Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Dan Patrick]

At some point the underlying metrics stop mattering and a coach has to answer for the Ls

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I mean, the team has pretty clearly improved even if the record isn't great so far.

A team with the number of very young developing players would improve without a coach imo.
Not a comment vs DJ but just by virtue of kids like Norris, Batherson, Tkachuk, Stutzle improving plus the addition of some proven NHL talent .. the team should improve with any number of fans here setting the lineup and the PP and the PK.

At some point the underlying metrics stop mattering and a coach has to answer for the Ls

DJ does not have a lot to fall back on. Poor Starts have been part of his MO.. Different personnel similar results.
I am not hanging this disappointing start all on DJ but as someone once said you can't fire all the players.

 

[Micklebot]

A team with the number of very young developing players would improve without a coach imo.
Not a comment vs DJ but just by virtue of kids like Norris, Batherson, Tkachuk, Stutzle improving plus the addition of some proven NHL talent .. the team should improve with any number of fans here setting the lineup and the PP and the PK

Yeah, we've added talent, and kids have developed, which is obviously going to show up in the play, the issue I take is some are acting like nothing has changed, I don't think that's fair.

Should we have seen more improvement based on the roster changes, perhaps. Is that DJs fault, again perhaps, lots of variables up in the air. I think DJ has been a bit slow to adjust to Chabot's struggles, he might be trying to let him work his way through it but right now it is costing us imo. Hopefully it works out long term because if Chabot plays like he can we're a much better team.

 

[RealSpartan]

My concern is that with the team for sale there may be an embargo on major personnel moves (i.e. dismissing DJ, which is unfortunately necessary).

It’s not hard to envision new owners => new hockey ops => new GM => new coach.

The playoff dream may amazingly already be over, but if there’s any such embargo it pretty much guarantees it.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

I didn't know I was berating the fanbase, just pointing out the obvious. And I have no idea where your going with the rest of your post to be quite honest.

It's a low energy crowd out in Kanata on most nights. That's the truth. And that's a big part of the allure of a downtown arena imo.

I don’t know what the hell you wanted from the crowd after a 5 game losing streak while the team can barely muster up any decent plays against one of the worst teams in the league.

 

[Cosmix]

Summer of Pierre didn’t continue.

The Fall of Pierre is coming.

 

[cudi]

I don’t know what the hell you wanted from the crowd after a 5 game losing streak while the team can barely muster up any decent plays against one of the worst teams in the league.

"GOOD EFFORT BOYS! WERE PROUD OF YOU FOR TRYING!"

 

[GCK]

We are now at a tipping point this season. We are 1-7 in 1 goal games, is this a coaching issue, execution issue or function of luck. No matter the reason, if we wind up 4-10 a change for the sake of change will be warranted. It’s obvious we would go interim coach for the rest of the year with it being Mann or Cap. Don’t love those options but the team may require that wake up call.

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

My concern is that with the team for sale there may be an embargo on major personnel moves (i.e. dismissing DJ, which is unfortunately necessary).

It’s not hard to envision new owners => new hockey ops => new GM => new coach.

The playoff dream may amazingly already be over, but if there’s any such embargo it pretty much guarantees it.

The playoff dream is not over, we are 6 points out of 3rd in the division, 7 out of 2nd with a game in hand, 69 games to go.

I’m on the fence about what to do with DJ, but if we are going to make a change, the time is now before we really are out of reach.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I think Trotz is pretty unreleastic. My next choice would be AV. I think he’d be a pretty good fit with the group of players we have.

I just think about when AV would play the shit out of tanner glass.

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

I think Trotz is pretty unreleastic. My next choice would be AV. I think he’d be a pretty good fit with the group of players we have.

Every fanbase turns on AV though! At least it seems that way.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Yeah, we've added talent, and kids have developed, which is obviously going to show up in the play, the issue I take is some are acting like nothing has changed, I don't think that's fair.

Should we have seen more improvement based on the roster changes, perhaps. Is that DJs fault, again perhaps, lots of variables up in the air. I think DJ has been a bit slow to adjust to Chabot's struggles, he might be trying to let him work his way through it but right now it is costing us imo. Hopefully it works out long term because if Chabot plays like he can we're a much better team.

I really don't know how much of the slide here is directly on DJ. Do I think DJ is a good NHL head coach .. Not really .. I don't see him as a tactician. He is a communicator, a motivator but not the best strategist. He has been slow to grasp who is going and who isn't and make changes. He has probably improved somewhat. I find he goes back to the same well over and over sticking with decisions that have not worked. I don't know how much coaching goes on with a player like Tkachuk's defensive game for example.. does he coach that up? I wonder how a coach like Torts would be communicating with Chabot to get things back on track. DJ has no problem being harder on the lesser lights in the lineup.

As far as our current slide and overall record goes I am not convinced a different coach would have done any better. Part of the problem for me is that we seem to run into very familiar problems in our own end that have tended towards being corrected later in the year. That smells like the players figuring it out more than specifics of coaching. And every year we can point to very plausible/ legitimate excuses/reasons for not getting results. Roster Depth, Injuries and Covid.

I guess the question is with our current roster should we realistically expect to be achieving better results?
Are we going to make a change to hopefully get things back on track or do we stick with believing DJ will get the job done. We know the clock ticks fast here. The NHL is really competitive, we are in a tough division and conference with solid contenders and improving teams. A few more games like the last few in the next little bit and we will be looking at next year.

 

[RealSpartan]

The playoff dream is not over, we are 6 points out of 3rd in the division, 7 out of 2nd with a game in hand, 69 games to go.

I’m on the fence about what to do with DJ, but if we are going to make a change, the time is now before we really are out of reach.

Well I said “may” since it was an obvious projection based on a horrible stretch, but that was sort of beside the point anyway. We agree that the time for a change is now, but with new ownership pending I’m worried that the necessary move cannot actually be done.

 

[Cosmix]

Those are interesting stats and worth considering I'd think. There seems to be a lot of turn-overs and soft plays from our better, core type players. I don't think it's a system or coach thing to instruct a player to float a soft pass up the middle of the ice while the puck is in their own zone (using this "example" to illustrate the point).

I'm not saying the coach hasn't a role in making a team successful, but I think there needs to be a deeper analysis and determination of what is going wrong than what is frequently cited here.

There is a lot of blame to go around; it is not just DJ who is failing. Dorion is the person who created the roster.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Signs of perhaps a disconnect between coach and GM

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Signs of perhaps a disconnect between coach and GM

Or Zub is healthy.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Or Zub is healthy.

Or

 

[dmarc]

Signs of perhaps a disconnect between coach and GM

Zub is healthy and carrying extra bodies with 13F 7D and 3G already

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Zub is healthy and carrying extra bodies with 13F 7D and 3G already

Perhaps he’s healthy. We need confirmation. Regardless jbd should have been in yesterday

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Pens needs to hurry up and fire Mike Sullivan already.

That’s the coach for the sens.

 

[JackieDaytona]

The Ottawa Sun headline writes itself: “Summer of Pierre leads to the Fall of DJ: Ottawa Area Hockey Team In Shambles - Some Coaches Just Don’t Know How Winning Is Done Anymore.”

 

[cudi]

The Ottawa Sun headline writes itself: “Summer of Pierre leads to the Fall of DJ: Ottawa Area Hockey Team In Shambles - Some Coaches Just Don’t Know How Winning Is Done Anymore.”

little wordy

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I'm not a fan of DJ at all, but it's hard to win in this league without your 1C and 2D. Add in a team with a lot of new faces in big roles, and things are going to be out of sync for a while.

I'd give him til the end of November, at least.

 

[JackieDaytona]

little wordy

 

[Benjamin]

Can we fire Cory Clouston already????