The Ottawa Senators have named Travis Green as head coach and signed him to a four-year contract.
Green takes over the NHL club from interim head coach Jacques Martin, who coached the team after D.J. Smith was fired on Dec. 18.
Green posted an 8-12-1 record as interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils last season after Lindy Ruff was fired on March 4.
The 53-year-old from Castlegar, B.C., coached in the Vancouver Canucks’ system from 2013 to 2021, including four-plus seasons at the NHL level. He was fired 25 games into the 2021-22 season along with general manager Jim Benning with the Canucks sitting at 8-15-2.
The Canucks posted a 141-159-35 record under Green and made the playoffs once, when they advanced to the second round of the 2019-20 post-season before losing to Vegas in seven games.
The Senators have missed the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons.
More to come.
Blues stick with Bannister behind bench
The St. Louis Blues have removed the interim tag from Drew Bannister’s title and named him their full-time coach.
President of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong announced the move Tuesday.
Bannister, 50, signed a two-year contract to remain in the role after replacing Craig Berube when the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning coach was fired in December. The Blues went 30-19-5 after Bannister took over for Berube and finished six points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
This is Bannister’s first head-coaching gig in the NHL. He previously coached the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, St. Louis’ top affiliate, for two-plus seasons.
Keeping Bannister fills one of the many potential vacancies this off-season. There have been 16 coaching changes (half the league) over the past year, not counting the need for Winnipeg to find a successor for Rick Bowness, who announced his retirement Monday.