Team Canada's coach Dave Cameron directs his team during practice for the IIHF World Junior Championships game in Buffalo, New York, December 30, 2010.MARK BLINCH/Reuters
Pierre Dorion has made his first major move as Ottawa Senators general manager, firing head coach Dave Cameron.
It's the second major change in Ottawa after the Senators finished a disappointing 38-35-9 season and missed the playoffs.
Dorion is wasting no time shaking up his coaching staff, with the changes coming just two days after he took over the GM role from Bryan Murray.
Assistant coaches Andre Tourigny and Rick Wamsley were also fired. Assistant Jason Smith was relieved of his coaching duties and offered another position with the organization.
Dorion said hiring a new coach before the NHL draft in June would be ideal, but he stopped well short of issuing a deadline for it to happen.
"We're definitely going to look at someone who can make a commitment to have our players play defence," Dorion said. "This isn't just on the coaches, it's on the players too.
"We're going to hire someone good. I know there's a good quality coach that we can hire out there when our season starts in September."
Cameron, 57, was the 11th coach in franchise history, posting a 70-50-17 record behind the Senators bench.
He took over as head coach Dec. 8, 2014 after the struggling team fired Paul MacLean.
The Senators made an improbable run to the post-season after Cameron took over, qualifying for the playoffs in their final regular-season game. Ottawa finished 23-4-4 over its final 31 games, making up a 14 point deficit.
After taking the favoured Montreal Canadiens to six games in the first round of the 2014-15 playoffs, the Senators were expected to build on their success and repeat as a playoff team this season. Instead, the Senators were plagued by injuries and inconsistent play and took a significant step back.
While Ottawa was the last Canadian team to be eliminated from the 2015-16 playoffs, they were not considered a serious threat to make the post-season.
Cameron was hired by Senators on June 23, 2011 and spent three-plus years as an assistant coach before replacing MacLean.
It was Cameron's second stint with the Senators organization. He previously coached the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators for three seasons (2004-'07).
He coached in the Ontario Hockey League for 10 seasons with Sault Ste. Marie and Toronto/Mississauga.
Dorion said he'll draw up a list of coaching candidates soon. He added while prior NHL head-coaching experience will be an asset, it won't necessarily be a requirement for the job.
"We're going hire the best coach available," he said. "Ideally, someone with NHL (head) coaching experience would be great.
"But there could be a candidate that's so special out there that doesn't have NHL head-coaching experience and he might be the guy that leads us to the promised land. Then he would be the guy who we will hire."