Former Ottawa Senators assistant coach Bob Jones has died of ALS at the age of 54.
Jones, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was in his fourth season with the Senators coaching staff when he was diagnosed with ALS in December 2022. After publicly disclosing his diagnosis the following month, Jones became a vocal advocate for ALS research awareness and continued to work with the organization into last season.
“The entire Senators’ organization is thinking of Bob’s loved ones and sending our sincere condolences to his family,” Senators owner Michael Andlauer said. “For both our current players and for the members of our staff who had the privilege of working with Bob, his loss brings considerable sorrow. Bob will be fondly remembered for having a true joy for life and for his determined commitment to routinely help better individual players and all hockey organizations for which he worked.”
Jones is survived by his wife, Paige, and their two adult children, Blake and Brianna.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.
Hockey Hall of Famer Borje Salming died Nov. 24, 2022, at 71 following a short battle with ALS. He played 17 seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, and had 787 points (150 goals, 637 assists) in 1,148 regular-season games and 49 points (12 goals, 37 assists) in 81 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Calgary Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow died of ALS on Sept. 23, 2023, at 42 after fighting an inspiring public battle with the disease. He and his family created the Weak Side Strong Challenge to help raise money for ALS research and treatment.
Jones became a Senators assistant under then-coach D.J. Smith on July 5, 2019, after coaching more than 20 years in the American Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League.
As a player, Jones was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the ninth round (No. 179) of the 1989 NHL Draft. A defenseman, he played six seasons with Adirondack of the AHL, San Diego and Fort Wayne of the International Hockey League and Muskegon and Saginaw of the Colonial Hockey League.
Shortly after Jones went public with his diagnosis, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke about Jones and his effect on the team.
“It makes us want to just leave it all out there,” Tkachuk said then.
“We think that a loss or a bad game is the end of the world, but there are people in life going through way harder things.
“The fact that he wants to be here every step of the way and see all of us as a group and an organization accomplish our dreams, I think it says a lot about the person he is and how much he cares about this team and the players in the locker room. It just makes us want to find that extra level to get the job done in honor of him.”
