"Paul MacLean will be the Ottawa Senators' next head coach.

A formal announcement is expected to be made tomorrow.

MacLean has spent the last six seasons as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings.

MacLean helped Detroit to a Stanley Cup in 2008 and was also part of Mike Babcock's coaching staff with the Anaheim Ducks from 2002 to 2004, helping the team to a Cup Final appearance.

His playing career lasted 11 years, playing 719 games with stops in Detroit, Winnipeg and St. Louis. He amassed 324 goals and 349 assists as a player.

He will become the Senators ninth head coach since the team re-joined the NHL in 1993.

MacLean is filling the void left by former Senators head coach Cory Clouston. He was relieved of his duties on April 9 by Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray. MacLean does have a working history with Bryan Murray, as he served as Anaheim's general manager during MacLean's coaching tenure with the team.

MacLean will take over an Ottawa team very much in a transition period. The team had the fifth-worst record in the NHL in 2010-11 with just 32 wins. It was the lowest team win total since 1996-97, the team's fifth season, when the team was still in its post-expansion infancy.

The team's roster has been largely overhauled from the squad that began last season. Gone are veterans Mike Fisher, Alex Kovalev, Chris Kelly, Chris Campoli and Jarkko Ruutu, all dealt at the trade deadline for draft picks. The team relied heavily on AHL call-ups from the eventual Calder Cup-champion Binghamton Senators to finish out the regular season."


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