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

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Just a reminder it took Torts a full year to get the Flyers to buy in and right the ship. A full year where he was saying the players sucked and weren't playing the way that would win them games and they finished 7th worst in the league. Now he's coaching a roster that I would say is greatly inferior to the Sens roster and has them in a wildcard spot. The Sens issues can still be almost entirely DJ's fault and the team could still be bad for the rest of the season under different leadership. Both can be true at once. Heck they could be bad all of next year as well. Coaching out bad habits and implementing winning systems almost always takes time. I have confidence that our skilled roster won't take that long but who knows.

The Flyers did ship out some "problems", though: Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov, Tony DeAngelo. All guys who got significant minutes on last year's team. They paid a hefty price to get out from Hayes, as well.

We'll see who our problems are.

 

[SensHulk]

Just a reminder it took Torts a full year to get the Flyers to buy in and right the ship. A full year where he was saying the players sucked and weren't playing the way that would win them games and they finished 7th worst in the league. Now he's coaching a roster that I would say is greatly inferior to the Sens roster and has them in a wildcard spot. The Sens issues can still be almost entirely DJ's fault and the team could still be bad for the rest of the season under different leadership. Both can be true at once. Heck they could be bad all of next year as well. Coaching out bad habits and implementing winning systems almost always takes time. I have confidence that our skilled roster won't take that long but who knows.

I think looking at torts and Rick tochett should have our management question of having an *interim* coach is the right move. I like JM but I hope the players realize he’s not going anywhere, and neither is what’s being asked of them to change next year

 

[NyQuil]

The Flyers did ship out some "problems", though: Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov, Tony DeAngelo. All guys who got significant minutes on last year's team. They paid a hefty price to get out from Hayes, as well.

We'll see who our problems are.

So far we need to ship out Tkachuk and Stutzle and then we’ll finally have the kind of team we’ve always wanted.

Case in point: locker room cancer Jack Eichel.

Buffalo finally turfed their problem players and look at them now!

Meanwhile, Eichel’s sorry attitude was shipped all the way to the boonies where he supposedly won a Stanley Cup or something as a major contributor.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

So far we need to ship out Tkachuk and Stutzle and then we’ll finally have the kind of team we’ve always wanted.

Who knows, maybe! I'd hope the new coaching staff and front-office objectively evaluate everyone, regardless of their draft position or contract.

The players control everything. They can play better, or not.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Case in point: locker room cancer Jack Eichel.

Buffalo finally turfed their problem players and look at them now!

Meanwhile, Eichel’s sorry attitude was shipped all the way to the boonies where he supposedly won a Stanley Cup or something as a major contributor.

Counterpoint: Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler.

PLD never bought into Winnipeg. Wheeler never bought into Rick Bowness. They traded one, and bought the other out. They're on pace for 114 points. They look better than ever.

Colorado shipped out Matt Duchene, a core piece who became unhappy, once upon a time. Worked out great for them. Worked out poorly for us.

There's no easy answer, no guaranteed move. But you need buy-in. You need commitment. I still think we'll get it from both Stützle and Tkachuk, but it's been rockier than I would've hoped.

 

[Dionysus]

Maybe. Or maybe Stützle is going to be the next Jack Eichel in Buffalo, and this is the start of a rocky relationship.

We're in for some entertainment, either way!

Eichel went on to be the number 1 c on a Stanley Cup winner. Have to hope the Sens can support these young guys and build a winning culture. Or watch them win cups somewhere else.

 

[Micklebot]

Maybe. Or maybe Stützle is going to be the next Jack Eichel in Buffalo, and this is the start of a rocky relationship.

We're in for some entertainment, either way!

Well, there are other quotes from Stü

“But in this league, it’s not all about points. It’s not about getting goals. It’s about getting wins. And I think a lot of players would trade their points for getting more wins. And that’s how I see it too.”

“Jacques and Alfie have been around for such a long time, they know what they’re doing,” said Stützle. “They’re really positive all the time. And I think I’ve gotten better in my 200-foot game. I think my best is when I’m playing a good offensive and defensive game.”

He clarified on the contract quote too, "Without his (DJ's) development, I don't think us would have had the opportunity to sign those contracts,, the 8 year long term, and that's what I'm really thankful for"

What I do find is more apparent when listening to him talk vs reading a tweet is English is very much his second language, he'll get the wrong word here and there, phase things a bit oddly, and I think that plays into it sometimes.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Eichel went on to be the number 1 c on a Stanley Cup winner. Have to hope the Sens can support these young guys and build a winning culture. Or watch them win cups somewhere else.

It's up to the players to build a winning culture. Right now, they don't have it, and for all the talk about wanting to win, they're really grieving the loss of the old "lose games, blame bounces, give self pat on the back for effort" way of doing things.

Can they turn it around? Time will tell. I still have faith, but I'm not as committed to every single one of these guys as I was a couple of years ago.

Also, I don't think Eichel would have done it had he stayed in Buffalo. He went and joined a winning culture where he could be a player, not the leader or culture-setter.

 

[DrEasy]

The way we played under DJ was easy for forwards but hard for defensemen.

The way Jacques wants to play is much harder for forwards, but the goal is to make things easier for defensemen.

Even the quotes coming out from the team lead me to believe this. Chychrun and Hamonic seem much more "open" to the adjustments that are being made than Stützle.


vs

Chychrun is even already talking like Jacques! "focusing on things we can control". The buy-in is real.

 

[Loach]

Chychrun is even already talking like Jacques! "focusing on things we can control". The buy-in is real.

This could be something that the players end up sorting out themselves in practice. One of those "discusions" that the coaches step back and let them "figure it out".

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Well, there are other quotes from Stü

“But in this league, it’s not all about points. It’s not about getting goals. It’s about getting wins. And I think a lot of players would trade their points for getting more wins. And that’s how I see it too.”

“Jacques and Alfie have been around for such a long time, they know what they’re doing,” said Stützle. “They’re really positive all the time. And I think I’ve gotten better in my 200-foot game. I think my best is when I’m playing a good offensive and defensive game.”

He clarified on the contract quote too, "Without his (DJ's) development, I don't think us would have had the opportunity to sign those contracts,, the 8 year long term, and that's what I'm really thankful for"

What I do find is more apparent when listening to him talk vs reading a tweet is English is very much his second language, he'll get the wrong word here and there, phase things a bit oddly, and I think that plays into it sometimes.

Yeah...TSN or whoever picks out the quotes needs to do a better job of things. The full text is a way different tone than that tweet earlier.

But, it got them clicks, and that's all that matters these days.

 

[JD1]

Does anyone have comparisons of the advanced stats for DJ vs. Martin? I know Martin's sample size is much smaller but I wanna see if any progress is being made anywhere cause the eye test feels like we're going backwards.

I looked at them after game 5. They were much worse since the transition

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

What I do find is more apparent when listening to him talk vs reading a tweet is English is very much his second language, he'll get the wrong word here and there, phase things a bit oddly, and I think that plays into it sometimes.

That's certainly true.

At this point, I think it's a buildup of things over the last 1.5 years that's led to the frustration, and on the heels of what Jacques said yesterday, an open-to-interpretation quote from a player, or what appears to be negative body language, can set the fanbase off.

The players have no one to blame but themselves. They've had multiple inflection points to which they haven't responded.

1. Climb into the playoff race last year, crumble during the West Coast trip to fall out of it, vow to start the year competitively – they didn't do it.

2. Fans start booing DJ. Players call out fans, say they're here to win, DJ is the guy, and they'll show everyone – they didn't do it.

3. DJ gets fired. Players take it hard, but say it's on them, not the coaching, and they're going to turn it around – they haven't done it. Same old habits.

At some point, preaching patience and "they're young let them figure it out don't be hard on them" gets old. Also, Jacques very pointed and blunt comments yesterday set the players up for criticism today.

 

[NyQuil]

I looked at them after game 5. They were much worse since the transition

Well, it’s understandable.

They’ll probably still play better under a crappy system they know well over one they are unfamiliar with.

You don’t usually see a change in structure of a team midway through the year and this is why.

 

[JD1]

Okay so why is it so common for the Sens to be unable to clear the puck from said rim arounds and off the boards? Why has it become a theme and why has it never been rectified? Every team does it but why do the Sens have one of the most difficult times executing a common strategy around the league? If it's a failing strategy why hasn't the strategy been changed?

I agree with you that the players definitely need to be looked at as well. No arguing that.

Why? I think there's too many bineheaded rim around where there isn't someone in place for one and two I think we don't win nearly enough one on one battles on the boards, above the circles below the blue line.

Jacques talked about being outnumbered in battles. Watch those specific battles. Too often you'll see an opponent slide over to help his D with a battle. All the D needs is a little kick out and that's an easier battle to win.

 

[Big Muddy]

Well, there are other quotes from Stü

“But in this league, it’s not all about points. It’s not about getting goals. It’s about getting wins. And I think a lot of players would trade their points for getting more wins. And that’s how I see it too.”

“Jacques and Alfie have been around for such a long time, they know what they’re doing,” said Stützle. “They’re really positive all the time. And I think I’ve gotten better in my 200-foot game. I think my best is when I’m playing a good offensive and defensive game.”

He clarified on the contract quote too, "Without his (DJ's) development, I don't think us would have had the opportunity to sign those contracts,, the 8 year long term, and that's what I'm really thankful for"

What I do find is more apparent when listening to him talk vs reading a tweet is English is very much his second language, he'll get the wrong word here and there, phase things a bit oddly, and I think that plays into it sometimes.

What was presented in the article was also possibly just a subset of what Stutzle said. When someone extracts bits from a long conversation, things can get skewed.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

This team has essentially been playing shinny for 5 years. It wasn’t an overnight fix in 1996, and it won’t be now.

 

[Cosmix]

We definitely need an NHL coach with experience who has had success in the NHL in the past.

I said the same thing about a GM. I am not happy with what Andlauer has given us.

 

[SensontheRush]

Call up Soggy. Spark the team immediately.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

What have they worked on other than the neutral zone?

Has the PP, PK been looked at yet? They need to address the wide open points as a big issue as it causes an easy outlet for the opposition and makes the forwards skate like madmen to try to guard and skate from the near the goalie crease

 

[Dionysus]

What have they worked on other than the neutral zone?

Has the PP, PK been looked at yet? They need to address the wide open points as a big issue as it causes an easy outlet for the opposition and makes the forwards skate like madmen to try to guard and skate from the near the goalie crease

Leaving the points wide open has bugged me for years. I know collapsing can be effective, but the Sens forwards collapse while also not effectively supporting the defenceman.

Rarely do the wingers manage to make a puck battle a 2 on 1. They also puck watch a lot, so seams open up.

When teams need a push against Ottawa they can just start a high cycle and the forwards are lost.

 

[Micklebot]

What have they worked on other than the neutral zone?

Line changes

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Line changes

Have we gotten a single too many men penalty since Martin took over?

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

stutzle will be fine. he actually WANTS to play d and become an elite defensive force. his problem is that he literally tries to do too much.

Alfie is going to do wonders with him.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

This team has essentially been playing shinny gor 5 years. It wasn’t an overnight fix in 1996, and it won’t be now.

Well said, it's why many were advocating for DJ gone last year. The shift(much of which is mental) needed to be done much earlier. Expecting immediate consistency with such a jam-packed schedule and little integration/implementation was/is tomfoolery.