"D.J. Smith represents an integral component of our long-term vision," said Senators owner and governor Eugene Melnyk. "He's a tireless worker who has done a tremendous job over the last two years in molding our core group of players into a cohesive unit. His admirable combination of passion, energy and positivity has been the driving force in instilling a culture that we want to maintain here for years to come."
"Teamwork is the key to success in any organization," said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. "D.J.'s exceptional ability to communicate with our players, with the team's coaching staff and with our management group is one of his greatest attributes. He consistently has the team prepared to play hard and energetically which is what we want displayed as our identify. He's very deserving of this extension."
The 14th head coach in Senators' history, Smith, 44, has led the Senators to a record of 48-62-17 over his first two seasons and will enter the 2021-22 campaign in need of 22 victories to move into a tie for sixth place among all-time Senators head coaches in wins.
A native of Windsor, Ont., Smith spent the four seasons prior to his hiring in Ottawa as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Previously, he served as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals where he helped guide the team to victory at the 2015 Mastercard Memorial Cup.
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