COLUMBUS

Bobby Ryan says the Senators should use the steely determination shown by ailing GM Bryan Murray as inspiration to turn their season into a feel-good story.

Sitting 10 points out of a playoff spot as the all-star break shifts into high gear Saturday with the Skills Competition at Nationwide Arena, Ryan told the Sun Friday in an interview the Senators won't wave the white flag on a playoff spot.

And, not only can the players do it for themselves, perhaps the Senators can give Murray, a man on the job while bravely battling Stage 4 colon cancer, a chance to get back to the playoffs after he indicated Thursday he will ponder his future at the end of this season.

"We've touched on it and we talked about it earlier as a team," Ryan said. "There is, right? There is extra, and I don't want to use the word incentive or the word motivation, because I don't know if that even hits it on the head.

"It hasn't been a rallying thing our guys in the room who have been saying 'Do it for Bryan, do it for Bryan' because the room has been so positive in the last (10 days). The room is positive because we're confident in what we've been doing for awhile. I think Bryan has taken more out of that than any rallying cry for him."

As they head to the Senators dressing room or step onto the ice at Canadian Tire Centre for practice, the players take notice Murray is on the job. He's at the rink every day, he's around, he's working the phones, he's pushing guys buttons and he hasn't changed a bit.

"He's at the rink still. He's doing his job still. At 72, would anybody blame him for just cashing it in and going and sitting on a beach and doing it another way?," Ryan said.

"He's doing it the Bryan Murray way which is impressive. His energy level is up and down but when he comes (into the rink) he certainly has it with him. Guys love having him around. You can see it in his eyes that he just loves to talk hockey. He likes to be around the game.

"Even if it's a tough day for him, he's more worried about guys in the locker room and how we're doing than himself. That's the kind of guy that makes you want to go play for him."

The players know Murray is there because he's spent his lifetime in hockey and, most of all, because he cares and he wants to win. He gets upset when the Senators lose and can't wipe the smile off his face when they have success.

"He's still spirited in both directions. It's inspiring," said Ryan. "That's one word I'd use: He's inspiring. I haven't had a long personal relationship with him because I haven't played for him very long but I'd like to think we're close now that I have been here.

"He's just an incredible human being that earns a lot of respect from a lot of people for the right reasons."

The Senators are disappointed in where they sit but the gap isn't insurmountable if they can put together a winning streak.

"That's all you can do is try to ourselves a chance going into the latter part of March and April," Ryan said. "Get yourself into striking distance.

"I don't think anybody is satisfied with where we're at. There's at least 10 points out there we let get away this year be it with overtime or shootouts for one and others that we had that we should have closed out. Those are the points that keep you up at night and those are the points that are going to matter more and more. As a group of guys, all we can control is our attitude. We've got to be a blue-collar, chip away team and we've got to be that over the next (10 weeks). It's going to be hard."

If Murray does decide to step away and take on an advisory role, the Senators wouldn't blame him one bit.

"There was obviously a sense of that. When he made his announcement that was a conclusion people had jumped to," Ryan said. "It is tough. At the same time, he's 72 with a health issue and I think it's the right thing for him if he feels that way health-wise, he certainly has the players support. It's a tough situation."

And, the Senators have learned, Murray is tough as nails.

Twitter: @sungarrioch