In the middle of the 1995-96 season, the Ottawa Senators made a coaching change as the team sat with an 8-35-1 record. The Senators would make Jacques Martin the new head coach of the team. After Martin took over, the Senators would win 10 games with Martin as head coach.
As the 1996-97 season arrived, the Senators still have yet to make the playoffs since the team joined the NHL in the 1992-93 season. In just one season as a full-time head coach, Martin guided the Senators to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 1997.
Although the Senators never won a Stanley Cup over the next next seven seasons with Martin as head coach, the Senators made the playoffs every year. Martin came back to coach the Senators for 56 games last season. Earlier today, Martin received a high honor for the city of Ottawa.
Martin to be inducted into Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame in May
The Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame class of 2025 was announced today. Martin was one of the members announced for the class. The induction will happen on May 28 at Lansdowne Park's Horticultural Building. With his success as Senators head coach, Martin deserves to be recognized for making the Senators a winning team.
Martin coached the Senators for 748 games and posted a 367-261-96-24 record. The Senators won the Northeast Division in 1999, 2001 and 2003 with Martin as head coach.
In 2003, the Senators won the President's Trophy for the first time in franchise history. 2003 was the closest the Senators ever won a Stanley Cup with Martin as head coach. The Senators fell in seven games in the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals to the New Jersey Devils.
After the Senators were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2004 playoffs, Martin was fired as Senators head coach. Martin would coach the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens after being fired. Last season, Martin returned to coach the Senators for 56 games after the Senators fired then head coach D.J. Smith.
Martin's 367 wins is the most as a head coach in Senators history. Now, Martin's legacy will forever be remembered in Ottawa.