The Ottawa Senators made it official this morning introducing Paul MacLean as the ninth head coach in the history of the franchise. MacLean was given a three year contract. There are no assistant coaches in place at this point in time but they do plan to fill the role in the near future.
Welcome to Ottawa, Paul MacLean.
Reaction to the hiring of MacLean has been extremely favourable, both among fans of the club and in the media. MacLean is seen as a guy that has paid his dues as an Assistant and perfected his craft. By all account he was a guy that was ready to make the jump.
MacLean made it clear he believes the game is to be played fast and physical. Sounds like he wants to create a team that will attack but also play good defence. He also stressed the importance of communication, both with the organization and the players.
MacLean indicated that the team will play very similar to the Red Wings. Great news for the Sens and fans of this team because it seems clear that puck possession will be put in high priority.
As a fan, this was a great first impression with the new coach. He sounds like an extremely confident guy and a guy that knows what he wants. The resume speaks for itself and he seems to have the right approach to the game. I love the emphasis on communication with the players. That will be huge for this organization moving forward.
With the head coach search now wrapped up, the organization can shift their focus to the upcoming Entry Draft which is now just 10 days away. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll take a look at some of the players the Sens could be targeting on draft day.
