Segment 1: The Ottawa Senators replaced coach D.J. Smith and assistant coach Davis Payne with interim coach Jacques Martin and assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson. Steve Staios [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxMTQxODA5ODkwOTkzNjg2/usatsi_8410308.jpg] Steve Staios The Ottawa Senators are kicking off the New Year with their new permanent GM. Steve Staios, the president of hockey operations for the Senators, is now their new GM as well. He held the interim GM role after the club parted ways with Pierre Dorion on Nov. 1. They still brought on a new front office member on Sunday, hiring former King Clancy Trophy and Selke Trophy winner Dave Poulin as senior VP of hockey operations. And Ryan Bowness, formerly the team's assistant GM, was promoted to the associate GM role. The Sens have undergone significant changes since Michael Andlauer took ownership of the team in September, bringing on Staios, changing GMs and replacing coach D.J. Smith with interim coach Jacques Martin. With a 13-18-0 record that sees the Sens sit last in the Eastern Conference, the front office has much to do to if it wants the club to compete for the playoffs. Staios, 50, has taken on crucial responsibilities for the Ottawa Senators since joining the team in late September [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/under-siege-steve-staioss-first-90-days-on-job-in-ottawa]. Before becoming the team's president of hockey operations, he was a special assistant to GM Ken Holland with the Edmonton Oilers and, before that, president of the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs for seven seasons, including being a GM-president for six of those years. He was the OHL's GM of the year in 2021-22 as the Bulldogs won the league playoffs, and they won in 2017-18 as well. Poulin joins an NHL club's front office for the first time in 10 years. He was last the VP of hockey operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2009-10 to 2013-14, including being the AHL Marlies' GM for the final two seasons. Since then, the 65-year-old's been a TSN hockey analyst and a Toronto Star columnist. Staios and Poulin have tons of NHL playing experience to help with their latest jobs. Staios has 1,001 NHL games under his belt split between the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Atlanta Thrashers, Oilers, Calgary Flames and New York Islanders from 1996 to 2012. Poulin played 724 NHL games across 13 seasons between the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals. Bowness, meanwhile, is in his second season with the Senators after joining the club in July 2022. The 40-year-old is also GM of the AHL's Belleville Senators, which currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 14-11-2-2 record. Ottawa's in action Sunday night against the 14-18-4 Buffalo Sabres. Puck drop's at 6 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre.
