Report: NHL helps Senators coaches recoup pay after team's major cuts

The NHL had to get involved to ensure the Ottawa Senators paid their coaching staff after the club significantly slashed salaries across the organization.

The Senators enacted a pay cut of 50% for all club staff, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli.

In response to that decision, Ottawa's coaches appealed to the league for relief, and "with the NHL’s involvement, Senators coaches were recently reinstated to full pay retroactive to July 13," according to Seravalli.

At least 17 NHL teams have reportedly cut hockey operations staff members' pay amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Senators' 50% reduction is the largest in the league, and it's twice the size of the next-closest team that initiated a similar all-staff salary decrease (the Pittsburgh Penguins, although their 25% hit will extend through Nov. 30).

The Dallas Stars trimmed pay by 30% in June and 20% before that month, but reinstated those salaries to the full amounts dating back to July 13, the day NHL training camps opened before the league resumed play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the only Canadian team that hasn't issued a staff pay cut, according to Seravalli.

The pandemic's effect on league and team finances has been well documented. The NHL temporarily cut employee salaries by 25% following the outbreak in March, and numerous teams subsequently slashed the pay of arena workers and front-office staff.