Antigonish native Paul MacLean instructs players on the Ottawa Senators during a recent game at Scotiabank Place. MacLean is enjoying a successful first season as head coach of the National Hockey League team. See Page 2B for a one on one interview with MacLean. (A Ringuette/Freestyle Photography/OSHC)

Share

Tweet

The Casket spoke with Paul MacLean, head coach of the Ottawa Senators, about his first season with the NHL club.

CASKET: How’s life going in Ottawa?
MACLEAN: It’s going well. The fact that I’m now the head coach makes it a bit different than Detroit but the actual everyday business of planning practice is very similar to what I had been doing in Detroit. The thing about Ottawa is that Sharon (wife) and I both have family here, so it’s nice from that end of things. We also get to see lots of people from Nova Scotia so that’s been good.

CASKET: You are halfway through your first season as a head coach in the NHL. How would you rate your performance with the Ottawa Senators?
MACLEAN: I’m really pleased with the way our club has improved in the standings to this point but we also temper that with the fact that we have only played 52 games and we have 30 games left in the regular schedule and the hardest part is coming up. At this point we really shouldn’t rate anything – we’ll do that at the end of the season but we are pleased with what we have been able to do to this point.

CASKET: The Senators were 1-5 to start the season but then turned things around to be consistent performers in the NHL. What led to the turnaround?
MACLEAN: We had two home games in a row where we gave up seven goals and obviously we weren’t playing particularly well. We had to come up with some kind of arrangement where the players and the coaching staff were on the same page. We had a good meeting and were able to sort out what the expectations were and how things were to be done. We moved forward from there and built on the process.

CASKET: You are viewed by many hockey pundits as a great teacher of the game and a players’ coach. Would you agree with that assessment?
MACLEAN: I think you have to understand as a coach that the players are actually playing the game. You have to give the information and opportunity for them to be successful. In saying that it doesn’t mean being a players’ coach that they get whatever they want. There has to be accountability and there has to be leadership from the coach but for the most part you have to understand the players are actually the ones playing.

CASKET: Prior to the start of the season many felt the Senators would finish at or near the bottom of the standings. What’s been the key to the Senators’ success?
MACLEAN: I think leadership has been a big part of it and people underestimated the abilities of Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, Sergei Gonchar and Filip Kuba. Maybe they weren’t coming off a great year but they are still good hockey players and have a lot of pride. They want to be successful and they are experienced players, some with Stanley Cup experience. They know how to play in the league and Spezza, arguably, could be one of the best point producers in the league. We have some good character players in Nick Foligno and Chris Neil and we had six or seven players come from Binghamton and they won the Calder Cup American Hockey League championship. As a coaching staff we felt if we could get the two groups together we would have a good hockey team.

CASKET: Jason Spezza is having a strong year for the Senators – what impact do you feel you’ve had on his game?
MACLEAN: Jason has always been a very good player and a point producer no matter what level he’s played at. His play without the puck has been a question in some people’s minds but he wants to be a total player and we’ve been able to show him things that we believe help him achieve that. We’ve had great conversations about how he likes to play and how I feel he should play. Between the two of us we came up with a plan that is acceptable to both of us. The bottom line is the Ottawa Senators get Jason Spezza playing a 200-foot game as opposed to just an offensive game.

CASKET: The Senators addition of Kyle Turris from the Phoenix Coyotes has paid major dividends. What are your thoughts on that move?
MACLEAN: Kyle has solidified our line-up and given us a solid four players at the center position. He gives us great depth and allows us to ice another line that we can play against anyone in the league. We had a gaping hole at the number-two center position and we were trying to fill in with players who weren’t quite ready. He stepped in and played very well for us.

CASKET: The NHL trade deadline is approaching later this month. Will the Senators stand pat, make a splash or tinker with the line-up?
MACLEAN: I think we’re still rebuilding – we made some good strides this season towards being a better team but I don’t really expect us to make a big splash. If we can make our team better, and give ourselves a chance to build and be a solid team down the road, we won’t hesitate to do that at any time. It doesn’t appear to me at this time that we would sacrifice some of our assets of the future to rent somebody for a few months. Like everybody else we’ll see who’s available, kick the tires, and if we feel it’s something that will make us better down the road then that’s something we’ll consider.

CASKET: How much input would you have regarding the trading and acquisition of players? What area, or areas, do you feel the Senators have to address?
MACLEAN: I’m not making the final decision, that’s up to the general manager. I get plenty of time and opportunity to give my opinion. On our team we could always upgrade on our defense corps and we could use another top-six forward, a left or right winger. Those players don’t grow on trees but at this point we feel those are our needs.

CASKET: After 17 years coaching at the minor pro level and as an assistant coach in the NHL was it difficult to adjust to the “buck stops here” scenario where you have the final say?
MACLEAN: The NHL is the best league in the world and everybody gets to see your work on a nightly basis – that’s the main difference between the AHL and the NHL. The pressure part is as much as you put on it and personally I like to be successful and I like to win and I work very hard to try and make that happen.

CASKET: You’ve received tremendous accolades for the success Ottawa has enjoyed this year and your name has been mentioned in terms of the Jack Adams coach of the year award. How do you respond to that?
MACLEAN: They give out trophies, awards and medals when everything is over and we’re only at 52 games. When we get to the end of the season the final evaluation of the job we’ve done will be rendered. To this point in the season we’ve done well with our team but we still have 30 games to go and the credit will go to the players.

CASKET: The Senators are entering the mid-season or all-star break on a three-game losing streak. What must you do to get the Senators back on track?
MACLEAN: Part of the equation last week was that we played six games in nine days and we started playing in Ottawa and finished up in Phoenix. I think the schedule factored into a couple of games, including the one in Anaheim and the one in Phoenix, both one-goal losses. Our expectations for the remainder of the season are to take it one game at a time and continue to work and develop our game. We will strive to consistently play at a high level and play at our best.

CASKET: The battle of Ontario resumes Saturday night.
MACLEAN: The geography obviously lends to an automatic rivarly and I think a couple of playoff series they had in the late 90s or early 2000s fueled the rivalry as well. Both are good hockey teams and play a fast-paced game. To this point it’s been fun to be involved in it and we look forward to the next chance.

CASKET: Ottawa had the chance last weekend to host the all-star weekend. What does that do for the community?
MACLEAN: It provides an opportunity for the city to step up and shine in the bright lights of the National Hockey League. The great fans of Ottawa voted four of our players into the all-star game, so it’s an opportunity for them to shine. Forty of the best players in the world will be here and fans will have a chance to see the skills they have. It’s a great chance for the Senators to step up and show some leadership around the league as far as being able to host an event like this.

CASKET: The Senators made their last appearance in the playoffs in 2007. What will it take to get back there in 2012.
MACLEAN: We have to win some games. The cut-off is generally around 94-to-96 points and we have to reach that. We have a good chunk of that in the bank right now, so we’ll have to take care of things one game at a time. I’m proud of the way the team is playing hard for the whole 60 minutes and if we keep doing that things are going to be positive.

CASKET: Of your final 30 regular season games, 18 are on home ice. How much of an advantage is that for you?
MACLEAN: Home ice has been good to us and so have our fans, so most teams that enjoy success have a good record at home. Also when you play well at home, your road record tends to be better than perhaps it should be. It’s very important that you take care of business when you’re at home.

CASKET: How has the support been from the city of Ottawa?
MACLEAN: Ever since I got here in June the fans have been tremendous. The city is passionate about their Senators and there is a real buzz about the way the team is playing. We get a lot of compliments from people on the street and they’re excited about the season. We’ve had a lot of support from home team. There have been lots of requests from Nova Scotia fans to come and watch the Senators and we’ve had lots of emails, texts and phone calls offering support. It’s nice to know people are excited about how the team is playing and we have to keep it up.