from James Gordon of Senators Extra,

“I think where we are now is … it’s a very fine, a fine line. It’s very easy to sit back and say, ‘oh, why doesn’t Melnyk spend more? He doesn’t spend, he doesn’t spend.’ Well, hold on a second, first things first, we spend right down the centre,” he said, referring to the salary cap range (the top of the cap is just over $64 million, the bottom $44 million).

“We’re not the New York Rangers, we’re not the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I’m trying to keep ticket prices reasonable, because there’s a very delicate balance between ticket pricing, attendance and being able to put a competitive team (on the ice).”

The internal cap has become the source of some anger for fans who insist you must spend close to the cap to truly compete in the National Hockey League.

If the Senators had just agreed to Alfredsson’s initial contract demands and ponied up a couple million dollars more per season, he’d still be here. Furthermore, if they’d done that and added Bobby Ryan, they’d be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Melnyk’s response?

“If we want to even spend a few extra million dollars, that just goes right out of my pocket. It’s a business, people have to understand. This is not philanthropy. I love the team, but there’s only so much you can bear.”

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