Senators GM Murray unwilling to make reactionary move at deadline

OTTAWA – Despite losing his top centre and the Ottawa Senators fighting for a playoff spot, general manager Bryan Murray didn’t make a significant move at the NHL trade deadline Monday.

Murray announced Monday morning forward Kyle Turris is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain. That’s a big blow to an Ottawa team that’s four points behind Pittsburgh for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot but Murray wasn’t willing to make a reactionary move prior to the 3 p.m. ET deadline.

“We had a list of a number of guys who play centre, obviously you can’t get a top player at this time of year but we did talk to a number of teams about guys that potentially would be available,” said Murray. “At the end of the day we decided we probably had enough players to fill that role if we had to do that.

“So we just stuck with our own.”

Murray did send left-winger Shane Prince and a 2016 seventh-round pick to the New York Islanders for a ’16 third-round selection. Prince had three goals and nine assists in 42 games.

“He wasn’t playing much here and he deserved to play,” Murray said. “He’s a good guy, worked hard in practice, did all the things but we felt there were a couple people in line that could take that job and the coaching staff appeared to like more.”

Ottawa also acquired forward Michael Keranen from Minnesota for defenceman Connor Allen.

Murray admitted he spoke with Tampa GM Steve Yzerman about suspended Lightening forward Jonathan Drouin.

“I spoke to him two or three times (Monday) and I talked to him a lot over the last few weeks,” Murray said. “He kind of knew what he wanted to accomplish with the player and if it didn’t happen he was going to wait until the summer to decide what to do.

“I don’t know what will happen now, it’s his player and what he has to do he has to do. But he felt if he didn’t get a player that could really help them in the playoffs this year and more that he was just going to stand pat.”

Murray also talked with Florida GM Dale Tallon regarding Brandon Pirri before the forward was dealt to Anaheim.

Turris was extremely disappointed with the timing of his injury but is confident his teammates will make a solid run down the stretch.

“I’ve just been trying to help out in any way I can,” he said. “We just kind of came to the determination that it’s hard to get around the ice now and made the decision to get better.”

Turris was initially injured Dec. 5 against the New York Islanders. He continued playing but needed time off following a Jan. 18 contest against San Jose.

Turris missed nearly three weeks before returning. Since the initial injury he had two goals and six assists and went 26 games without a goal and 15 contests without registering a point.

Turris has 13 goals and 17 assists through 57 games.

“I was just trying to help the team any way I could and obviously in terms of production I wasn’t doing that very well,” said Turris.

If practice combinations are any indication, it appears the Senators will go with Mika Zibanejad, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Curtis Lazar and Nick Paul at centre.

“We haven’t got anybody pegged that has to put on their Superman cloak and do something that’s outside of what they’re capable of,” said head coach Dave Cameron. “It’s just everybody maybe be a little more focused, a little more excited because they know they’re going to get some ice time that normally Kyle would take.”

NOTES — Murray also noted veteran defenceman Chris Phillips won’t return this season because of a back injury.