Former Ottawa Senators assistant coach Bob Jones dies at 54 after battle with ALS

Ottawa Senators assistant coach Bob Jones was diagnosed with ALS in December 2022, the team announced. (Ottawa Senators)

The Ottawa Senators have announced that former assistant coach Bob Jones has died after a battle with ALS.

He was 54.

Jones was in his fourth season with the Senators when he was diagnosed. He went public with the diagnosis in January 2023.

"After publicly disclosing his diagnosis ... Jones became a vocal advocate for ALS research awareness," the team said in a news release Friday evening. "Buoyed by his passion for equal parts coaching and team camaraderie, Jones continued his work with the organization through the remainder of the season and into 2023-24."

ALS, known fully as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that progressively paralyzes people because the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body. It is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

ALS has no known cure.

Jones had coached in the American Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League for more than 20 seasons before joining the Senators in 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Paige, and their two children, Blake and Brianna.

"The entire Senators organization is thinking of Bob's loved ones and sending our sincere condolences to his family," said Senators owner Michael Andlauer. "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."

Details about funeral arrangements were not announced.