D.J. Smith had been one of seven candidates interviewed by the Ottawa Senators, with the likes of Rick Bowness, Jacques Martin and Patrick Roy all considered for the top coaching job in the Canadian capital.
Marc Crawford, an associate coach under Guy Boucher before taking the reins on an interim basis last season, appeared to still be in the running late in the process but will now seemingly need to seek a new opportunity.
That is unless Smith is interested in bringing him back as an associate or assistant, with the former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant now needing to build his own coaching group in Ottawa.