Exactly three decades after he coached his first game behind the Ottawa Senators bench, Jacques Martin is set to be permanently honoured by the franchise.
The Senators announced on Thursday that Martin will be added to the club’s Ring of Honour on Saturday, January 24, before the club's home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The date is a nice choice. It'll happen exactly 30 years to the day after Martin coached his first game with the Sens on January 24, 1996, a week after Canadian Tire Centre officially opened.
“I have been privileged to coach outstanding players and not only great players, but great people. And that was the reason I was able to get there,” Martin said in a club statement.
His addition to the Ring was one of the easiest decisions in franchise history.
The Sens content team devised a clever plan to surprise Martin, asking him and Daniel Alfredsson to narrate a Great Moments in Sens History video. Alfredsson capped it off by revealing a moment that hasn’t happened yet.
Martin isn't an easy guy to make smile, but he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
Kudos to the Sens content team for this one. It has nostalgia, emotion, and a well-executed surprise. Instantly one of my all-time favourites. https://t.co/cJljHkKhsq
— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) December 18, 2025
The Ottawa-born coach stands 16th in NHL history with 1350 games coached in the NHL and holds team records for games coached (748), wins (367) and playoff victories (31).
He was named the NHL’s Coach of the Year in 1999, and guided Ottawa to its only President’s Trophy during the 2002–03 season. That was the season the Sens went to the Eastern Conference Final before bowing out at home in a Game 7 heartbreaker against the New Jersey Devils.
When it looked like Martin's coaching days were probably behind him, the Sens brought him back at age 71 in Dec. 2023 to be a consultant and resource to head coach D.J. Smith. 12 days later, he became Smith's replacement, guiding the Sens to the end of the 2023-24 season. Martin made way for Travis Green in May 2024 and continues to serve as an advisor to the club’s coaching staff.
Martin will be remembered for quickly righting a floundering ship in Ottawa's early years.
When he arrived in the 1995-96 NHL season, the Sens weren't that much better than the historically bad expansion team (10-70-4) they had in the 1992-93 season. Rick Bowness had recently been fired after a 6-13 start in his fourth season. They were even worse, absurdly so, after promoting their AHL head coach, Dave Allison, who was fired after a 2-22-1 record.
Just over one calendar year later, Martin steered the Sens into the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Technically, Martin had three stints with the Senators. In his first run with the Senators, in a beautiful gesture, he temporarily gave up the head coaching reins to his friend and assistant coach, Roger Neilson. Neilson, who was battling cancer, officially took over the Sens bench for the final two games of the 2001-02 season, allowing him to reach the 1000 game mark in his NHL coaching career.
Neilson died the following year at age 69.
With his induction, Martin becomes the fourth member of the Senators' Ring of Honour at Canadian Tire Centre, joining Bryan Murray, Wade Redden and Dr. Don Chow.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:
Top Prospect Carter Yakemchuk Injured In Collision During AHL Game
Senators' First Step Toward Stanley Cup Playoff Return Is Better Goaltending
30 Games Into The Season, What Is The Ottawa Senators' Identity?
Speculating On Yakemchuk's NHL Arrival Time
Popular Former Senator Forward Attempting Comeback At Age 38
Four Ottawa Senators Make Annual List Of Most Punchable NHL Players