Bryan Murray is climbing back behind the bench, this time with the Ottawa Senators.

The Senators introduced Murray as head coach at a Tuesday morning media conference.

He resigned as general manager of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to accept the position.

"I wanted very badly to come back to coach," said Murray, already the seventh-winningest head coach in NHL history as well as a respected league executive.

"I wanted to come back to a hockey country where hockey meant something. I'm very very excited."

"He showed his sincerity by taking the gamble of stepping down and coming to Ottawa to coach the hockey club," added Senators GM John Muckler. "I think the fit is going to be fantastic."

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Murray replaces Jacques Martin, who was fired on April 22 and subsequently hired by the Florida Panthers as their head coach.

"Our hockey has great potential as far as leadership is concerned," Muckler pointed out. "(But) we needed a person to develop that leadership and make it better.

"(Zdeno) Chara, (Wade) Redden, (Daniel) Alfredsson all have to be better players, better leaders, if we're to win the Stanley Cup. Bryan will hold people accountable."

"I'm looking forward to the challenge," Murray claimed. "Today, there are 10 or 12 teams that think they have a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

"And we have to be one of them. I think the core is here.

"There's a high skill level. It's a matter of adding a couple of pieces, to give direction."

Murray brings a wealth of experience to Ottawa, having spent the past 23 seasons as a GM or head coach and capturing the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 1984.

Stated Senators owner Eugene Melnyk: "I have said since the first day I bought the Senators, that I will do whatever it takes to bring the Stanley Cup to Ottawa. Bryan is the coach, I believe, that we need to get us over the top."

Murray, a native of nearby Shawville, Que., ranks seventh all-time in wins with 513 in 1,057 games coached (513-429-115).

He has coached the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings and Panthers.

"He has a lot of passion for the game and experience, a lot of things we need," Senators centre Mike Fisher said.

Anaheim hired Murray on May 25, 2001 as head coach. He later became GM on May 2, 2002.

Right off the bat, he managed the Mighty Ducks to their finest regular-season record ever, their first NHL Western Conference title and first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals.

Murray has also served as GM of the Red Wings and Panthers.

with files from CP Online