Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
August. The weather is hot. Last season has become a memory, but next season is still more than two months away.
Surely, it must be time to sit back and relax, right?
Not in Belleville, where the parents of the Ottawa Senators haven’t slowed down since their season began in April. Steve Staios is in his first season as general manager, and since the start of free agency on July 1, steps have been taken to improve the organization.
Jan Jenik again Xavier Bourgault came via trades from Utah and Edmonton, respectively. Jenik, who has seen time in the NHL for the past four seasons, is just 23 years old. Bourgault is 21, a first-round pick by the Oilers in 2021. Adam Gaudettewho played 50 games for Ottawa in 2021-22, returns to the organization; his 44 goals with Springfield last season led the AHL and earned him a spot on the First All-Star Team.
But the key move is extending the Belleville coach David Bell another two years. Bell, who took over the B-Sens midway through the 2022-23 season, returned the club to the Calder Cup Playoffs in 2024 and won the franchise’s first series as they eliminated the rival Toronto Marlies in the first round.
Of all the changes coming to the organization, Bell admits that settling his situation before the end of his current contract was a relief.
“It was big,” he admitted. “It’s never fun, as every coach knows, to look for days until you don’t get paid.”
It was a well-earned extension, too. Bell was a hard-nosed player during his playing days, and his Senators have taken some of that persona. They battled for a playoff spot, culminating in an emotional home win against Laval on April 19. A tough battle with the Marlies followed before they pushed Cleveland to the division semifinal series. Four of Belleville’s seven playoff games were decided in overtime, including a series win over Toronto.
“I thought we had a really good season,” said Bell, who is always measured by his words. “I don’t think it was good, but it was good. We are making some strides. I don’t want to use the word ‘accomplishment,’ but I would say ‘steps in the right direction.’”
The ups and downs of player contracts are well known. However, less for the coaches. With a family at home, Bell was faced with decisions that had a bigger impact on him.
“It was really hard,” said Bell, “but everything worked out.” My children are happy here. We love Belleville. We put a lot of focus on it socially, and the kids in sports and stuff, so it was a great day when that was done. “
Navigating the business side of the game is a learning curve for an AHL head coach, along with the many lessons the game brings. Coaching in the NHL is about winning and losing; An AHL coach should worry about winning again, but the development of the players is the most important thing. While wins and losses are clear, the stop-and-start nature of player development can be very dark. When is it best to put a prospect outside of his comfort zone? When is it best to protect a young player until he has more experience to act as a backup?
Bell likes to play down his odds. Maybe take a defensive draw in the first half before trying to close out the win in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Push the player but protect his confidence. Give them a chance to succeed.
“Let them try,” explained Bell. “Hopefully they’ll win that moment in the not-so-important moment, so they can get out of that. Whether it’s a playoff game or the last minute of a game, 1723166697 once they were in that situation, maybe the lights weren’t so bright.”
The summer provides a time to slow down and reflect, to think about those countless decisions brought about by the 72-game regular season. He took the Calder Cup Playoffs and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There are trends to pick up and analyze. There is a video worth watching. Maybe something or an edge can be found. Bell will have a new staff to prepare to work with, as Ottawa begins Stefan Legein and longtime AHL defenseman Andrew Campbell as assistant coaches.
And there is self-care when you are a coach. Throughout the season the coaches look after the needs of the players and put in endless hours in the office. The hockey calendar never really ends; it just goes down a bit in the summer. Ottawa held a development camp in July. Come September the organization will field a team in the 2024 Prospects Challenge hosted by the Buffalo Sabres.
“Try to get away from the game and reset your mind,” Bell said. “I think fresh eyes, new brain, new body … you’ll be better when the puck drops in September if you’re refreshed and excited.”
TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams has covered the American Hockey League for nearly two decades at outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM ! Sports, and most recently was the host of The Hockey News On The ‘A’ podcast. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
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