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Ducks GM Bob Murray puts blame for team’s lousy start on players, not coach Randy Carlyle

barstoolbob

James O’Brien

Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray can often be outspoken with the media. It’s great for generating headlines and juicy stories considering the fact that general managers usually speak as if they’re reading off of cliche-laden cue cards, but you wonder if the team might benefit from him staying out of the papers.

Regardless, Murray provided some rather interesting comments to Eric Stephens of the OC Register. In a nutshell, the occasionally fiery front office man exonerated Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle while throwing the roster he constructed under the bus.

Of course, this is usually the time when I point how the dreaded “vote of confidence” is usually a kiss of death for head coaches, but let’s at least give the Ducks GM the benefit of the doubt and take a look at his revealing statements.
“I’ve got total faith in Randy,” Murray said. “He’s won a Stanley Cup. That’s not an issue here. It’s up to the players. Enough excuses. Talking about coaches and things gives them an excuse when they have no excuses in my eye.”

In fact, Murray went as far as to say that the team might make a major change via a trade or other transaction.

Murray was also quite clear that he isn’t averse to making a major personnel shake-up if the Ducks don’t start winning soon as he pointed to an upcoming stretch where they play three straight at home and five of the next six at Honda Center.

In other words, the thought breaking off one part of the young core of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan in order to bring in a major piece and shake a team out of its slumber may be entertained.

“Fair question,” he said. “Eventually, that’s going to have to be in front of this group if they don’t get their act together. It’s going to be right in front of them. If they don’t know that then, well, I feel sorry for them.”


Murray might be talking tough about getting rid of Getzlaf, Perry or Ryan but here’s the bottom line: the trio might be flawed in some areas, but they are the strength of this team along with goalie Jonas Hiller.
Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf

From left, Anaheim Ducks’ Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, and Ryan Getzlaf, celebrate Ryan’s second goal against the San Jose Sharks in the second period of a first-round NHL hockey playoff game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, April 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)

AP

The Ducks simply need to surround them with quality role players, a depth scorer or two and (the hardest part) a defense that can help clean up their messes (especially on the penalty kill). Anaheim allows a league-high 38.8 shots per game, a startling number that is three shots worse than the second worst team in the NHL (Atlanta at 35.6). You cannot blame effort or preparedness alone for those kind of numbers; it’s clear that the Ducks are just a mess in their own zone.

That’s the kind of thing that falls to the coach and general manager most of all, not subjective concepts such as effort or elbow grease. Perhaps you could question the decision to make Getzlaf their captain - yes, he’s their best player, but he’s not always the kind of guy that sets a good example with his penchant take bad penalties and turn the puck over - but that also is as much about front office decision as it is about the character of guys on the roster.

The Ducks lost three of their lost four games and their 4-7-1 record parks them deep in the Western Conference cellar. It’s early in the season, but they need to make good on their four game homestand. The problem is that each of those four contests are tough; they already suffered a 5-2 loss to San Jose and host resurgent Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and pesky old Nashville. Losing all four of those games is not outside the realm of possibility.

If they fall apart during that stretch, the Quest to Find Who is Truly to Blame will progress from “dreaded vote of confidence” to “heads begin to roll.” I can’t help but guess that the team’s talented young trio enjoys better job security than their addled head coach as well as the general manager who wasn’t the boss until the team started missing the playoffs.

Either way, it could get ugly in Anaheim before things get better.