Senators dismiss Clouston, Carvel, and Lauer

Just hours after their season-ending loss to the Boston Bruins, the Ottawa Senators announced the dismissal of head coach Cory Clouston along with assistants Greg Carvel and Brad Lauer. Assistant coach Luke Richardson and goaltending coach Rick Wamsley will remain with the team.

The dismissal shouldn't come as a surprise to many. Clouston's contract was set to expire at the end of the season, and speculation throughout the season assumed that it was only a matter of time before the coach was let go--he lasted to the end of the season, but despite some moderate success in the final quarter of the year, was let go.

Some may wonder on the timing of the firing, but whether it was this evening or two weeks from now, the move would have resulted in the same thing. In his end-of-year press conference, Clouston himself expressed his hopes that his future with the organization would be resolved as quickly as possible. The fact that it was done so quickly gives him, Carvel, and Lauer the opportunity to start putting their names on the market as they seek employment for next season.