Under Maintenance

We deeply apologize for interrupting your reading but Vendetta is currently undergoing some important maintenance! You may experience some layout shifts, slow loading times and dififculties in navigating.

Sports Media

Ottawa Senators fire DJ Smith, promote Jacques Martin as interim head coach

DJ Smith
(Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)
DJ Smith
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Ottawa Senators fire DJ Smith, promote Jacques Martin as interim head coach

The Ottawa Senators have fired head coach DJ Smith after an 11-15-0 start to the 2023-24 season, it was announced Monday. Former Senators head coach Jacques Martin will be promoted as interim head coach, and former longtime Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson will head behind the bench in the role of an assistant coach.

Martin previously coached Ottawa for nine seasons, with him being previously hired as the third coach in the history of the franchise on Jan. 24, 1996. Martin accumulated a record of 341-255-96 (.562). The now 71-year-old head coach has the most coaching experience in Senators’ history and became the all-time leader in games coached with just under 700 (692), regular season wins, playoff wins and playoff games coached.

Heading into his final season as the Senators’ coach, Jacques Martin, experienced high expectations for the squad. Ottawa became heavy favorites for the Stanley Cup and quickly backed up why they were the favorites, sporting a 43–23–10–6 record, finishing the season with 102 points. But Martin and the Senators quickly fell back down to earth, losing in the first round to the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games.

Ottawa had monumental expectations heading into this season with young and veteran talent across the board. With only 11 wins in 26 games this season, playoffs quickly faded out of the picture, ultimately leading to the firing of DJ Smith.

DJ Smith coached the Senators from 2019 until now, holding his best record at 39-35-8 last season, finishing just behind the eventual Stanley Cup runner-ups: the Florida Panthers.

***

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Click here for more NHL content

Popular Past Stories

recommended stories

UFC 315 Preview Bets

UFC 315 Preview And Predictions

UFC 315 Preview And Predictions The UFC is returning to Montreal, Quebec, Canada for UFC 315. The event features a…

Read More
Draymond Green

Draymond Green: Refs Agenda ‘To Make Me Look Like An Angry Black Man’

Draymond Green: Refs Agenda ‘To Make Me Look Like An Angry Black Man’ The Warriors are having a great postseason…

Read More
Pat Bryant

Sean Payton Has An Insane Comp For Pat Bryant

Sean Payton Has An Insane Comp For Pat Bryant It’s safe to say that Sean Payton is quite high on…

Read More
Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers unloads on Craig Breslow, Red Sox after request to move to 1B

Rafael Devers unloads on Craig Breslow, Red Sox after request to move to 1B It’s been a rocky two months…

Read More