Smith will return this fall for a fifth season as head coach, hoping to help end Ottawa's six-year playoff drought.

Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion and head coach D.J. Smith still have a chance to guide their rebuild project through to the final phase – a phase that former owner Eugene Melnyk once referred to as "years of unparalleled success."

Dorion told the media Tuesday in Nashville he has recommended to the Senators board that Smith should return this fall for a fifth season as Ottawa's head coach. 

"In dealing with Michael, he said that the general manager runs the hockey operations and decides the coach," Dorion said in a call with the media. "And my recommendation (to the board) was for D.J. and his staff to be back next year."

Since no one outside of the organization was completely sure yet if Dorion would be back, it almost felt like we'd skipped a step. But based on the number of meetings and conversations Dorion says he's had with Andlauer, it does appear that he and Smith will hang on to their keys and continue to steer the team into next season. 

Given their working conditions, it's been hard to evaluate this duo's time in Ottawa. Dorion was working directly under Melnyk, an owner who was involved, frugal and volatile. Smith took over a bench filled with kids and veteran castoffs.

Dorion and Smith have done some good things and if it were a normal off-season, there's a chance they may have been kept on anyway. But in this moment, the biggest reason for their return is probably convenience. Andlauer and the Sens board are probably thinking, "Hey, we've got a million things on the go right now. Why don't you guys keep doing what you're doing and we'll catch up with you later."

While his group is finalizing the sale and still trying to find minority owners for the consortium (Project Sens), a full evaluation of the GM and head coach (or telling the board to hire new ones) can't be very high on the list of Andlauer's priorities right now. 

In 2022-23, the Senators had their finest season since the rebuild began, posting a 39-35-8 record. But that left them in sixth place in a tough Atlantic Division, six points and three teams out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. 

It was the fourth straight year the Senators missed the playoffs under Smith but they did reach their goal of playing meaningful games down the stretch. That won't fly this season. In Ottawa, it's now playoffs or bust.

Andlauer may not know Dorion or Smith very well yet, but he does know that his new customers won't forgive a seventh straight absence from the Stanley Cup playoffs.