Dorion says money is there for moves
In addition to Karlsson, new contracts needed for Stone, Duchene and Ceci
Pierre Dorion is confident he’ll be able to keep the Ottawa Senators together.
Talk about the future of Erik Karlsson will continue with the Senators set to make their captain an offer for a long-term contract extension on July 1.
But the Senators general manager said Thursday he had no concerns about his budget with the likes of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Cody Ceci also approaching new deals.
“We’ll be as competitive a team as we need to be,” Dorion said during a media conference at Canadian Tire Centre. “Whatever funds we’ve felt we’ve needed to have success, they’ve been available.
“I have this great example at the first town-hall meeting. When I made the Matt Duchene deal, (Dorion and owner Eugene Melnyk) were sitting in a suite together in Belleville on Nov. 1 and I said, ‘There’s a good chance we can get Matt Duchene and this is what we’re looking at and there’s a difference of US$1.5 to $2 million in salaries.’ His simple answer was: ‘Is it a good hockey deal?’ I said, ‘Yes, it is,’ and he said, ‘Don’t worry about that. Just go ahead and do it.’ ”
Dorion acknowledged both the Senators’ 30th-place finish overall this season and that some of his moves didn’t work out as intended.
“I take a lot of responsibility for what happened,” Dorion said. “I think when you’re at the head of the hockey operations and you finish in 30th place, you have to look in the mirror.
“When it comes to off-season signings, some didn’t pan out as well as we expected and I take full responsibility for that. I’ve always said when it comes to top-end guys, we’re going to consult the scouting staff a bit more. And when it comes to role players, you’re going to consult more with the coaches.”
TEAM AWARD TO BE NAMED AFTER PITRE
Dorion confirmed Thursday the Senators would name their hardest worker award for development camp in June after Jonathan Pitre.
The 17-year-old Pitre, a close friend of many in the Senators organization and one of the team’s biggest fans, passed away Feb. 4. He signed a one-day contract as a scout in 2014 and last season the whole team visited Pitre and his mother Tina Boileau in Minnesota, where he was receiving stemcell transplants in a bid to treat his epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a painful, blistering skin disease.
“It’s always the most prestigious award in the camp,” Dorion said. “The recipients have either probably all been NHL players or are close to being in the NHL.
“We’re going to rename that award the Jonathan Pitre Award in honour of him. He spoke at our development camp and in the 11 years I’ve been here, it was probably the most heartfelt, honest meeting that we’ve ever had. It just makes sense.”
Dorion gave credit for the idea to a Senators fan who attended one of the recent town-hall meetings.
“It came from one of our fans (asking), ‘How can you honour him?’ And I think, Jonathan being a younger person, it reflects well on our prospects,” Dorion said.
OFF THE GLASS
The Senators discussed the possibility of contract buyouts with some players during exit meetings this week. Dorion wouldn’t name individuals Thursday. “Out of respect to the players we discussed it with, we’re going to, for now, keep it internal,” Dorion said. “But in the exit interviews, it was brought up with more than one player.” The Senators will likely study the possibility of buying out veteran wingers Marian Gaborik and Alex Burrows. Burrows was waived just before the trade deadline in February and received limited playing time down the stretch. Gaborik will have to regain his health after surgery on a herniated disc in his back and needs time to recover before the Senators could make that move with him ... Representatives of the Canadian team going to the world hockey championship in Denmark talked to Ceci, but he won’t attend because of his pending status as a restricted free agent July 1 and the insurance issues involved. Centre Filip Chlapik will have a chance to play for the Czech Republic, while goalie Filip Gustavsson will suit up for Sweden after the Belleville Senators’ American Hockey League season ends Sunday.
THE LAST WORDS
Dorion clarified on Thursday the description of a discussion he had with winger Mike Hoffman in an exit interview Monday, but it remained pretty clear that the Senators challenged him to be better next season. “Pure talent, Mike Hoffman is in the top percentile in this league,” Dorion said. “Shooting, skating, passing ability, Mike Hoffman is a pure, natural talent. I think, at the forward position, he’s one of the best, if not our most skilled guy. Randy (Lee, the Sens’ assistant GM) and I just challenged him on where does he think he is on a scale of whatever level. ‘How do you think you played and why was that?’ And more importantly, ‘ Why will you be better next year?’ He responded well.” ... Dorion said the Senators had been caught off guard when winger Clarke MacArthur, who has a history of concussions, failed his medical exam at training camp last September. “We couldn’t control that. I wouldn’t say it was unexpected, but it caught us by surprise and maybe we would have been more ready for it had it come earlier in the summer.”
Whatever funds we’ve felt we’ve needed to have success, they’ve been available.