(Nashville) D.J. Smith and his coaching staff will return to the helm of the Ottawa Senators next season.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion confirmed the whole thing during his media availability on Tuesday, on the eve of the NHL Draft.

Dorion said he recommended that new Senators owner Michael Andlauer retain Smith. Andlauer told the general manager that he was the person in charge of managing the hockey team.

In 2022-23, the Senators had their best season under Smith’s tutelage, going 39-35-8. However, they missed the playoffs in Smith’s four campaigns at the helm of Ottawa.

Dorion also said the team is exploring the possibility of trading forward Alex DeBrincat.

He insisted that DeBrincat had not asked for a trade, but that his representatives had presented their client’s reluctance to sign a long-term contract with the Senators.

DeBrincat was traded to the Senators by the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2022 for the seventh and 39th overall picks in the 2022 draft as well as a third-round pick in 2023.