Sens GM says Boucher, coaching staff returning next season

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) Guy Boucher will be back behind the Ottawa Senators bench next season, and so will his entire staff.

Speaking on an Ottawa sports radio station, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion confirmed that Boucher and his assistants will return despite the club’s second-to-last place finish in 2017-18.

Dorion said Boucher would run the power play, while assistants Rob Cookson and Marc Crawford will join Boucher behind the bench.

Boucher’s future was in doubt after the Senators struggled to a 28-43-11 record last season, one year removed from making the Eastern Conference final.

Special teams were a particular concern for the Senators. Ottawa finished 27th in the 31-team league with a power play that converted on just 16.6 percent of chances, and the penalty-kill rate of 76.2 percent was 26th.

With the coaching situation stabilized, the Senators can turn their attention toward trying to sign captain Erik Karlsson to an extension.

The superstar defenseman becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.

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