Rick Wamsley's 12-year National Hockey League playing career was a key factor in Bryan Murray's decision to hire him as the goalie coach of the Ottawa Senators, but so was Wamsley's relationship with Pascal Leclaire, considered the team's No. 1 goalie.

Wamsley, who was the Columbus Blue Jackets' goaltending coach for seven years, worked with Leclaire from 2001, when he was drafted by the Blue Jackets, through the 2005-06 season, after which Wamsley, now 51, left to become the goaltending coach for the St. Louis Blues.

"We wanted a guy with experience," Murray said. "We thought having a goaltender that played in the league and had a good career . . . was one of the things that led us to believe that Rick could do a good job here, and get the respect and the work ethic back that we really need in our goaltending.