Spring Housecleaning: Ottawa Senators Fire Their Head of Pro Scouting

The Senators' methodical hockey operations makeover continued Saturday with the dismissal of their head amateur scout.

Ottawa Senators president of hockey ops and general manager Steve Staios has announced the firing of professional scouts, Rob Murphy and Jim Clark. Murphy had been the club's head pro scout since last fall, when he took over from Clark.

“We wish both Jim and Rob the best going forward and thank them for their contributions to the organization,” Staios said in a club statement on April 6th.

Clark and Murphy join former general manager Pierre Dorion, head coach D.J. Smith, assistant coach Davis Payne, and goalie coach Zac Bierk (reassigned to scouting and development although not listed on the team website) on the list of hockey operations employees who've been dismissed this season in the first year of Michael's Andlauer's ownership.

Back in September, 11 days before Andlauer was officially introduced as the new owner, the club promoted Murphy to take over as chief professional scout from Clark. The club's statement at the time indicated that Clark would stay on in the pro scouting department, presumably now working for Murphy instead of heading up the department.

The club didn't give a reason for the move, nor did it indicate whether the move was Dorion's idea or a strategy of the incoming regime.

Now both pro scouts are out completely as the new group continues to methodically remake hockey operations. 

According to the team website, three professional scouts remain in Ottawa: former NHL head coach, Steve Sterling; former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Mark Flood, who retired from hockey to join the Sens in 2022; and Eganville's Dale McTavish, the former Calgary Flame, who later owned, managed and coached the Pembroke Lumber Kings. He's also the father of Anaheim forward Mason McTavish.

Murphy was an original Ottawa Senator, playing 44 games for the club in their expansion year. He became a scout in 2007 with stops in Arizona, Buffalo and two stints in Ottawa. Clark has been a scout in the league since the early 1990s.