D.J. Smith weighs in on Jacques Martin's appointment as Senators HC's future in Ottawa remains uncertain

By Cole Shelton

Modified Dec 08, 2023 15:32 GMT

The Ottawa Senators brought back former coach Jacques Martin as a senior adviser. The 71-year-old coached the Senators from 1996 until 2004 and led them to the playoffs eight times.

Martin has been out of the NHL since 2021 when he was an assistant with the New York Rangers. Since then, the Canadian former professional ice hockey coach has been an advisor for the Kingston Frontencas in the OHL.

Yet, Martin getting hired by the Sens was surprising, but the 71-year-old looks forward to returning to the franchise.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to come back and join a great organization and some great people,” Martin said. “I really appreciate the opportunity to work with these young athletes and the coaching staff and just keep trying to get better on a daily basis.”

As the senior adviser, Martin will advise head coach D.J. Smith on some decisions. He will also be present in the press box to give some ideas during intermissions on things to change.

Following the hiring of Martin, Smith was asked about the hiring.

"You’re continuously trying to get better, the Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player said, "and I think one thing Jacques is known for is detail. And, for me and my staff, we're going to try and get every piece of knowledge he has and try and introduce it to our game and to our team."

"He'll be the eye in the sky. He'll be around. He'll be watching videos and bouncing ideas off us, and we'll bounce ideas off him. When you’re in tough times, that's when you rely on people with experience to help you get out of certain situations."

Currently, the Senators are dead last in the Eastern Conference as opposed to the expectation of making the playoffs this season.

D.J. Smith could be on the hot seat

D.J. Smith is currently in his fifth season as the head coach of the Ottawa Senators.

Hired ahead of the 2019-20 season, the former Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche defenceman has yet to coach the Senators for the playoffs. Many believe he is on the hot seat and could be fired.

Smith's contract ends after the season, but he does have a team option for the 2024-25 NHL season. If Ottawa can't turn its season, perhaps Smith will be let go after the year or mid-season.