Davis Payne first stepped behind an NHL bench when the St Louis Blues promoted him from their AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, to become their Head Coach part way through the 2009-2010 season. He would remain with the Blues until 2011.

Following his time in St Louis, Payne was hired by the Los Angeles Kings as an Assistant Coach. He would remain in LA for 5 seasons and help the KIngs capture their second Stanley Cup in 2014. From California he would make the move to upstate New York to join the Buffalo Sabres as an Associate Coach to Phil Housley for two seasons.

For the past 3 seasons Payne has been an Assistant Coach with the upstart Ottawa Senators, a role he will return to next season.

As a player, Payne was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1989 NHL Draft out of Michigan Tech. He would go on to play 8 professional seasons, including 22 games with the Boston Bruins.