As tributes continue to pour in, Bryan Murray is being remembered for his engaging personality, witty one-liners, splashed with a dash of sarcasm.

He was an endearing gentleman whose smile would light up a room.

On many nights, viewing his Senators club from high above Canadian Tire Centre ice, Murray could be seen displaying a myriad of emotions.

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When the Senators earned a victory or scored a goal, Murray would simply smile and give a quick raise of a fist. If his team lost or was scored upon, Murray feverishly made notes as if he were still a bench boss.

Throughout his 36 years in professional hockey either as a coach, general manager or president of hockey operations, Murray was known as a staunch negotiator, unafraid to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal.

As Panthers GM, his acquisition of Olli Jokinen and Roberto Luongo from the Islanders in exchange for Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish was downright thievery. Other moves, such as picking up Kris Draper from the Jets for $1 and plucking Kyle Turris from the Coyotes for little return, benefited his Red Wings and Senators teams.

Not to mention Entry Draft deals; he traded a pair of second-rounders to the Stars for an opportunity to select Corey Perry No. 28 in 2003. This move was made all-the-better as Murray had already drafted Ryan Getzlaf in the 19th spot, making the Ducks an instant contender.

And who knows where the Senators would be if Murray hadn’t traded up three positions in 2008 to nab Erik Karlsson?

My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Murray family. Thank you for everything Bryan. You gave me the chance to be who I am today. — Erik Karlsson (@ErikKarlsson65) August 12, 2017

Murray was rarely on the receiving end of a questionable deal. However, swapping netminder Ben Bishop to the Lightning for Cory Conacher gave Senators fans plenty of Hot Stove fodder.

At the time, the GM was forced to choose between the trio of Craig Anderson, Robin Lehner and Bishop. Looking back, it certainly was a tough call as Bishop was primarily an American Leaguer, while Lehner was considered the heir apparent to Anderson.

Contrary to belief, not every player had it go their way with Murray.

Former NHLer Jason York shared differences for several years. Things started off rosy in 2001 after the defenseman inked a three-year contract with the Ducks, where Murray was at the helm.

Despite a 13th place finish in the West, York thoroughly enjoyed his time playing for the respected coach.

“As a coach he was really funny on the bench. Bryan had a way about him. Our Anaheim team wasn’t very good. He would say stuff to totally catch guys off guard. When things were going bad, he always knew what to say,” York told Sporting News Canada.

“He would tell the players about overcoming adversity. He would tell us how he got to be where he is. How he became a coach. That was one of the speeches, I will always remember,” said the now-Rogers Sportsnet Canadiens TV analyst.

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Murray graduated from McGill University’s MacDonald College. Prior to returning to his alma mater to coach Varsity, Murray spent time as a phys-ed teacher in his hometown of Shawville, Quebec.

The following season took on a different demeanour. Murray replaced Pierre Gauthier as GM. Mike Babcock was hired to coach.

As part of a roster shake-up, York was traded to the Predators.

Currently a part-owner of the CCHL’s Kemptville 73’s, York recognizes that it was just “business.” Many GM’s have a tendency to ship out players signed under previous management. York’s situation wasn’t unique.

Upon retiring in 2008, York joined TSN1200 in Ottawa as a radio host and got to know the Senators GM in a non-hockey environment. York is glad he did just that.

After meeting Murray, a chuckling York told Sporting News Canada, “Because I got to know Bryan and found out he was such a good guy -- as hard as I tried, I couldn’t dislike him.”

One day over a beer, York finally asked Murray the question, “Why did you trade me?”

Murray, in typical witty fashion, transferred all the blame to Babcock, drawing laughter and a lasting memory.

The Senators will hold a public Celebration of Life for Murray at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.