Ottawa Senators players and coaching staff are staying focused on what's happening on the ice, according to the head coach, a day after the team and former general manager Pierre Dorion parted ways.
The announcement that Dorion resigned was made during a press conference on Wednesday in the wake of the NHL's ruling to strip the club of a first-round draft pick for its role in the voided trade of Evgenii Dadonov from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2022.
And that news came on the heels of the team finding out that unsigned restricted free agent Shane Pinto would be suspended for 41 games for sports betting. "Obviously there's been some distractions the last week or so but that has nothing to do with the players," head coach D.J.
Smith said Thursday. "They have a job to do, we as coaches have a job to do. It's a new month, a new day and we have to be ready to play, there's no excuses." Smith said Dorion's departure is the tough part of being in professional sports. "I'm very thankful for him for giving me my opportunity to come here," he said. "As in sports, it's unfortunate for the families … but this is part of the business.