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When owner Eugene Melnyk and Dorion decided to do a rebuild in early-2018, they wanted to take the right route by keeping young players and building up the assets to get the Senators back on track.

The Senators made big changes in the off-season and one of the largest was the hiring of Smith along with a whole new coaching staff. During the interview process, Dorion and assistant GM Peter MacTavish were impressed with the approach Smith told them he would take with this team and the demands he would make on a daily basis.

Smith has lived up to those expectations because the players have bought into what he’s selling and there haven’t been many nights where the Senators didn’t compete enough to give themselves a chance to win. The attitude has changed and as Dorion noted “there’s no shortcuts being taken” during practice.

“The one thing I’ve really been impressed with is the job that D.J.’s done. He’s got the pulse of the room,” Dorion said. “How he talks to players is unbelievable. He’s got a sense of humour about him when he needs to be funny, but he can put the hammer down when he needs to put the hammer down.

“He can have the laughable conversation in a meeting but he can have the tough conversation and I think that’s good.”

This is Smith’s first NHL head coaching job after four years as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs and he’s been the right fit.

“We feel that hiring D.J. was the right hire for this group,” Dorion added. “First, and foremost, D.J. is a great teacher and he’s teaching the guys the right way. He brings accountability and also he’s a great communicator and everyone knows where they stand with him.