With the reigning Stanley Cup champions up against the salary cap, they realized change was coming.
And although they both didn't necessarily anticipate being the guys on the move, they're both looking forward to a new start in Ottawa.
"For me, it was a little bit of a surprise, not a total surprise, because everyone had their eyes wide open about the situation," Coburn said. "But, I was very open to coming here and really excited to join this team and the opportunity it has."
Paquette said he knew that "some of us were going to move" but admits he kind of forgot about it for a while until he was the one heading north.
"I'm happy to be here and back in Canada," he said.
The two teammates skated together today at the Canadian Tire Centre on what was a day off for the rest of the Senators' training camp roster.
"It's obviously a young team, a lot of prospects and they've got some good players and some good veterans," Paquette, 27, said. "It's a good mix. I think my role is going to be bringing leadership and experience and maybe some physicality since that's how I play and I don't want to change my game."
Between them, Coburn and Paquette bring 1,341 games of NHL experience to the lineup. Throw in the 228 playoff games and their names on the Stanley Cup and what they'll bring to a young team only seems to grow.
After talking with Sens head coach D.J. Smith and general manager Pierre Dorion, Coburn became even more enthusiastic about being part of the Senators organization.
"It was something that I was really excited about and really thought was a great opportunity," the 35-year-old said.
It's also a homecoming of sorts for both players as for the first time since their major junior days, they'll get to play in their native Canada. Coburn is from Shaunavon, Sask., while Paquette hails from Gaspe, Que.
"There's a lot to like about this team," Coburn said. "There's a lot of young guys. There's a lot of guys that are hungry and really want to make a name for themselves in this league. It's a competitive bunch.
"It's a good group to fit into and for me I want to work as hard as I can and push the competition as much as I can as well."
