Senators name president of hockey operations

The Ottawa Senators have confirmed that Steve Staios has been named the newest president of hockey operations ahead of the 2023-24 NHL season.

Staios has been linked to the job for some time due to his connection with new Senators owner Michael Andlauer. The former NHLer officially stepped down as the Edmonton Oilers’ special advisor to the team’s hockey operations staff on Friday.

Previously, the 50-year-old was GM of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs from 2016-17 while also serving as the team’s president since 2015-16. He helped the Bulldogs win two OHL championships and was named general manager of the year in 2021-22 – his last in the league.

Staios played 1,001 games in the NHL with Boston, Vancouver, Atlanta, Edmonton, Calgary and the New York Islanders. Other achievements include winning gold at the 20023 and 2004 IIHF World Championship as a player and also leading Canada’s world junior team as GM in 2018-19 while still with the Bulldogs.

Staios got his start in NHL management when he was named player development adviser for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2012. He later became the team’s manager of player development in 2014 and briefly helped serve on the team’s bench in 2015.

“I am so excited that Steve is joining me in Ottawa to lead our hockey operations,” Andlauer said in a statement. “I have worked with Steve for many years and know first-hand that he will strengthen our team with his hockey acumen, attention to detail, commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the game and its players. In hockey you can never accumulate too much talent. Having Steve and Pierre leading our hockey department gives us a formidable team.”

Staios’ son, Nathan Staios, is a 22-year-old prospect in the Florida Panthers system. He’s coming off his first season of pro hockey, scoring four goals and 18 points in 44 games with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.