D.J. Smith was fired as coach of the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
Jacques Martin, who was hired as senior adviser to the coaching staff on Dec. 6, will serve as interim coach. Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators all-time leader in points, will be an assistant to Martin.
They will both be behind the bench when the Senators play at the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, ALT2).
“I think with some of the things that I’ve [seen] with our group, as far as inconsistencies, [are] a strength of Jacques Martin’s, along with Daniel Alfredsson,” Ottawa president of hockey operations and interim general manager Steve Staios said Monday. “I think we’re all looking for more consistency, more detail to our game, more structure. So, I explained the rationale behind it all (to the players), and Jacques has been around the group a little bit now and they’re getting to know him, and Jacques had an opportunity to address the group about what his expectations were.
“Like any time on days like this, there’s disappointment because we all feel somewhat responsible for being in this situation, and optimism moving forward.”
Staios said Martin will be “in the middle of the bench with the clear messaging, the leadership and the calm demeanour,” while Alfredsson will work with the forward group and the power-play units.
Alfredsson was an assistant under Smith during Ottawa’s two games in Stockholm during the 2023 NHL Global Series Sweden. Jack Capuano, who was an assistant under Smith, will stay on and work with the defensemen and penalty kill, along with Ben Sexton, who also remained on staff.
Assistant coach Davis Payne was fired along with Smith.
“Even from the beginning, the more that Daniel Alfredsson could be around our group, I think the bigger benefit it was for all of us,” Staios said. “So, I always kept that in mind. In my more recent conversations with him, I think he saw the same things that I did as far as our game play. He cares so much about this team and about this organization, so when I approached him again about coming on full-time, he said, ‘I’ll do whatever it takes.’ So, that started the ball rolling on maybe looking at a different dynamic and having ‘Alfie’ in here.”
The Senators (11-15-0), who are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, are last in the Atlantic Division. They have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2017, when they lost in seven games to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final.
“As a coach, you take all the responsibility and I deserve that, my team’s not winning,” said Smith, was fired after running practice at Mountain America Community Iceplex in Tempe, Arizona. “I’m the one that’s putting them on the ice, I’m the one making the decisions, so I’m my own biggest critic. But in saying that, I believe in this group and I believe in the leaders and the core guys that they’re going to find a way.
“The one thing I know is these guys are trying. Part of the growing process is figuring out how to do it right for 60 minutes. Every first period we’re coming out in the right way. And we’ve found ways in the second period maybe to not play the right way. That was the message today, but ultimately, it’s more mental than it is physical or effort based. I know that the leadership group here is outstanding, and I know that these guys are doing everything in their power to get this thing turned around.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
