Transcript verbatim of the interview:
(courtesy of u/FixedTheNewelPost on r/OttawaSenators, I bolded the part about a coach "costing a player", in theory)
Mendes: If Coach X, the best coach available, and Pierre Dorion has said this is the best guy, is going to cost 4.5-5million dollars, is that going to be the impediment or hurdle him becoming the head coach of the Ottawa Senators?
Melnyk: Does he walk on water? I mean... 5 million bucks, look I know sometimes the market gets silly, I've seen it in horses I've seen it in hockey players, things change somehow someway. You're only good - I know there's history with these coaches and GMs, and proven track records to a certain point, but, y'know take a look at whose been winning Stanley Cups in the past 10-15 years. You don't really see dynasties like you used to, you don't see the dominance of the management over the players. You don't really see one or two maybe players dominate the whole way, its really a team effort. And I think its a team effort on the coaching or management side, on the hockey ops. So to put that kind of money out for one single person, thats tough for even the management point of view. You wouldn't do that to an executive so why go crazy with the business of hockey. I dont think it could make that much of a difference, I really dont, if I thought it did, so what do you do, do you trade out a 5 million dollar player? you want to do that? So I tell you... a 5 million dollar player isn't one without a good coach, I get that, but you don't want to go crazy in your ability to spend later.
There is going to be a magic moment, let me tell you this, where we'll have to step up and do something, it'll almost be silly, but you're right on the brink of having a Stanley Cup team, thats when you whack 'em. Thats when you just go nuts and say I'll roll the dice, putting all in, I'm all in. I'm all in all the way, and if you have to, you have to, but, not that kind - I don't think you have to spend that. I honestly don't. But we'll do it when we can.