Senators fire CEO Little after less than two months
The Ottawa Senators fired CEO Jim Little on Wednesday after less than two months in the position.
The team said that Little was dismissed "as a result of conduct inconsistent with the core values of the Ottawa Senators and the National Hockey League." No other details were released.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the dismissal Wednesday following the conclusion of the league's GM meetings. He indicated that Little was not fired for the type of inappropriate conduct that prompted the league to create a four-point policy in December to combat verbal, physical and emotional abuse. That came in response to former Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters' admission to using racial slurs around players a decade ago.
"It's not what you think. Or what's been suggested," Bettman told reporters. "It relates more to -- while I generally don't normally comment on club personnel decisions, it's not one of the things we had been discussing at the board meetings in December.
"It has to do more with internal operations. If you want more, you have to talk to the Senators."
Bettman also was asked if he had worries about the Senators.
"Eugene Melnyk has been an owner in good standing for 15 years at least, maybe 20," Bettman said. "Teams sometimes go through cycles, for a variety of reasons. But I am not one who overreacts or is concerned when a team's performance is less than the people of that community would like to see.
"I know Eugene is passionate about the game, passionate about the team. It wasn't that long ago that the team was a game away from the Stanley Cup Final. It's sports. It's really easy to criticize and second-guess, and it's harder to do."
Little, 55, was hired Jan. 10 and most recently was executive vice president and chief marketing and culture officer for Shaw Communications, a Canadian telecommunications company.
--Field Level Media
