who is in his ninth season with the Senators organization. He was the team’s director of player personnel before being named assistant GM in 2014. 

One of Dorion’s first choices will involve whether to bring back coach Dave Cameron. Melnyk was critical of Cameron in recent comments about the team and Dorion didn’t go into detail on a question about Cameron and the future of the coaching staff. 

The Senators finished the year 38-35-9 this season and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. The team ranked 26th in the league in goals allowed per-game at 2.94.

“I think for the question on the coaching staff, we’ll be meeting Dave and the coaches and a decision will follow,” Dorion said. “Today is more about Bryan than anyone else today. In the upcoming weeks we’ll have a chance to discuss it.”

Dorion did say he believed in the Senators’ players, adding, “We have a great nucleus of players here and I really think that through Bryan’s work, we’re on the right path of getting to a (Stanley) Cup.”

But he did say that there will be parts of the organization that will be under the microscope.

“As far as the future, anyone who falls under the umbrella of hockey in this organization will be evaluated,” Dorion said. “We can all talk about accountability, but for me results bring accountability. We are in a business of winning and positive results.”

Melnyk is known as one of the more ‘hands on’ owners in the NHL and he and Murray often appeared in lockstep in their decisions about the team. Dorion said he hadn’t had a lot of conversations with Melnyk but in the few they had “they’ve always been pleasant. He always asks very good questions about the team.”

Dorion said Murray gave him the ability to partake in some general manager type duties, which should help him in his job.

“Bryan has been the best teachers,” Dorion said. “He’s allowed me to talk to his counterparts. He’s allowed me to do contracts. He’s really given me the green light.” 

The Senators are in the draft lottery and have a 2.5 percent chance to move up in the order. Making the pick count is also important for Dorion.

“For us, not making the playoffs is simply unacceptable,” Dorion said. “I wasn’t hired here to bring the team to the playoffs but to succeed in the playoffs.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper