Ottawa Senators sign head coach Dave Cameron to two-year extension

Ottawa Senators coach Dave Cameron speaks at a press conference at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa after the announcement of the death of assistant coach Mark Reeds on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. (Patrick Doyle/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators signed head coach Dave Cameron to a two-year contract extension Thursday.

Cameron is under contract to the NHL club through the 2016-17 season.

Cameron, 56, was promoted to head coach last December after Paul MacLean was fired. The Senators were 32-15-8 under Cameron, rallying from a 14-point deficit to secure an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot.

Ottawa dropped its opening-round series to the Montreal Canadiens in six games.

Cameron joined the Senators as an assistant under MacLean in 2011. Prior to that, Cameron spent four seasons as head coach/GM of the OHL's Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, compiling a 165-91-16 regular-season record.

The Senators also announced the signing of forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau on a two-year, one-way, contract extension. The average annual value of the contract is US$900,000 ($700,000 and $1.1 million).

The 22-year-odl split the 2014-15 season between Ottawa and the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y. Pageau played in a career-high 50 games, while establishing new NHL career highs in goals (10), assists (nine) and points (19) last season.