Bryan Murray may be deep in thought over the holiday season.

The Ottawa Senators general manager, who's maintaining his position with the club as he continues his fight against cancer, is set to make a decision about whether he'll extend his tenure or step aside when his contract expires at season's end, according to Pierre LeBrun during Thursday's "Insider Trading" segment on TSN.

"His deal is up at the end of the year, he has to make a decision," LeBrun reported. "And what I'm told is that over the next month, he's going to do a lot of soul searching, talk to his family, talk to a lot of people close to him, and maybe by the end of January but maybe beyond - because it's a sensitive decision - he'll decide whether he feels he has it in him to continue on as GM next year.

"Or, does he step aside, become a part-time advisor, and does (assistant) Pierre Dorion become the next GM of the Ottawa Senators? He's going to put a lot of time thinking into that over the next month."

Murray has served as GM of the Senators since 2007, and was named to the post shortly after coaching the team in the Stanley Cup Final that year.

This season marks his 22nd as a general manager, after serving four years with the Detroit Red Wings, six-plus seasons with the Florida Panthers, and two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks.