Confirmed with Link: DJ Smith fired, Jacques Martin in as interim, Alfie as assistant

[coladin]

Written by Don "Karlsson was a garbage pick" Brennan.

But bang on. He finally gave into Muckler and put Spezza in

 

[coladin]

Did they already know the extent of Dorion's negligence (or worse)?

Also, I'm unclear on your position regarding a better plan. Staios is doing the GM job and he did fire DJ (I'd have preferred during the summer or earlier in the season as it was required in November in my opinion).
If I recall their hands were tied until until mid to late September.


Maybe he saw all the trades and bad signings as straws.

They knew that they were guilty, but did not know the severity of the punishment.

Staios inherited the GM job, but any GM worth his salt would have fired DJ long ago. But he also knows that typically a an incoming GM would do the hire, and this would be his preference. So he conconted the senior advisor to the coaches position, and bringing in Alfie to eventually take over when Staios felt they were ready to go.

Staios did not want to be the GM, and basically skirted GM dutires as his team sank to the bottom of the standings. But, stable, right?

It pisses me off as I sit in my seats and watch a rudderless team , and will continue to do so until April when this season will mercilessly be over. Staios should have fired DJ before Sweden, when it was obvious this team wasn't going anywhere. Plenty of games left. They had 5 days off after Sweden ffs, plenty of time to have a mini training camp, if you will. He didn't want to hire a guy that may be turfed when a new GM comes in and cleans house. So they saved a few bucks and torpedoed the season going the route they have chosen.

Their hands could have been "tied", officially, but the sale was a foregone conclusion since the spring. They had time to assemble a team, so they get no break from me in that regard.

Hope that clarifies my position

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Should Zach Bierk's performance be scrutinized. He came in as a DJ guy, when Matt Murray disappointed out of the gate. Now Murray was traded for while he was in the midst of trying to rebuild his game making changes to his style. Petty Pete Dorion could not live with that and replaced his goalie coach Pierre Groulx with Bierk. Since then how have our goalies fared?

 

[SensHulk]

Should Zach Bierk's performance be scrutinized. He came in as a DJ guy, when Matt Murray disappointed out of the gate. Now Murray was traded for while he was in the midst of trying to rebuild his game making changes to his style. Petty Pete Dorion could not live with that and replaced his goalie coach Pierre Groulx with Bierk. Since then how have our goalies fared?

Just speaking since the start of last season till now, not well. I definitely think our goaltending coach needs more scrutiny. What are we doing to address such gaffes?

Forsberg had a great season two years ago, was that with Groulx at the helm or Bierk?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Just speaking since the start of last season till now, not well. I definitely think our goaltending coach needs more scrutiny. What are we doing to address such gaffes?

Forsberg had a great season two years ago, was that with Groulx at the helm or Bierk?

Bierk but not sure if thats the ability he came in with vs now after being coached up

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Senators have some talented young players no doubt, but it's so hard to tell how they stack up against the other top teams in the league.

It is pretty easy I'd say.

We have been a bottom feeder for a while, we are a bottom feeder.

Martin will help but he isn't going to turn this team into a good team on his own.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Hey Brady, Timmy ; ... Can we have your attention up here



JM pays attention to shift lengths..

 

[armani]

Hey Brady, Timmy ; ... Can we have your attention up here



JM pays attention to shift lengths..

Hey look, NHL Hockey Fundamentals 101!

Jacques Martin, as stoic and handsome a coach as ever, still looked "displeased" which in real life is where we get pissed off.

Alfie was actually clapping when we scored, absolutely pissed when bad plays were made. I go by a few clips of him including him telling of Kastelic right away about a bad play (missed check). Loved it.

There will be accountability and respect for the game plan. The guys are now dealing with legit NHL pedigree, they will listen much like Martin had Alfie's teams listen in the past.

I am optimistic, despite the current results, that a turn-around is around the corner. Need to get fully healthy first though. I am not worrying about the standings any more, let the new guys put their marks, the off-ice staffing is still being rebuilt.

 

[Tragedy]

Hey look, NHL Hockey Fundamentals 101!

I thought all you had to do was have fun with da boys? I didn't come to the NHL to play school

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Hey look, NHL Hockey Fundamentals 101!

Jacques Martin, as stoic and handsome a coach as ever, still looked "displeased" which in real life is where we get pissed off.

Alfie was actually clapping when we scored, absolutely pissed when bad plays were made. I go by a few clips of him including him telling of Kastelic right away about a bad play. Loved it.

There will be accountability and respect for the game plan. The guys are now dealing with legit NHL pedigree, they will listen much like Martin had Alfie's teams listen in the past.

I am optimistic, despite the current results, that a turn-around is around the corner. Need to get fully healthy first though.

But what about the vibes?

 

[Ouroboros]

Practicing line changes.

Is this house league?

 

[armani]

But what about the vibes?

I know you jest, but I think that's why Alfie works as an assistant perfectly behind the bench. Being that vibe, when he is pissed, guys would know. When he is happy, guys would know. Collective vibe.

They will listen when he says what they should be doing, and they will learn. Martin the disciplinarian is great at teaching young players. Hossa and Chara are two testaments of talents that blossomed under him. He made Rachunek, Meszaros and others look better than they were, so his systems help players of all skill levels to take care of the other side of the puck/plays without pucks.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Practicing line changes.

Is this house league?

I don't think there can be a bigger indictment of a former coach if a new staff comes in and practices line changes on their second day.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Practicing line changes.

Is this house league?

House league changes on whistles.

It’s also about how to counter attack while other team is line changing.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Hey look, NHL Hockey Fundamentals 101!

...

Alfie was actually clapping when we scored, absolutely pissed when bad plays were made. I go by a few clips of him including him telling of Kastelic right away about a bad play (missed check). Loved it.

...

I loved the clip of him giving Kastellic an earful. For a guy who could be out of the NHL at any time, Kastellic sure doesn't play with much determination.

Alfie has that reputation of being an intense, intense competitor. Pretty sure he's not going to be best buddy with the players when the Sens are in a losing streak.

I know you jest, but I think that's why Alfie works as an assistant perfectly behind the bench. Being that vibe, when he is pissed, guys would know. When he is happy, guys would know. Collective vibes.

They will listen when he says what they should be doing, and they will learn. Martin the disciplinarian is great at teaching young players. Hossa and Chara are two testaments of talents that blossomed under him. He made Rachunek, Meszaros and others look better than they were, so his systems help players of all skill levels to take care of the other side of the puck/plays without pucks.

Not to nitpick, but Meszaros never played under Martin.

 

[Emerica]

Hey Brady, Timmy ; ... Can we have your attention up here



JM pays attention to shift lengths..

Love it. Going back to basics

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I loved the clip of him giving Kastellic an earful. For a guy who could be out of the NHL at any time, Kastellic sure doesn't play with much determination.

Alfie has that reputation of being an intense, intense competitor. Pretty sure he's not going to be best buddy with the players when the Sens are in a losing streak.


Not to nitpick, but Meszaros never played under Martin.

Which is probably what Alfie was thinking. He's lucky to still be on the team at this point, so not the kind of player that should be letting up on a play.

 

[armani]

I loved the clip of him giving Kastellic an earful. For a guy who could be out of the NHL at any time, Kastellic sure doesn't play with much determination.

Alfie has that reputation of being an intense, intense competitor. Pretty sure he's not going to be best buddy with the players when the Sens are in a losing streak.


Not to nitpick, but Meszaros never played under Martin.

Yes you are right, thinking Bryan Murray here (I go by memory which are cloudy with age lol) who made Mesz look better than he was. BMurr was also great for us as a coach. Volchenkov never looked the same away from Martin who let him flourish, although Volly's demise was more a result of the sacrifices he made on his body/health to defend.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

1 game in


So it starts

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

I remember Paul MacLean saying after 30 games you pretty much know what you are as a team. Let’s hope JM proves him wrong.

 

[Cosmix]

yes, but in all instances regular season success. Here (Ottawa) has been bottom 10 finishes!

I get the formula.. Pittsburg, Chicago, Tampa (and to a lesser extent Colorado).. but across all leagues and over time, there has also been failed rebuilds... Buffalo, Detroit, NJ, Toronto (pre Mathews), Edmonton (Pre McDavid).

Like I wrote, it is hard to know. We will only know once the era is over. I don't envy Andlauer/Staios who have to make the hard call.

If you define success of a rebuild as winning a Stanley Cup, then most rebuilds fail. My definition of success is creating a team that gets into the playoffs every season and wins 1 or 2 playoff rounds each year.

 

[Mookie McGee]

Last night's observations:

Stuetzle was moved from wing to center at the NHL level, and I saw him come back in the defensive zone to cover the slot (good) but he stood watching the puck carrier with no inkling that he and the d need to basically man on man cover the 3 forwards deep in the zone. How is this possible?

Watched numerous guys not finish a check, where it would slow the opponent from moving forward to the scoring areas for a few seconds and disrupt timing. Arizona did the check and hold for 2-3 seconds all game, taking away passing options and support plays at every turn.

If you are going to play smaller defensemen who add no offense, they need to at least be quick and mobile in the defensive zone to get pucks out and stifle opposition puck movement. This does not happen for the Sens.

These details lose games, and failure to get players to use their assets is a big problem in the post DJ era.

Oh, and Kelly has gone from noticeable and active over the first 15 games to a black hole the last dozen or so. Maybe his size just won't allow him to be involved and physical over an 82 game schedule, but he has no value without it.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

1 game in


So it starts

We didn’t even have a neutral zone forecheck we let opposing forwards just zoom through the neutral zone alone in our Defence

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I'm loving this coaching change. This is the medicine this team needs. I do not expect overnight success and do expect some pain as that transition takes hold. I know Jacques and Alfie fully understand what they need to do. Its like trying to get some order and discipline with kids that have been allowed to run free on their own schedule and on their own whims. Most of these hockey players want to win and understand its not a collection of individuals and individual play, its about team work so that helps. I want to see changes in how they have been playing that will bring more consistency and provide an environment where they understand what to do and to hold each other accountable. Lets hope the young leaders here buy in quick.