Burnside: Bob Murray back in NHL, 3 months after resignation for abusive and toxic behavior

It was the kind of announcement that has become so commonplace over the years that it might have passed without raising an eyebrow anywhere in the hockey world. Because it’s almost become a rite of passage that out of work NHL executives find themselves being taken on as scout or advisor of one kind or another with another NHL club.

The jobs usually don’t pay much and they aren’t, for the most part, considered integral to a team’s machinery but are more often than not a kind of courtesy post, a nod to past relationships that allows these people to stay connected to the game.

Given all that, the news Wednesday that former Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray had been brought on to scout for the Calgary Flames might have been considered a ho-hum transaction on many fronts.

Except Murray isn’t your average out-of-work NHL executive.

In mid-November, just over three months ago, Murray was forced to resign his post as GM of the Ducks and immediately entered an alcohol abuse program.

The resignation was the result of an investigation by an outside law firm hired by the Ducks into abusive and toxic behavior by Murray within the Ducks’ organization. The investigation was prompted by calls to an anonymous hotline set up by the NHL to give employees of the league and its members clubs at all levels a safe forum for reporting incidents of abuse or improper behavior. It did not take long for the outside law firm to find enough evidence to know that Murray could no longer remain in his post.

One anonymous Ducks source told Daily Faceoff‘s Frank Seravalli: “Working for Bob Murray was pure daily mental warfare. The abuse was endless. Crazy text messages to players and staff berating them for their performance and threats of job security happened with regularity. These weren’t one-time slip-ups or mistakes. These were regular explosions and eruptions.”

The Murray resignation was a high-profile illustration that the program was an important instrument in creating a stable and inviting workplace around the game. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman alluded to the program again during his media address at All Star weekend in Las Vegas saying calls were still coming in.

Both the Ducks and the league released statements at the time of Murray’s resignation reiterating that no form of abusive behavior was going to be tolerated at any level within the league.

“First and foremost, we apologize on behalf of the organization to anyone affected by misconduct from Bob,” the release on behalf of owners Henry and Susan Samueli read. “We expect every member of our organization to be treated with respect and will not stand for abuse of any kind.”

The league echoed those sentiments with their own statement which read, in part, “there is no excuse and there is no place in our League for that type of behavior that was recently reported through the NHL Hotline.”

“We thank the Ducks’ organization for its prompt and appropriate response to the Hotline reports,” the release continued. “The League and its Clubs are committed to a safe and welcoming workplace across the NHL and will continue to take any and all action necessary to achieve that goal.”

Now, less than four months later, Murray is back in the NHL fold. He reportedly entered an alcohol abuse program and apologized to Ducks employees.

Murray did not immediately respond to a text message Wednesday but in November the veteran player and executive said via the Ducks: “I want to apologize to anyone adversely affected by my behavior. I vow to make changes to my life starting with enrolling in a treatment program.”

After this story’s publication, Murray reached out to say he was interested in talking, but out of respect for his new employer wanted to clear it with Treliving first.

Certainly, scouting games which Murray will be doing for the Flames primarily in California, isn’t being an NHL GM with the attendant interaction with staff, players and coaches.

But there are some optics issues at play here that give us pause.

For the people who took the significant step to call the NHL’s hotline about what had become an oppressive situation in Anaheim with regular outbursts by Murray, does this invalidate their experiences if Murray can simply sign on with another NHL club a few months down the road, even if in a lesser role?

For people working for other teams or for the league, does Murray’s rapid return to NHL employment blunt the impact of the hotline and what it is meant to achieve in creating and maintaining a safe and stable work environment across the game?

Certainly, part of the dynamic of being able to report on abusive or inappropriate behavior is that there are repercussions, that those perpetrators pay a price for their behavior.

Calgary GM Brad Treliving is one of the game’s most upfront and open executives. He made it clear that there was a lot of discussion within the organization and beyond about bringing Murray aboard.

First, Treliving had long discussions with Murray about his personal health and his battle with alcohol.

Treliving said that Murray recognized the root of what happened in Anaheim was Murray’s drinking.

“And he came to the realization he couldn’t do that anymore,” Treliving said Wednesday.

Following those discussions, when it looked like there might be a way to help Murray back into the game, Treliving reached out to the NHL and received permission from the league to offer Murray a job.

On a purely practical side, Treliving has known Murray, 67, for years and trusts his judgment when it comes to evaluating players.

“In my opinion, one of his greatest strengths, I think he’s one of the best evaluators of talent in recent times quite frankly,” Treliving said. “He’s one of those guys, his joy, and his strength is in scouting and player identification and player evaluation.”

On the human side, Treliving saw someone who had been very good to him as a young NHL executive, who had made mistakes and had paid a significant price for those mistakes, and was now trying to address those problems in his personal life.

Was there a way for Treliving and the Flames to assist in rebuilding a career and a life?

“We all have challenges. We all make mistakes at some point,” Treliving said. “It’s easy to pick up a rock.”

It’s harder, sometimes, to extend a hand, the GM said. And that’s what Treliving said the Flames have done.

“This was a guy that I wanted to help,” Treliving said. “Bob’s a good person that made some mistakes.”

As much as Treliving believes that Murray and his experience can help the Flames, “I think we can help him as well.”

Cynics, of course, will suggest that this is another illustration of hockey’s old boys’ network at work and that there will always be a place at the table as long as you are part of that club – no matter what you’ve done.

But Treliving believes strongly in the league’s efforts to provide a safe and welcoming work place around the NHL including the hotline. And he doesn’t believe hiring Murray is in any way contradictory.

“I’m proud of the working environment we have here,” he said. “We know what is not going to be tolerated here and Bob is very comfortable with that.”