Ottawa Senators Set to Hire Travis Green as Head Coach – Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are expected to announce that Travis Green has been hired as the 14th head coach in team history. Green finished the 2023-24 season with the New Jersey Devils with a temporary tag.
Green's record to finish last season as the bench manager was 8-12-1, but at the time, the Devils were struggling throughout the season, which led to the firing of Lindy Ruff. He spent five years with the Vancouver Canucks from the 2017-18 season until he was fired 25 games into the 2021-22 season. With the Canucks, he posted a 133-147-34 record.
The Senators finished the 2023-24 season with Jacques Martin behind the bench, but he was never a long-term option. Instead, he will return to his job as an advisor to the coaching staff. Martin took over after the Senators parted ways with DJ Smith.
Green must have done very well in his interview with the Senators, given his other struggles. Craig Berube, Claude Julien, Dean Evason, and Todd McLellan were among the many names tied to the Senators, all of whom have a better track record than Green, but general manager Steve Staios and Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations, Dave Poulin, must. they have been impressed by what Green can bring to the table.
Style by Travis Green
A coach who can demand more from his players, and adapt to the style of play that compels opponents, while also allowing players to play to their potential is what the Senators need.
Green brings all those things.
The Senators spent five parts of the season with a true “players' coach” with Smith, and they got the same thing with Green, but now that the Senators' top players are more developed, they can have more of a working relationship while still respecting each other. the importance of the relationship between them and Green. Although Green's Canucks teams were not improving defensively, their offense was as good as they had been evaluated. Green's attacking style was a mixture of quantity and quality. That's something the Senators could use a lot, in both categories.
Defensively, a rookie coach is always going to struggle more than a veteran, and now that he's spent time with multiple organizations, it could be an opportunity to show his growth.
Related: 3 Things Senators Can Learn From Florida Panthers
The priority for the new coach must be to answer the players for their performance. It's a new slide for Green, and the players. Time to show the new coach what they can do. Playing two ways for the top players will be key to earning the new coach's trust. The offense will not be a problem for these players and Green. His coaching style and talent on this list would fit very well.
Players Will Succeed Under the Green
There are a handful of players who stick with the sixth as players who could really do well under Green.
Brady Tkachuk plays a similar style to Green, and while Tkachuk is a better player than Green once was, Green has a lot to teach him about how to be successful in a grinder/heavyweight role, while still embracing his superior offense. Tkachuk is the heart of this team, and this could be the most exciting hire for him.
Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun are two players who could do very well under Green. The offensive aspect of the game could use another bump for these two, and while the key to both players staying healthy, a solid offensive system could benefit them greatly.
Ridley Greig could have a career similar to Green's, and if anyone knows how important a player like Greig can be, it's a new coach.
Green Wasn't A Top Pick For Fans, But It Was Worth A Chance
The candidates mentioned above in Berube, Evason, McLellan, and other candidates for the coaching job in Ottawa were probably near the top of the list of fans following this team, but I'm here to tell you that giving Green a fair chance. overcoming it is worth it. He had a great season in Vancouver, including a 17-game hitting streak.
There is the potential for more exciting hockey for the Senators under the system that Green brings, and being able to adapt to change the pace of the game is something this club could really use.
Source link