Like everyone who is involved with or watches his hockey team, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is frustrated and disappointed with the slump his team is going through.

It comes with the territory when you're paying the bills -- not to mention going through the playoff agonies his team has laid on him over the years.

But when four players and coach Cory Clouston got phone calls from Melnyk on Friday afternoon, it was an upbeat, optimistic owner at the other end of the line.