The Ottawa Senators are at a crossroads.
This season was supposed to be different. A strong push last spring and some big additions in the summer brought dreams of playoffs by the fall.
But as the calendar flips back to winter, the team is essentially in the same spot as it was one year ago. The only difference? There’s a new owner and a new president in place, and they have seen enough to show both GM Pierre Dorion and — this week — head coach D.J. Smith the door.
So, where does the team go next?
“What I’m looking for is consistent play,” team president Steve Staios said after releasing Smith. “There’s been too many times through the season where we’re not quite sure what we’re going to get on a night-by-night basis. So, I think there’s a process that needs to take place with this group.”
While Jacques Martin is back behind the bench with an interim tag, the now 71-year-old is not the long-term solution at head coach.
The Senators have a lot of questions to answer, including who will be the next GM. But in the aftermath of Smith’s firing, here are some candidates the Senators may consider for the head-coaching role.
The Superstars
Daniel Alfredsson
Alfredsson was promoted to an assistant coach position after Smith — and assistant Davis Payne — were let go. But could the face of the franchise rise to the top job?
While Alfredsson lacks coaching experience, he has plenty of experience as a long-time captain during his Hall of Fame career. So far, Staios and new owner Michael Andlauer have been happy to let Alfredsson figure out what role he wants within the organization, and now he’s standing behind the bench. Time will tell if that freedom extends to the head-coaching job.
Patrick Roy
There aren’t many bigger stars in the hockey world than Roy, whose Hall of Fame career on the ice has extended into several successful jobs in retirement. He has a Jack Adams Award on his resume and, most recently, Roy led the Quebec Remparts to the 2023 Memorial Cup title. With Roy now a free agent, his firey personality and outside-the-box ideas could be just what the Senators need to jumpstart their season.
Second Chances
Jay Woodcroft
The Oilers parted ways with Woodcroft in October after a shocking start to the season but before that, the coach had a pretty solid track record since taking over for Dave Tippett in early 2022.
Woodcroft guided the Oilers to three playoff series wins in his short time in Edmonton — while working under Statios, who was an executive in Edmonton — and the team set an NHL record for power-play efficiency last season. Woodcroft is a student of the game — having previously served as a video coach — and a second chance in Ottawa could give him a chance to put his stamp on a team.
Travis Green
Green’s dismissal from Vancouver came on the same day as GM Jim Benning and at the time, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre wrote: “It’s fair to wonder how much of this start is really his fault.”
Green has experience ushering young players along, including Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko who all broke into the league under his watch. He was gone before that core had reached its full potential, but in Ottawa he would get the chance to push a young group over the top.
Veteran Voices
Claude Julien
Julien is one of the most experienced coaches on the market, highlighted by his Stanley Cup win with the Boston Bruins. His teams have always had a reputation for being tough defensively, which is a weakness for the current Senators roster.
At the end of his time in Montreal, Julien’s Canadiens struggled to score goals. But if the Senators want to lock down their play away from the puck, Julien might be the answer.
Craig Berube
In 2018-19, Berube took over a Blues team that was last in the NHL and turned them into the Stanley Cup champion. While some notable differences exist between those Blues and these Senators — especially in goal — Berube’s ability to get instant results could be the spark that’s missing in Ottawa.
Gerard Gallant
Gallant is a classic old-school coach who leans on veterans and brings structure to his teams. With the Panthers, Golden Knights and Rangers between 2015-2023, Gallant had a winning season every year — even in the ones he was fired.
He’s the type of coach who can overstay his welcome, but if the Senators are looking for someone to right the ship quickly Gallant could be a good match.
New Blood
John Gruden
Gruden, the current head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, has a lot of familiarity with Staios and Andlauer. He was the head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs for two seasons — under GM Staios and owner Andlauer — and guided them to an OHL title in 2018. Gruden’s experience includes assistant coach stints with the Islanders and Bruins before joining the Marlies this season.
“I’m not saying Gruden is going to get the job, but I think he would be a mistake to discount as a possibility,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Tuesday’s episode of The Jeff Marek Show. “And I have no doubt that the Senators are going to want to talk to him.”
Jay McKee
McKee is the current head coach of the Bulldogs, now located in Brantford, Ont., connecting him to Andlauer. He led the Bulldogs to an OHL championship in 2022. As a player, McKee played in 802 games over 14 NHL seasons as a feared defender for the Sabres, Blues and Penguins.
“Don’t be surprised if there’s something for Jay McKee in all of this as well,” Jeff Marek said on The Jeff Marek Show on Tuesday. “I know they think highly of him.”