Coach Smith gives update on Sens who tested positive for COVID-19

So far, no NHL team has been hit harder by the COVID-19 virus than the Ottawa Senators. Five unnamed players, a member of the club's staff and TSN 1200 colour analyst Gord Wilson all had bouts with the illness after Ottawa returned from a road trip through California on March 12th. Sens head coach D.J. Smith participated in a conference call with reporters Wednesday and said everyone involved has since recovered, adding the experience was a real eye-opener for the club.

“Seeing it first-hand, it's important you see that this disease doesn't spare anyone and it doesn't matter, as you see, with all the people in the world … it doesn't matter — actors, actresses, rich, poor — you've got to make sure you stay safe,” said Smith.

“I'm really glad that everybody in our organization and on that plane is now doing well, but it's certainly a scary time. Yeah, it hit us, but at the same time it probably saved a lot of us because unless you see it up close that quickly, we probably got a little bit of a jump on this.”

"The good news is that everyone who had it didn't have horrible symptoms (like) what we're seeing on TV and some of the people that have really struggled,” said Smith. “Some guys didn't feel well, but being athletes, they all go through it and they're all on the other side of it now.”

Smith admits that days are starting to feel very much the same as he and his family isolate themselves as best they can at their home in Tecumseh, Ontario.

“We eat breakfast, have some coffee, talk to some people and then have about (90) minute Crossfit workouts either in the driveway or garage,” Smith said. “I usually take the three-year-old on a drive around the neighbourhood just to let him open up the window, get on the phone, call Pierre and see what goes on in the hockey world, and then have dinner.

“We've been changing programs on Netflix, going back and forth, and then we do it all again the next day.”

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