Anaheim Ducks: Another Open Letter to Bob Murray

It’s time that we had a very serious discussion with the Anaheim Ducks General Manager. In another open letter to Bob Murray, we discuss some of the pressing issues at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

To the Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mr. Bob Murray,

For ten wonderful years, you have sat at the helm of the Anaheim Ducks organization, captaining the ship that Henry Samueli has entrusted you with. Under your guidance, the fans have seen their team make eight playoff appearances and win five consecutive Pacific Division titles.

Year after year, we are reminded of how tactical you are when it comes to drafting players who will make the future of your team better and brighter. The infamous last-minute trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that secured us both Rickard Rakell and John Gibson is among one of my favorites.

You’ve found diamonds in the rough that others could have easily walked right by. Drafting Ondrej Kase in the seventh round was a brilliant move. Plus, who can forget the day you signed elite 1 C, Derek Grant?

There have been many trades that have happened under your regime. Most of them, but not all of them, have benefited the franchise in so many ways. You stole Ryan Kesler away from the Vancouver Canucks and pulled Andrew Cogliano out of the “oil slick” in Edmonton.

In ten years, you’ve built yourself a very impressive resume that you should be proud of. Your GM of the Year award in 2014 is enough to make you reveared by your colleagues around the NHL. However, despite all the good you have done for this team, it’s time for us to have a serious discussion…

Please Reconsider Your Stance on the Coaching Situation

After keeping quiet for some time, you finally came out and made a statement about the recent state of the Anaheim Ducks. While I do agree that it is wise to start holding the players to a higher standard, you’ve been avoiding the elephant in the room for some time now.

It’s time to cut the umbilical cord and let Randy Carlyle go. I understand. You two have a great friendship that has blossomed over the past decade. You fired him once, and now that you’ve brought him back, you don’t want to lose the connection you’ve built upon over the past few years.

You want him in the front office and I think all of Ducks Nation is right there with you. He could be a very valuable asset in a position like that. Firing him could make the transition rough. However, he has reached his expiration date behind the bench and his presence has become like a foul odor in the nostrils of the team and fans alike.

I also believe that Carlyle has come to the realization that his days behind the bench are numbered. His reaction to a recent question about his job security corroborates my assumptions.

We know you are aware of the recent state of the team. We see you night after night in your press box, head in your hands. Sometimes, you even leave early because I’m sure watching the Anaheim Ducks play turns your stomach.

You’ve been in this business longer than Ducks Nation has been around, I know you are aware of where the real issues lie. What makes us so upset is the fact that you dance around the issue. You’ve stated on numerous occasions that Randy Carlyle is the hope for this team.

That statement in itself is laughable. We just want you to be honest with us. All we’ve ever asked for is a little bit of honesty.

Ducks Nation has come to terms with the fact that Randy Carlyle is here to stay until at least the end of the season. Hopefully, then you will reconsider and slowly ease him into a front office position.

Until then, the least we deserve is sincere honesty from the General Manager of the team we have all come to love over the past 25 years.

Your Recent Trades Make No Sense, But I’m Willing to Give Them a Chance

When you came out and said that it was time for you to hold your players to a higher standard, I was adamant at holding you to your word. You’ve created somewhat of a reputation for yourself in this regard. Ducks Nation knows you don’t like to move assets if you have no hope for your team, especially if all you get in return is a rental.

Still, I could sense the urgency in your statement and I had my fingers crossed that you would follow through. Sure enough, I woke up the next morning to the news that you had traded a beloved fan favorite, Andrew Cogliano.

Many were upset, yes, but this was one move I did understand. As dedicated as he was to the Ducks and hockey in general, his decline was evident. He became the player that was hurting his team more than he was helping it. However, a lot of it had more to do with the position Randy Carlyle put him in than anything.

Regardless, I have been saying all season that I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had already put Cogs on notice. Low and behold, you did just that and sent him packing.

What didn’t make sense to me, however, was trading him for Devin Shore. Face it, Murray, the shutdown line is dead. Trading Andrew Cogliano for a younger version of himself doesn’t help the Anaheim Ducks at all.

Nevertheless, before I become too quick to judge, I am willing to give Shore a chance. He looked decent in his opening shift against the Detroit Red Wings and it’s not his fault that the injuries happened and everything fell apart in the last period.

Then, yesterday you dropped a bomb on Ducks Nation. In all the years I have been a fan, I have never seen you make so many moves in one day. I had thought the Andrew Cogliano trade had sent a clear message, but I realized that you weren’t messing around when you made three consecutive trades throughout the day.

Still, despite you staying true to your word and making a change in Anaheim, your moves make absolutely no sense. There offer no solution to the most pressing issues. In fact, they very well may add to it.

First, after scratching him several games in a row, you trade Pontus Aberg to the team the Anaheim Ducks are playing against tonight, the Minnesota Wild. As much as the fans love him, moving him seemed logical. His numbers were not sustainable and his production was starting to drop significantly.

However, what bothers me is that you never gave him a chance to prove himself. To make things worse, you traded one of the Anaheim Ducks leading goal scorers for a player who has one game of NHL experience.

Justin Kloos has heart, but he is an AHL guy through and through. He offers no solution to the Anaheim Ducks except taking Max Jones or Troy Terry‘s place down in San Diego, but I will touch more on that later.

Luke Schenn was a nice surprise for Ducks Nation. Since the day you acquired him, we’ve been pleading with you to send him away. I am sure he is a wonderful person, but he’s another one of those veteran players you acquired because you’re focused more on leadership than talent and ability.

The Ducks could certainly use more leadership, but they have to bring something to the table other than just good sportsmanship and a veteran presence. While I would normally discourage trading within the division at this point in the season, I don’t think Luke Schenn will be the player who propels the Vancouver Canucks forward in the playoff race.

Michael Del Zotto is not a player I am familiar with, but he does seem to have more to offer than Schenn. So, I give you props for finding a player who may bring something to the table. Nevertheless, he is still not the solution to the Ducks defensive issues.

He is another veteran player who promises to add speed to the roster. While, again, I am not familiar with him, I am nervous that you have acquired another bottom 3 defenseman that the Anaheim Ducks don’t need.

Still, I am willing to give him a chance. He could provide leadership on the bottom d-pairing that the Ducks need. Hopefully, he has some talent to go along with it.

Then, you acquired Derek Grant from the Pittsburgh Penguins. While I am so incredibly thankful for everything Grant did for the Anaheim Ducks organization last season, the center has not thrived with the Pens this season, having only five points to his name.

I admit, I am looking forward to seeing him back on the ice. He had great chemistry with the team last season and he’s a great fourth line center. However, I am of the opinion that you should have given Sam Steel another chance in the NHL.

He has been doing great things down in San Diego lately and the Ducks need more young and talented blood in their line up. Trading one of your best AHL players for a player who has five points this season is a bold move, and not necessarily in a good way.

Joseph Blandisi probably wouldn’t have worked his way back into the Ducks lineup again this season and probably not next season either, but the kid is talented and he has great leadership skills. I get the feeling that you never really gave him a chance to prove himself in the NHL.

Now, the Anaheim Ducks have all these new players that don’t offer a solution to the glaring issues at hand. Nevertheless, you’re a professional and I’m willing to trust you. I will embrace these new players, but I am hesitant. I just hope you prove all of us wrong.