Senators hire Rob DiMaio as Director of Player Personnel, Director of Professional Scouting

“We are excited to add Rob’s experience and acumen to our hockey management team,” General manager Steve Staios said in a release. “He brings more than 30 years of experience as a player and executive and has a track record of success. Rob is a hard-working leader and will be a great match to the team and culture we are building here in Ottawa.”

The 56-year-old returns north of the border after spending the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. During his tenure, DiMaio worked under GM Pat Verbeek as an assistant general manager, also serving as the general manager for the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

The Calgary native is familiar with his “new” role. He was the director of player personnel for the St. Louis Blues from 2015 to 2022, part of a 13-tenure with the organization that saw him be a pro scout before taking on the job of director of pro scouting in 2012. DiMaio was important in helping the Blues craft the team that went on to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2019.

DiMaio also had a fruitful playing career. He played 894 games in the NHL, making stops with the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, and Dallas Stars. He also won back-to-back Memorial Cups with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1987 and 1988 and was on the 1988 Canadian National Junior Team that won gold in Moscow.