Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Bileur]

Legitimate question: how does the 500 messaging make any sense?

We have 19 games left. Even assuming traditional definition of 500. 10-9 gives them a season total of 88 and likely a half dozen points at least out of the playoffs.

 

[Korpse]

looks like they settled on Brannstrom and Holden platooning . Brannstrom still likely ends up playing more than Holden. Given they won't play Chych with Sanderson ....yet. No chance they pull Hamonic when healthy and even a longer shot they sit one of Sanderson, Chabot, Zub for Brannstrom so here we are .

Yup, it's gonna depend a lot on matchup. Seattle is a team that spends a lot of time in the offensive zone, add on it being a road game. Wouldn't be surprised if they would want an extra pair who they can rely on for D zone faceoffs. I suspect they will lean on Chycrun-Holden to start a good number of their shifts in the D zone like they did against NYR.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Legitimate question: how does the 500 messaging make any sense?

We have 19 games left. Even assuming traditional definition of 500. 10-9 gives them a season total of 88 and likely a half dozen points at least out of the playoffs.

Maybe he expects all those contending teams in April to just rest their top guys.

 

[Korpse]

Legitimate question: how does the 500 messaging make any sense?

We have 19 games left. Even assuming traditional definition of 500. 10-9 gives them a season total of 88 and likely a half dozen points at least out of the playoffs.

You don't want to set a goal too high. Say you have a bad start to the month you don't want to give up on the goal half way through. They are obviously aiming higher but it's a minimum they want to reach.

 

[Bileur]

You don't want to set a goal too high. Say you have a bad start to the month you don't want to give up on the goal half way through. They are obviously aiming higher but it's a minimum they want to reach.

I can’t tell if that’s sarcastic.

If we go .500 the rest of march (6-6) we’re at 80 points.

A 7-0-0 April then brings the Sens to 94 points, almost certainly not enough to make it.

A 500 goal is definitely too low.

Maybe he expects all those contending teams in April to just rest their top guys.

Lol, maybe.

 

[Micklebot]

I can’t tell if that’s sarcastic.

If we go .500 the rest of march (6-6) we’re at 80 points.

A 7-0-0 April then brings the Sens to 94 points, almost certainly not enough to make it.

A 500 goal is definitely too low.



Lol, maybe.

Well, he did say over 500, not 500, so 7-5 perhaps?

 

[Bileur]

Well, he did say over 500, not 500, so 7-5 perhaps?

I read it as over 500 for march, having pointed out we’re 2-1 already. So maybe 8-7 total? I don’t know, either way 7-5 in remaining games would also likely be too low with a max of 96 points.

 

[Korpse]

I can’t tell if that’s sarcastic.

If we go .500 the rest of march (6-6) we’re at 80 points.

A 7-0-0 April then brings the Sens to 94 points, almost certainly not enough to make it.

A 500 goal is definitely too low.

First of all. 94 points very well could get you in. Islanders have a .561 P%, 92 point pace. Penguins have .579 95 point pace. OTL still exist as well.

Again a goal is what you want to reach as a minimum, it's not where you stop. If they get to 8 wins by the 12th game of march they aren't going to say 'we reached our goal we can stop now'. You set achievable goals, and look to exceed it. Not something that can seem unlikely to reach half way through.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I am outraged!!!!

 

[Bileur]

First of all. 94 points very well could get you in. Islanders have a .561 P%, 92 point pace. Penguins have .579 95 point pace. OTL still exist as well.

Again a goal is what you want to reach as a minimum, it's not where you stop. If they get to 8 wins by the 12th game of march they aren't going to say 'we reached our goal we can stop now'. You set achievable goals, and look to exceed it. Not something that can seem unlikely to reach half way through.

Well obviously we disagree about how to set goals.

It is better to set an ambitious goal that allows you to reach your objective, in this case the playoffs, and then break that down into smaller shorter term goals which are more manageable and allow you to reach that ultimate objective.

If I want a final grade of 90 in a class I don’t shoot for 80 on the midterm. If you miss that first goal it becomes too easy to run out of runway.

 

[Senscore]

For the record I don't blame DJ for the loss against Chicago, at least largely. I don't think his efforts to stop the collapse were very effectual though.

And while the team has slowly managed to move in the right direction despite the disastrous start, I don't think that negates it, especially when this has been a consistent story under his watch.

His roster shakeup in the wake of this loss is also really puzzling, especially pulling Brannstrom. Ultimately I think he remains a roadblock to further success with this group.

I'll try and be more diligent in bumping after wins, but it just seems way too easy to hand wave away concerns in the wake of victory.

 

[Tuna99]

Well, he did say over 500, not 500, so 7-5 perhaps?

Why can’t he say the word “playoffs”? That’s the goal why be scared to say it?

 

[Micklebot]

Why can’t he say the word “playoffs”? That’s the goal why be scared to say it?

Because it's pretty typical to break up a big goal into smaller goals so that it isn't overwhelming and feels more achievable.

 

[Tuna99]

Because it's pretty typical to break up a big goal into smaller goals so that it isn't overwhelming and feels more achievable.

Like setting a goal of playing meaningful games some point in the season? That was the goal 1 year ago.

John Muckler shed the small town mentality of this organization when he said you can’t be afraid of your goals and you can’t be afraid to say them out loud - Stanley Cup and that gave that young Senators team the confidence they needed to not feel like a small town club

Ottawa needs some of that now. Management and coaching won’t say playoffs because they want the expectations so low they can’t disappoint anyone. In the meantime everyone in this city is talking playoffs (including the players who asked for deadline help) but because Dorion/DJ have face planted so many times with this team they are afraid to even speak the word playoffs. Even if everyhting they are doing at the mènent shows us behind the scenes their goal is to make the playoffs.

Every fan of this team is talking playoffs - why not the coach

 

[Micklebot]

Like setting a goal of playing meaningful games some point in the season? That was the goal 1 year ago.

John Muckler shed the small town mentality of this organization when he said you can’t be afraid of your goals and you can’t be afraid to say them out loud - Stanley Cup and that gave that young Senators team the confidence they needed to not feel like a small town club

Ottawa needs some of that now. Management and coaching won’t say playoffs because they want the expectations so low they can’t disappoint anyone. In the meantime everyone in this city is talking playoffs (including the players who asked for deadline help) but because Dorion/DJ have face planted so many times with this team they are afraid to even speak the word playoffs. Even if everyhting they are doing at the mènent shows us behind the scenes their goal is to make the playoffs.

Every fan of this team is talking playoffs - why not the coach

They set a overall goal that was inline with where the team was, and right now they are breaking up the schedule in digestible chunks with targets to achieve the goal. This is pretty standard sports psychology, every team does this.

The fact that you're up in arms because DJ didn't use the word playoffs in a 1 min clip when specifically asked about how he broke the season down into one month targets to achieve the greater goal and if he was doing something similar in a smaller scale with the remaining schedule is one of the more absurd complaints I've seen here, your manufacturing something to complain about at this point, hope you're enjoying it.

 

[Tuna99]

They set a overall goal that was inline with where the team was, and right now they are breaking up the schedule in digestible chunks with targets to achieve the goal. This is pretty standard sports psychology, every team does this.

The fact that you're up in arms because DJ didn't use the word playoffs in a 1 min clip when specifically asked about how he broke the season down into one month targets to achieve the greater goal and if he was doing something similar in a smaller scale with the remaining schedule is one of the more absurd complaints I've seen here, your manufacturing something to complain about at this point, hope you're enjoying it.

I’m more up in arms because DJ has left many valuable points on the table this season, I just find it silly management has raised playoff expectations after the deadline but the goal is still to just not suck, not to be good, to just be a game over .500 now that we’ve traded away so much draft capital to improve the team our goal is still to be above .500 when it’s clear we need to be way better then that.

Not to mention to keep his job he has to make the playoffs

Why can’t he just say “by the end of March we want to be in a playoff spot” and not be in 20th place overall like a 6-5-1 record will get them?

Just say you want to make the playoffs because that is the goal - don’t be afraid

 

[Tuna99]

They set a overall goal that was inline with where the team was, and right now they are breaking up the schedule in digestible chunks with targets to achieve the goal. This is pretty standard sports psychology, every team does this.

The fact that you're up in arms because DJ didn't use the word playoffs in a 1 min clip when specifically asked about how he broke the season down into one month targets to achieve the greater goal and if he was doing something similar in a smaller scale with the remaining schedule is one of the more absurd complaints I've seen here, your manufacturing something to complain about at this point, hope you're enjoying it.

But what is the goal? Why not speak to it? If the goal is to be game over .500 then great - go get ‘em. If your goal is to make the playoffs (which it is) why not say that?

 

[Micklebot]

But what is the goal? Why not speak to it? If the goal is to be game over .500 then great - go get ‘em. If your goal is to make the playoffs (which it is) why not say that?

Holy crap man, it was a one minute clip, what do want, for him to include the word playoffs in every sentence?

Nobody is afraid, your just obsessed with manufacturing something to be upset about. There's no issue with how he answered the question and yet here you are trying your best to insert drama.

 

[JD1]

LMAO even though Brannstrom was the only bright spot on defense against Chicago, DJ is relegating him to #7 while Holden plays with Chychrun.

This is not a serious NHL coach, sitting players who look good while letting the ones who have poor showings suffer zero consequences.

Oh, and on top of that he is reinserting Kelly in there in the place of guys like Brass and Gauthier who have been solid throughout.

FOH Smith.

On 1200 this morning Simmer said "I watch all these highlights of horrible plays, Brannstrom isn't in them but he sits when they have a bad game. Chabot is soft, Hammer loses his man, so Branny has to sit"

 

[Larionov]

Maybe he expects all those contending teams in April to just rest their top guys.

The only one I can see where this might fit is April 10 vs. Carolina. If they have first place in the Metro locked up by then, they might be resting guys. When we play them April 4, though, I doubt that they would be officially clear of New Jersey quite yet. Everyone else I see on our schedule is going to be playing full out.

The last game, April 13, looks interesting on the road against Buffalo - that could either be a single game elimination playoff game for both teams, for one team, or be a de facto exhibition game...

 

[Micklebot]

On 1200 this morning Simmer said "I watch all these highlights of horrible plays, Brannstrom isn't in them but he sits when they have a bad game. Chabot is soft, Hammer loses his man, so Branny has to sit"

Wow, interesting to see simmer calling it out,

 

[Alex1234]

Need to grasp some OTL along the way
Only Winnipeg has fewer

 

[HSF]

even if we make the playoffs

Its time for a change to take us to the next level

 

[Tuna99]

Holy crap man, it was a one minute clip, what do want, for him to include the word playoffs in every sentence?

Nobody is afraid, your just obsessed with manufacturing something to be upset about. There's no issue with how he answered the question and yet here you are trying your best to insert drama.

Yes. I do.

I want him to say “we want to make the playoffs, that’s our goal; the fans deserve it and so do the players. I’M COACHING TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS NOT FOR A SOFT UNDERBELLY FINISH.”

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

That's my point. Guys mostly develop on their own and coaching has little to do with individual development once you reach the pros. Chabot looking like a lost puppy is not on DJ. TC stopped improving after his 2nd year.

There's a difference between improving and regression though. He's getting worse by the season.