from Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet,

Six months ago, they looked to be on thin ice, if not dead men walking.

But look at Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith and general manager Pierre Dorion today. Smiles as wide as the great outdoors. As confident as any head coach and GM can be under the circumstances of new ownership.

The photo of Tuesday’s pre-training camp golf tournament was telling: incoming owner Michael Andlauer fist-bumping Dorion on the golf course, both men captured laughing uproariously.

Yes, I know, the team hasn’t played a single game yet, let alone have a camp skate – that starts on Thursday at the Sensplex.

These are the earliest of days and a lot can change in a hurry. Andlauer has been around hockey a long time, with street cred at the OHL, AHL and NHL levels – the latter as a minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens.

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