BOCA RATON, FLA.

As a general rule, it’s an honour that has been saved for general managers who are retired.

Fortunately, there are exceptions to every rule.

But Senators’ GM Bryan Murray admitted he was hesitant to accept the invitation to be recognized by his 29 other peers during the NHL general managers meetings Monday night because it’s something normally not done.

Accompanied by his wife, Geri, — and with his nephew Tim Murray (GM of the Buffalo Sabres) in the room — Bryan Murray is well aware this could be an emotional night in a lot of ways.

“I am and I’m not (looking forward to it),” said Murray. “I look it always as the guys who had retired and they were honouring them in that way. It’s a nice honour, obviously, when you are in the league this long, when you have the chance to be recognized for longevity, if nothing else, it’s good.”

Thirty-six years ago, Murray left behind his life in Shawville, Que., and took a full-time job with the WHL’s Regina Pats and he’s been on the road since. There have been bumps along the way, but here he is, at 72-years-old, still grinding away, trying to win that elusive Stanley Cup with the Senators.

Battling Stage 4 colon cancer and going through regular chemotherapy treatments, Murray hasn’t missed a day of work. He’s in the dressing room pushing players’ buttons, he works the phones regularly, he sits in his box at the Canadian Tire Centre and he makes everyone feel good when he’s around.

Murray has had a remarkable career lifetime as a GM and a coach. He took the expansion Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks to the Stanley Cup final as a GM and went back behind the bench with the Senators in 2006-07 to lead them to the final against the Ducks.

On and off the ice, he’s made a contribution. That’s why the decision was made to give a good man his due. His greatest asset over the years is Murray’s ability to communicate. Murray has a tremendous knack for using his biting sense of humour to make his point with those work with him.

“To get right to the very bottom of Bryan, you have to go back to his roots,” said Nashville Predators’ GM David Poile, a close friend who first met Murray in Washington in 1980. “Bryan, by education, is and was, a teacher. He knows the X’s and O’s of the game of hockey really well and I don’t think there’s anyone who will dispute that. But, first and foremost, he’s a teacher.

“As a teacher, he really knows his players. He knows how to communicate with them. He knows how to push their buttons and he’s got a great way, a unique, way about him. Some that don’t know him would say he’s a little sarcastic from time to time. The way he talks to them, he gets to them and he gets them to understand what it takes to play. He gets them motivated.

“As a teacher, he just loves to be influential on players’ careers and he is and has been for his coaching and managing career.”

Look in, and outside, the NHL and there’s a road map of people who have either worked with or for Murray at some point in their careers. He’s touched a lot of lives since he took over the Capitals’ coaching job in 1981-82. Since then, there have been stops in Detroit, Florida, Anaheim and Ottawa.

There are those who will tell you they owe their careers to Murray, mostly thanks to his belief in them and his fierce loyalty. If you earn Murray’s trust, he’ll let you do your job, challenge your decisions and make sure every move made is in the best interests of the organization.

“A lot of us have worked with Bryan, and for Bryan, and learned a lot from him and are very thankful for our association with him,” said Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, who worked with Murray for 10 years in Florida and Anaheim.

“In my case, I wouldn’t even be in the league if it wasn’t for Bryan. He employed me for a long time. When I was fired in Florida in 2002, he hired me about six weeks later to work with him in Anaheim. My wife and I are incredibly thankful for everything he’s done for my career.

“He’s certainly — probably outside of my dad (Cliff Fletcher) — the most influential person I’ve met in my career and possibly even my life. He’s had such an impact on me and so many others.”

Murray has earned everything he’s gotten. Nothing has been handed to him, but he’s gotten the most out of people and players because he has a personality that makes them want to rally around him.

“He’s an unbelievable human being. He’s very thoughtful and he treats people the right way,” said Fletcher. “When you work for Bryan, he gives you the job, tells you what he wants you to do and lets you do it. He doesn’t stand over your shoulder and manage every detail.

“He’s just always supportive. He’s a guy you can talk to about anything. He’s a teacher by trade, he’s a very strong communicator. He knows how to motivate people and work with them. He’s got such a great heart.”

Murray has always empowered people to do their jobs.

“It’s all about people in our business. I’ve said that to everybody and anybody who will listen,” he said. “Sometimes, I was accused of being too hard with players in the early days in Washington. I always had great respect for them. I pushed them. I wanted them to accomplish what they could in their careers.

“Just give people a job, tell them what you expect and if they don’t do it, do something about it, but help them along, compliment and help them do it better.”

No, he doesn’t know what next year will bring and that’s why he wasn’t sure if he wanted to accept being honoured.

“I really don’t know what I’m doing next year whether I’m stepping down or staying the course for a bit longer,” said Murray. “To be thought of in that vein is a nice thing.

“I love being around the team, especially now with a whole bunch of young kids that are going to get better and we’re going to be better as a result. We made a decision to try to build a team with home-grown players and I’m really pleased with the run lately. It’s hard, when you’re involved, because it’s a trap business and you always see the good in the future. I’ll take a hard look at the end of the year and see.”

It may be hard for everyone to get through this evening but it will mean a lot.

“It will be an emotional night,” Fletcher said, “but also a very good night.”

SO HOW WILL THE CAP FIT?

Call it a meeting of the minds.

The NHL’s 30 general managers will gather early Monday morning at the posh Waldorf Astoria Boca Beach Club to decide what’s next and what’s best for the game down the road.

While the play on the ice is in good shape, there are some pressing matters on the agenda for the GMs during the three days of meetings that will wrap up Wednesday before lunch when everybody will head their separate ways for the run to the playoffs.

First, and foremost, the GMs will get a glimpse from the league on where the salary cap may be headed next year. There has been plenty of speculation that the $69.4-million ceiling may not rise at all because of the weak Canadian dollar and the fact that the NHLPA may not exercise its 5% inflator.

But the belief is the cap will come in somewhere in the $71- to $72-million range, even if the looney doesn’t improve, because revenues are up and it would be difficult for it to stay flat. That’s not great news for teams that have already spent for next year, but it’s better than the alternative.

The biggest debates will be held for coaches challenges, goaltender interference and the possibility of 3-on-3 overtime as a way to cut down on the number of shootouts. They’ve been experimenting with it in the AHL this season and the GM’s are going to be presented with the results.

“I do want to hear what everyone else has to say because it will be a collective decision and I want us to be together on this,” said Nashville GM David Poile. “My personal opinion is I’d probably like to try (3-on-3). I’d prefer to end more games 4-on-4 and 3-on-3. I’d like to hear other people and I could be influenced.”

Goalie interference and the coaches challenges are also hot topics because they could require video review and lengthen the game. The GMs just want to see the right calls made and many are open to debate.

“I’m looking forward to that type of discussion and see what people have to say because I think it gets to be a complicated issue,” said Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher.

“In every sport, there seems to be more and more review. I just think there always seem to be angles for coaches to use tactics to delay the game a bit. There are a lot of different factors involved in this.”

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