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Sens’ Murray has ‘talked to a number of teams’ about moving up at draft

Bryan Murray

Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray speaks to reporters about trading forward Alex Kovalev to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011. In return, the Senators receive a conditional seventh-round pick in this summer’s draft. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

AP

The 2013 NHL Entry Draft is believed to be one of the deepest in recent memory.

So, no surprise a number of GMs are trying to get in on the action.

One of those is Ottawa’s Bryan Murray who, on Tuesday, said he wants to move up from his club’s current position -- No. 17 overall -- and has already made calls to make it happen.

“If you move up, there’s a chance to maybe get that better player,” Murray told the Ottawa Citizen. “I’ve talked to a number of teams and asked them to consider possibility of flipping picks or doing something where they might get what they need out of it and we might get what we need out of it.”

Murray said he’s angling for a top-six forward. Problem is, he probably won’t be able to get one at Ottawa’s current draft position.

It’s no surprise he’s looking to add something dynamic up front.

Following the Sens’ second-round elimination to Pittsburgh, Murray said his top priority was to add offense to a team that averaged just 2.33 goals per game this season.

With a questionable free agent market and uncertainty as to which players will be bought out, trying to find offense via the draft is as good a strategy as any.

But, as Murray points out, teams currently holding high picks at the draft are often hesitant to move them.

“I don’t know if anybody will consider [trading], but I know as you get closer to the draft, if you have a pick very high up, it’s very hard to make the decision to move back,” he explained.

“I’m not thinking that will happen, but we at least have to make the calls and to suggest we’re open to talk.”