Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk would like to see Bryan Murray raise the Stanley Cup as the clubs general manager. After extending Murrays contract through the 2015-16 season, Melnyk also extended that window and put something of a timer on that ultimate goal. "We think that we have all the core group in place," Melnyk said on a conference call Monday. "I think if we were on the same trajectory as we have been over the last few years, that its ultimately going to lead to a championship-type team." Murray, who was given the additional title of president of hockey operations, agreed to serve as an adviser for two seasons after his tenure as general manager is up. After building this group over the past six-plus seasons, he hopes not to have to wait too long for a title. "I think obviously the objective is to do it when Im here as a general manager," Murray said. "The core we have is a very good core, its young." And Murray knows that inexperience can lead to growing pains. The Senators struggled for much of the first half of this season, going 14-17-7 before a recent run put them within two points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Success made working out an extension for Murray easier because Melnyk wanted to negotiate during an "upswing" and "ensure that nobody ever would think that this was some kind of knee-jerk reaction to what was not an optimal beginning to the season." The timing seemingly had more to do with the departure of assistant GM Tim Murray, Bryans nephew, who was hired as the Buffalo Sabres head man last week. In addition to extending Murray, the Senators promoted Pierre Dorion and Randy Lee to assistant general managers. Dorion, who was already in charge of scouting and drafting, takes on contract-negotiation duties, while Lee, who was in charge of player development, also becomes GM of Ottawas AHL affiliate in Binghamton. "Its a great day for all of us going forward," Murray said. More moves could be coming down the line to bolster the hockey operations department, though not on the management side. Murray said the Senators could perhaps use "another set of eyes" in the scouting department. "We lost a pretty good evaluator in Tim, so do we have enough?" Murray said. "I believe we do for now. If we have to do something in the future because of other coverage, then well address it at that time." For now, Murray can go about his job with some extra security. Hes considering moves before the trade deadline to bolster Ottawas playoff hopes, and he and his assistants will have some work to do on current contracts. "We understand that weve got about five players that are important parts of the present team that we have to make a decision on and do a contract for," he said. "Were kind of setting ourselves up to do that." Winger Milan Michalek and defenceman Chris Phillips are set to be unrestricted free agents this summer, while goaltender Robin Lehner will be a restricted free agent. Captain Jason Spezza, winger Bobby Ryan and defenceman Marc Methot are up in the summer of 2015. "As we go forward over the next few months well make contact with the agents and see in a couple cases if we can extend them," Murray said without naming names. "A couple of them we have to wait until July 1. But internally were making those decisions and well be in the best possible position, I believe to do (it), and then it will be up to the players agent to deal with us." Spezza and Ryans deals end a year before Murrays. Melnyk and Murray have discussed potential succession plans, but Monday wasnt the time they wanted to discuss that inevitability. "We just have to now kind of over the next little while evaluate people and decide what may happen," Murray said. "But thats a little ways down the road, and I hope we have a lot of success between now and that decision being made." Cheap Detroit Lions Gear . Following the Ford Womens World Curling Championship gold medal match that attracted record-breaking audiences to TSN, the networks exclusive live coverage of the tournament begins Saturday at 7am et/4am pt with Canadas opening draw against Denmark. Custom Lions Jerseys .com) - St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury have been selected as the NHLs top players for last week. http://www.cheaplions.com/ . -- Ryan Millers debut for the St. Stitched Detroit Lions Jerseys . Snedekers best result so far this year is a tie for eighth place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. He sits 113th in FedEx Cup standings and has dropped to 31st in world rankings — not the results expected from a player ranked fourth in the world only two years ago. Authentic Detroit Lions Jerseys . Pekovic had an MRI test Tuesday on his right ankle that revealed bursitis, which is inflammation of the fluid-filled pad that cushions the joint.Dont wait until the last minute.The warning comes whenever a deadline is approaching, and NBA teams have gotten the message.They arent waiting to make trades, already completing more than twice as many as the same point last season.If youre trying to make a change and you need some help, the earlier the better obviously, Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins said.It could pay off later for Dallas or Memphis, who added pivotal pieces well ahead of the trade deadline thats still a month away. Rajon Rondo got extra time to master the Mavericks offence, and the Grizzlies have more than half a season for newcomer Jeff Green to get comfortable playing alongside Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.Thats one of the things thats nice about not getting the deal done at like the trade deadline, where you only have six weeks left and you just throw him out there, Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. Weve got some time and try to build something.There have been 22 trades involving 40 players since opening night, according to STATS. Thats well above the 10 deals involving 22 players before February last year, and the most in either category it could find in any season following research that dated back to 1995-96.Hollins believes the flurry of deals comes from bad teams trading good players so they can begin rebuilding, and playoff contenders have taken advantage. Memphis got Green, who was averaging a career-best 17.6 points, from Boston. Cleveland acquired J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, two of the dismal Knicks best players.Dallas acquired Rondo in December, though coach Rick Carlisle wasnt picky.If you can trade for a guy like Rondo, I dont care when it is, he said. I dont care if its in April.Thats not legal, of course. The deadline is Feb. 19, and general managers sometimes prefer to wait until as close to it as possible to be certain they are getting mmaximum value for their players.ddddddddddddBut that gives coaches less than two months to prepare for the playoffs, so Carlisle was glad the Celtics wanted to do it so soon.The earlier you can do a deal like this, it helps, he said. Helps both teams, so were grateful that we were able to get it done in December as opposed to mid-to-late February, no doubt about that.Here are some things to watch this week:MONDAY MATINEES: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the highlights of the NBA schedule, with many games during the 12-game slate starting in the afternoon. Rondo and Green, former teammates, meet in Memphis.CALLING ALL-STARS: The starters for the All-Star game will be announced Thursday night on TNT. The leaders going into the last day of fan balloting: LeBron James, Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony, John Wall and Dwyane Wade in the East; and Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol, Stephen Curry and Kobe Bryant in the West.WELCOME HOME: Kevin Durant is under contract through 2016, but that didnt stop his free agency from becoming a story last summer. Figure on it coming up again Wednesday when hes back in his hometown as Oklahoma City visits Washington.AND FROM THERE ...: Durant and the Thunder then visit East-leading Atlanta, which has won 12 straight and 26 of 28, before he faces LeBron James in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon as ABCs national coverage returns.SUNK IN THE ATLANTIC: Not only are the 76ers not the worst team in the NBA, theyre not even worst in their division. The Knicks have been better at being bad, and they are last in the Atlantic entering Wednesdays game in Philadelphia.___STAT LINE OF THE WEEK: Austin Rivers, Clippers: 0 for 4, 0 points, 1 assist. Rivers made history Friday when he became the first NBA player to play for his father, but Doc Rivers will need him to make some baskets, too. 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