Senators hire Travis Green as coach. Green leaves the Devils after serving in an interim role

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Ottawa Senators have hired Travis Green as coach, signing him to a four-year contract through the 2027-28 NHL season.

The team announced the move Tuesday, with Green taking over for interim coach Jacques Martin. Green most recently served as interim coach of the New Jersey Devils after replacing Lindy Ruff in March. Ruff has since also moved on, returning to Buffalo, where he coached the Sabres from 1997-2013.

Green, 53, coached the Vancouver Canucks from 2017-21, guiding them to the playoffs once in four full seasons. The Senators have not qualified the past seven years going back to ’17 when they were one win away from the Stanley Cup Final and lost to eventual champion Pittsburgh in overtime in Game 7.

“After speaking to several highly qualified candidates, it became clear that Travis is the right fit to lead our group,” president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said. “As we’ve routinely stated, developing a winning culture is paramount to our aspiration of achieving sustained success. Travis has a burning desire to win, is passionate about teaching and holds his players to a very high standard.”