The Ottawa Senators raced to an unexpected NHL playoff berth last season after a tumultuous year that included an in-season coaching change. When Paul MacLean was fired in early December, Dave Cameron was elevated to the top spot for the Sens. Whether it was MacLean's firing or Cameron's coaching style, something clicked and the Senators pounced on an unexpected opportunity to reach the postseason by making up 14 points of ground in the month of February.
But the Cinderella run was short-lived and the Senators were bounced from the playoffs after just one whack at the Montreal Canadiens. Surely though, the thinking went in Ottawa, Cameron and Co. would be able to build on such a promising performance.
That hasn't been the case and it now sounds like Cameron will ultimately pay for the mediocre Senators season with his job.
"Dave Cameron - completely different story. I've got to tell you guys, when I left the Canadian Tire Centre last night, I had a pretty good sense that Dave Cameron was not going to be back as head coach of the Ottawa Senators next year," NHL insider Darren Dreger said Wednesday. "There's a lot of reasoning behind that, and Eugene Melnyk announced some of it yesterday, but it's a tough spot for Dave Cameron. He's done good work there and he's managed through some tough times. But again, by the sounds of things in Ottawa, it is more than likely there'll be a coaching change for next season."
That's got to be tough news to hear for Cameron considering he's had just one full season as the bench boss, but if Melnyk's recent words are any indication, something is soon to change in Ottawa and it may well be Cameron.
"I'm looking at all of it, right across the board, nobody is safe when you have a year like we just did," Melnyk said. "The status quo would just get us there again next year and this team cannot survive not making the playoffs. We have to do it by guts, we have to do it by hard work and we can get there and that's what we need to do. Nothing more. You can't just throw money at things. We know teams that have thrown money at things for decades and they've gotten nowhere. We need to do it a different way and I think we are."
Based on Dreger and Melnyk's comments - or lack thereof - it sounds like longtime Senators GM Bryan Murray is safe. Murray is dealing with colon cancer and has indicated in the recent past that he'd likely vacate his position, but has yet to do so. It's likely the team will give him the time and space to make whatever decision he wants.
As for Cameron though, the writing certainly seems to be on the wall. Melnyk went in on some of Cameron's decisions, specifically his decision to start backup Matt O'Connor in the Sens season-opener this year, among a number of other "tiny mistakes."
O'Connor wound up allowing three goals on 34 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Habs.
Melnyk though, made no mention of his own penny pinching and its contribution to the Senators' atrocious defense. But that's how it goes when you sign the checks.
With his comments this week, Melnyk has certainly put the franchise on notice, and assuming this report is accurate, it may only be a matter of time before Cameron is a goner in Ottawa.
