Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Sens GM Murray: Ryan will ‘probably’ play with Spezza, Michalek

Bobby Ryan

Bobby Ryan #9 of the Anaheim Ducks awaits a face off during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on March 31, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Ducks 4-0. (March 30, 2012 - Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

Sounds like Bobby Ryan will be getting top-line minutes in Ottawa this season.

In speaking with the Ottawa Sun, Sens GM Bryan Murray said Ryan would likely play in a top three role next season, meaning he’d be with Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek, who occasionally played on the aforementioned “SAM” line along with former team captain Daniel Alfredsson, now in Detroit.

“I think he likes to play the left side more than the right side,” Murray said of Ryan. “I know Milan can play the right side pretty well too.

“I would think he’s probably in our Top 3, so therefore probably with Spezz.”

There was some thought Ottawa would keep Spezza and Michalek with Colin Greening -- the trio performed well together last season -- and put Ryan on a line centered by Kyle Turris, along with newly-acquired LW/RW Clarke MacArthur.

But loading up the No. 1 line appears to be the way Ottawa will go.

In other news, it doesn’t sound as though Murray will be looking to make any more trades in the near future.

“We’ve got bodies, and if we have to do something, we’ll have to go try and go do it,” said Murray. “But I don’t want to give up more kids right now if I can help it.”

Related to Murray’s goal of keeping the “kids” -- who are playing on cheaper, entry-level deals -- embattled Sens owner Eugene Melynk got more bad financial news on Tuesday, as his plan to build a casino was scuttled by the city.

Melnyk had hoped the casino project would offset the “substantial losses” of the hockey club.