The Ottawa Senators will have a much different look when they open the NHL season at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 2, both behind the bench and on the ice.
Former Maple Leafs assistant D.J. Smith was hired as Senators coach May 23. He specializes in developing young players and teaching defensive responsibilities, two of the mandates set by general manager Pierre Dorion in an attempt to improve Ottawa.
"We're excited about the turnover on our roster," Dorion said. "Not just the young players but the veterans. It's a significant difference, and we're trying to do this the proper way, adding quality, character core guys. Their mentorship can be valuable for our team success moving forward.
"We feel D.J.'s the man who can teach our kids and mix in some of the older guys -- the perfect mix for our rebuild."
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After falling one goal short of reaching the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, Ottawa finished next to last in the NHL in 2017-18 (28-43-11) and last (29-47-6) in 2018-19.
The man given the job to guide the Senators rebuild moving forward is Smith, who worked with the Maple Leafs under coach Mike Babcock for four seasons after coaching Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League to the Memorial Cup title in 2015. The 42-year-old will oversee a much different roster than the one Ottawa had 12 months ago, when defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Mark Stone were the cornerstones of the team. Karlsson (San Jose Sharks) and Stone (Vegas Golden Knights), along with center Matt Duchene (Columbus Blue Jackets) and forward Ryan Dzingel (Blue Jackets), have been traded since then.
They have given way to 22-year-old defenseman Thomas Chabot and 19-year-old forward Brady Tkachuk. Chabot finished 10th among NHL defensemen last season with 55 points (14 goals, 41 assists) in 70 games, and Tkachuk was second in points among NHL rookies with 45 (22 goals, 23 assists) in 71 games, behind Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (66 points; 28 goals, 38 assists).
"Now it's about trying to push kids to realize their potential," Smith said. "There is nothing more satisfying than to watch a guy push himself past the limit and become better than even he thought he could be. It's in most kids; you just have to find a way to get it out of them. It's something I really enjoy.
"[Tkachuk is] the type of player that I love. He's tough, he scores goals, he checks all the boxes. For me to have the chance to work with a kid like him, starting at 19, is unbelievable for me. And the same goes for [Chabot]."
