New coach Travis Green will have to right the Senators’ ship

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Rome was not built in a day.

And Ottawa senators don’t expect Travis Green to change that overnight.

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Introduced as the Senators’ head coach at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Steve Staios, president of hockey operations and general manager, gave the 53-year-old Green a four-year contract, because making it will take something of work.

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“If you look at our group and the growth and potential of our group going forward, I think (the four-year term) lines up,” Staios said.

After missing the playoffs for seven straight years, patience in this market is wearing thin. Fans here are tired of this core packing up at the beginning of each spring and going their separate ways with the promise that the Senators will be better next year.

Sooner or later, potential has to turn to production, and after interviewing six candidates, Staios felt Green is prepared to do it well.

“You don’t always come up with what we think is a perfect fit for our group,” Staios said. “This is also a big step for our organization. Now my job is to be able to support Travis, build the coaching staff and continue looking forward.”

Green spent his first full day on the job making the rounds during a morning press tour. She then had some time in the office to begin a series of tasks that must be completed before she opens training camp in September.

Not only does Green have to put together a coaching staff here at some point in the next few months, he also has to sit down with Staios, senior vice president Dave Poulin and associate general manager Ryan Bowness about the club’s roster and what changes will be made. . in low season.

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At some point, Green will reach out to players to discuss his expectations. TSN Ottawa bureau chief Claire Hanna spoke with captain Brady Tkachuk at the IIHF world championship in Ostrava, Czechia, on Thursday morning and already had a brief conversation with Green.

Green and Tkachuk’s father, Keith, played together at Arizona.

“Now that we know our head coach for next year, we are very excited. I think he will be good for us,” said Tkachuk, who will wear the ‘C’ for Team USA.

Green will sit down with his staff over the course of the summer to come up with a game plan for each day and wants the players to be ready for the first drill in camp.

“The onus is on the players,” Green said. “With access to training, there is no excuse to come to camp without being in great shape from Day 1 and not working towards it.”

That doesn’t mean Green will govern with an iron fist, but he will be demanding in his new role.

“When you talk about a tough coach, I think that gives you the personality of a certain type of person or coach,” Green said. “I’m just a demanding coach who wants the best from my players. I want to push them to give their best, to take advantage of their potential, but also to work with them and make them understand what it is about.

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“Being a demanding coach is not always about yelling at or leaving out a player. Sometimes it gives a player confidence if he is feeling down. There are times when good players lose confidence and now need a coach who doesn’t look at them negatively. Being a demanding coach comes in many different forms and if you are good with people and have good interpersonal skills to read the player, you find out what the player needs to get the most out of him.

“I feel very proud to be that type of coach.”

The Senators need a coach to help them play better defensively and that is the key. This team has been one of the worst in the league in its own right, and if the players don’t buy into Green’s program, nothing will change here.

Ray Ferraro was talking about playing with Green on Long Island under Al Arbor in the Ray and Escoria Podcast this week with Darren Dreger. Green was a prolific scorer during his youth career, but he had to change his game because the Isles had other players who could score goals.

“Defensively that’s part of what we need to improve on,” Green said. “You see that a lot with young and skilled players, getting them to understand the level of commitment to play in their zone. For me that is number one.

“I remember when I was a young player, I was 19 or 20 years old, I was used to scoring goals. If you talked to me about defense, I probably wouldn’t listen to you. And a lot of coaches would say that at 25 I probably wasn’t listening either, so I understand that part.

“If you want to win you have to play a 200-foot game.”

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