The Ottawa Senators have reportedly fired head coach DJ Smith, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.

The Senators came into the season with expectations of contending for a playoff spot, and they are currently 11-15 on the season, which has them in last place in the Eastern Conference, only ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks across the entire NHL.

Along with DJ Smith, assistant coach Davis Payne has been fired by the Senators as well, according to Seravalli. The disappointing start to the season has Ottawa changing things up with the dismissals of Smith and Davis Payne.

Smith has been with the Senators since the 2019-2020 season, and as the team took a step back from a promising 2022-2023 season, the higher ups have decided that a new voice was needed behind the bench. He ends his Senators tenure with a 131-154-32 record as head coach, according to Hockey Reference. It has been a massively disappointing start to the season, especially after adding a veteran winger like Vladimir Tarasenko.

Now, the Senators are possibly going to have to sell at the deadline in hopes that they can add some assets in effort to bounce back in the 2024-2025 season, if they are unable to turn things around very quickly.

It will be interesting to see who will fill in at the two spots that Smith and Payne were in for the Senators, and if it sparks the team a bit.

The Senators will look to turn things around tomorrow night on the road against the Arizona Coyotes.