‘We’re going to make it’: Senators coach Travis Green’s guidance, structure worthy of Jack Adams nod
avril 15, 2026
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The result this season has been the second-fewest shots against per game at 5-on-5 in the league (18.6). And since Ullmark came back from his leave, the Senators have allowed the fourth-fewest goals against per game (2.43).
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“There’s a lot of components that go into our game, and it’s playing like a team,” Green said. “It’s not one line, it’s not Pints’ line, it’s not Timmy’s line, it’s not Cozens’, we’ve got a really good fourth. Like, I think we win and lose as a team. And that’s probably why our team is as close as they are. They understand that as well, and there’s no egos in the room.”
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Green has spoken numerous times this season about the benefit of having so many returning players (if Tyler Kleven returns in time for the postseason, the lineup will feature 15 skaters that faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1 of last year’s playoffs). However, he’s still been required to integrate key players into the system.
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One of those projects was Jordan Spence, a talented puck-moving defenceman acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings over the summer.
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In October, the 25-year-old struggled to get into the lineup, being healthy scratched nine of the first 14 games.
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“He came into a new team, spent a lot of his whole career in one organization,” Green said of Spence. “Probably, he was comfortable in his organization, how they played, certain parts of their game, how they coach. It took him some time. I don’t want to say he didn’t play well, but he didn’t play as good as he was playing after two or three months. And I think a big part of that was him just learning certain parts of our game, and not just the structure part, either.”
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Spence hasn’t missed a game since Nov. 8, and has already hit new career highs in goals (seven) and points (30). A smaller defenceman — 5-foot-11, 188 pounds — he has added some grit to his game under Green and assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner’s tutelage.
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“There’s certain parts of the game that he had to pick up for him to have success,” Green said. “And it’s not easy, they’re not easy parts of the game that we’re talking about, either.
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“No one’s happy when they sit out and don’t play, and they have high expectations of themselves, but give Spenny credit, he also acknowledged that he wasn’t doing some of the things that we were asking of him. It’s funny, as his game got better, those things got better as well. It’s a nice story to see.”
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Said Spence: “Greener has been great. I like that he’s very honest with you, and I think that’s why everyone is doing so well. It’s because he expects a lot from all of the players and we have to show up every game.”
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When the injury bug decimated the Senators’ defence corps in the midst of their playoff push, Spence seemingly hit a new career-high in time on ice every game, peaking at 30:48 in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on April 2.
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He was one of many who took on heavier workloads when Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and several other blue-liners were unable to dress.
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Sanderson believes the Senators wouldn’t have made it out alive without Green’s structure and steady hand.
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“I mean, he’s taught us how to play the right way,” Sanderson said. “I think a few years ago, if we were in a situation like we were this year, we probably wouldn’t have gotten in. Just the maturity of every single guy. I think, with a lot of Dmen hurt, give credit to the guys that stepped up, but honestly, our forwards shut things down, they didn’t give up much, they played tight-checking hockey and they gave us a chance to win every single night.”
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