Senators sign MacLean to extension
The Ottawa Senators are keeping NHL Coach of the Year Paul MacLean for three more years.
MacLean, 55, guided the Senators to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons at the helm, including securing the Eastern Conference's seventh seed in the playoffs for an injury-ravaged squad. The Senators then upset the second-seeded Montreal Canadiens before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.
"In two years, Paul has made a significant impact on the entire franchise, both on and off the ice," Senators GM Bryan Murray said in a statement. "We feel that under Paul's direction we have been able to develop into a team that is competitive each and every night and we are confident that he is the person we want behind the bench to lead us to our goal of being a championship level team."
Before coming to Ottawa, MacLean served as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks for two seasons.
"Paul represents what we want to become as both a hockey club and as a franchise," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said in a statement. "He is a hard-working coach and an outstanding teacher and mentor of the game. Paul's ability to communicate openly and honestly with our players and prospects has been key to our on-ice success. He came to us with a history of winning and has instilled that same winning mindset with our players and our coaching staff. I am very pleased and proud to extend Paul's contract and look forward to his many future contributions to our team and to our city."
