Travis Green met the media today and said "It's one thing to be a skilled group. It's another thing to be a skilled, winning group."
The social media vitriol was swirling within the Ottawa Senator fan base when Travis Green was announced head coach on May 7th, ahead of other coaches with greater cachet.
But as the 53-year-old coach addressed the local media for the first time on Wednesday, he took the pressure and criticism in stride. It’s not his first rodeo coaching a team with a rabid fanbase.
“I've coached in a Canadian market before and I can't wait to get going here."
In his first major addition as Senators General Manager, Steve Staios made a strong statement hiring Green over other established coaches like Craig Berube, Dean Evason, and Todd McLellan, among others. Staios's search began midway through the season and after contacting half a dozen coaches, he quickly zeroed in on Green.
“We engaged in a real deep dive and detailed process to identify our next head coach,” said Staios. “What became very clear about midway through is Travis Green's fit with our group. His ability to lead our team became very clear.”
When Staios was asked why he picked Green over other more illustrious coaches with a winning pedigree, it was a clear answer.
“I know coaches get judged on their coaching records, but there's also a lot more to it,” said Staios. “We feel he is a perfect fit for our group.”
Green finished last season as the interim head coach in New Jersey and said just three weeks ago he wanted to remain the Devils' coach. So what changed for Green between April 18th and May 7th?
“I was going through the process with New Jersey who allowed me to go outside the organization to interview with other teams. I received a call from Steve and really it just took off from there,” said Green.
The resounding message from Green and Staios was the need for accountability. Green has been known for being a “tough” coach in the past.
“I am a demanding coach,” said Green. “I will define roles. I will set expectations high, not just for players but for my staff. For me, accountability is a must."
However, Green vowed not to rule with an iron fist.
“If you don't like something and you don't agree with something, come in and let's talk about it,” said Green. “If you're good with people and have good people skills to lead the player, you figure out what the player needs to be pushed to their max. And I take a lot of pride in that.”
For Green, the accountability starts with the Senators' younger players in their own zone, where the Senators have been in the bottom half of the league defensively since the 2016-17 run where they made the conference finals.
“It’s no secret when you look at the underlying numbers, that is a part where we need to get better,” Green told The Hockey News. “(The challenge with) a lot of young skilled players is getting them to grasp the commitment level to play in their own zone. For me, that's the number one priority. If you want to defend, you have to be committed to it. Obviously, there is technique, structure, and details that are taught, but a big part of that is the mindset.”
Interestingly, Green referenced his own career and how it took him time in the NHL to become disciplined defensively. That's a problem for many of the young players in Ottawa. Players like Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Drake Batherson have elite talent but still have room to learn in the defensive side of the game.
“I remember being a young player, 19-20 years old, who was used to scoring goals and if you talked to me about defense, I was probably not listening,” said Green. "A lot of coaches would say when I was 25 I probably wasn't listening. So I get that part of it. If you want to defend well, if you want to win, you've got to play a 200 foot game. You've got to care about defending. That's the first step."
The first step for the Ottawa Senators to become a playoff team was to find the right coach to lead the Senators to becoming, at the very least, a playoff team in the near future. The Senators have needed a coach to bring accountability, structure and a winning culture to the group.
“I'm going to push the team in the direction of improving and making it a winner,” said Green. “It's one thing to be a skilled group. It's another thing to be a skilled winning group.”