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“All we’ve got to do is worry about what the Ottawa Senators can do. We’ve got to change our mentality, the way we work, we’ve got to track people into the ground and beat you by (using) depth. It’s not going to be easy, but we’re slowly going to pull ourselves out of this. Guys will see with work comes some success, and you never know what can happen.”

Since being hired by general manager Pierre Dorion in late May, Smith, 42, has spoken with all of the players on the roster or those who have a good chance of being here. His message has been simple: Come to camp in September prepared for the season and ready to work because his expectations are high.

While Smith is viewed in some circles as a players’ coach — and he makes no bones about the fact he’ll always have the back of the players because he was one himself — that doesn’t mean he won’t hold his roster to a high standard and he won’t be afraid to push it to get more. The players have been receptive to what he has to say.

“I’ve talked to everyone. They’re open-minded and they want things to change,” says Smith, who spent the past four seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I don’t care who you are, it’s not fun not winning. The people I’ve spoken to are all-in, the guys that are still here are all-in.

“They know what to expect coming in and that things are going to change, but until I show that on a day-to-day basis, it will be a wait-and-see.”

Smith’s system will demand this club to improve its defensive effort. He wants the Senators to have five guys back in their zone to help take pressure off goalies Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson. If that happens, Smith is hopeful it will lead to the Senators creating more offence at the other end.