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Report: Sens, MacLean closing in on two-year extension

Paul MacLean

Fresh off winning his first-ever Jack Adams as the NHL’s top coach, Paul MacLean appears to be in line for a new deal.

The Ottawa bench boss is close to agreeing to a two-year contract extension that will keep him in the Canadian capital until 2015-16, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

“I think that’ll be something that will get done in short order,” MacLean explained. “I don’t really anticipate any issues with that.

“I have another year on the contract anyway so I really have no anticipation there’ll be an issue.”

MacLean, 55, has enjoyed tremendous success in Ottawa since inheriting the head coaching gig from Cory Clouston in 2011.

He led the club to a 41-win, 92-point campaign in 2011-12, earning a surprise playoff berth and an Adams nomination (eventually won by St. Louis’ Ken Hitchcock).

This year, MacLean outdid that performance -- in the face of major adversity.

The Sens were without the services of Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson for large portions of the season, yet still managed to finish seventh in the Eastern Conference -- one spot higher than the season prior -- and win a playoff round for the first time since 2007.

Sens GM Bryan Murray said there’s nothing formal on the table at the moment but, like MacLean, doesn’t expect there to be any issues in agreeing on terms for an extension.

“We like what he does with us and I hope he likes what we do for him, with him,” Murray told the Sun.