The Senators are bringing in another former NHL head coach to join DJ Smith's coaching staff.
The team announced it is adding Davis Payne to its bench on a three-year contract. Payne comes to Ottawa from Buffalo where he was an assistant for the past two seasons. Before the Sabres, he was a member of the Los Angeles Kings coaching staff for five years and won a Stanley Cup in 2014.
DJ Smith is in his first NHL head coach position, but his associate coach and assistant have 620 games of NHL head coach experience: Jack Capuano (483) and Davis Payne (137).
— Chris Stevenson (@CJ_Stevenson) June 30, 2019
Payne took over as the interim head coach of the St. Louis Blues 40 games into the 2009-10 season after the team fired Andy Murray. Payne remained at the helm of the Blues bench until a 6-7 start to the 2011-12 season earned him the same fate as his predecessor.
The Port Alberni, B.C. native joins former Islanders coach Jack Capuano as Ottawa's assistants.