Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Union2017]

While I do understand that some people are saying DJ is just one part of the reason we are not playing well, or even that this season was a step forward compared to the last one and that our team is not experienced enough, the real question is where do Sens go from here?

Everyone here, aside from that one poster who keeps saying we are garbage and we need to start from scratch, agrees that we have a good core, right? Does anyone honestly sees this team not just making the playoffs but actually doing some damage while being coached by DJ? I know I don’t. Even if we make the playoffs with him next year (hypothetically speaking), I can’t even dream of us making it to the conference semifinals for example. So, what’s the point of keeping him then? Is he that good at developing our young players? This team should be competing within the next 3 years or so. And we need a coach who can follow that plan. Unfortunately, I don’t see DJ as that person. He might be a wonderful person, and I honestly don’t think he is not, but this has nothing to do with that. So, get someone experienced, someone who can get maximum out of these guys, DJ is what he is and he is not a Stanley cup winning coach.

 

[DueDiligence]

I understand that things take time, and development happens in due course. I like winning.

I like winning as well; I just believe the timeline should be a little faster in the Sens case.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I think your underating Todd White as a player, which given some of your other takes isn't surprising. White went on to have similar success in Minnesota the very next season before injuries and age caught up with him.

Todd White was an undrafted player who became a full-time NHLer at the age of 26. He was a 5'10 C who wasn't fleet of foot. He worked real hard to turn himself into a player, but he got a lot of help from this organization. If you ever talk to him, he'll admit as much. It was the perfect situation at the perfect time. I think you're underrating what that coaching staff was able to do with the players they had and how they developed guys into credible NHLers.

We'll disagree. Those were great teams. But they were, to steal from Pierre Dorion, teams. The top-end talent was good, but it wasn't all that much better than what we have today.

My personal opinion is that Tim Stützle is already the singularly most talented offensive forward to ever suit up for this team, better than Yashin, Spezza, Hossa, Heatley and Alfredsson. The guy has a shot at 100 points as a 20-year-old. There's a good chance the 105 pt record falls next season. I expect him to go down as the best offensively skilled forward to ever play for this team, and 2nd behind Karlsson. But I'll assume you disagree with that, so we're not likely to see eye to eye on the rest of the "top-end" conversation.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

The longer we take to move on from this guy, the longer it will be to get into the playoffs.

This exact team with a proper coach gets us much closer, but I think it'll take the second year with a new coach to get us in. Lots of unlearning has to happen.

Our pk is great, our PP is good but that is collectively 1/3 of the game. Someone needs to coach us for the other 40 minutes.

Currently 28th in 5on5 GD, behind teams that are actively tanking.

We have a better team than (more points than) St Louis, Montreal, Arizona, Detroit, and Philadelphia but they're all ahead of us in 5on5 GD. No excuse to be in that company.

 

[SpezDispenser]

New coach that has the ability to adapt in game and we're a playoff team next year. I actually think we are either way, but i want someone who has a damn track record of winning.

 

[TonySoprano11]

Don't think he's interested in coaching, I think he had a heart attack or something

That was back in 2020 and he came back and coached after that.

 

[Puikiou]

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Going back through the schedule, we've got 5 regulation wins against teams in a playoff position the entire year, 2 of which happened in the first two weeks of the season.

Gotta re-sign DJ before that lineup to hire him gets too long.

 

[coladin]

One thing I see mentioned here is that we're better than last year.

I'm not so sure about that. One factor here is Bedard. Several teams are actively tanking here the same way teams did in McDavid's draft year. That really skews the standings and the difference between the haves and have nots in the league. When you have half a dozen teams trying to lose (not on the ice obviously, but constructed to lose), that really changes the dynamics of the league.

Now, of course, we also have to factor in losing our (young and inexperienced and not fully cemented in) 1C for most of the year. And losing Zub for parts of the season, who was a rock on the blueline last year.

Question is, how exactly do we factor those things in when evaluating this team?

The Eastern Conference and the quality of competition is a factor as well. NJ, BUF, DET were easy outs last year. The fact that the Sens were 3 points behind in this conference tells me we are better. The analytics are better. And when Ottawa was 31st in November, the analytics said we should be 13th if we had (not defence or goaltending) some puck luck. No one could score a bloody goal.

Ottawa took big steps. I think this fanbase is extremely impatient, and somehow a lot of people here have become blind to any improvements

 

[Icelevel]

Im in agreement with most that a change is probably best.
But let’s acknowledge that DJ is doing a pretty good job and excels in some areas and that coaching an nhl team for multiple years successfully is actually a very hard job.
I respect the man. Lots to like about him.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Im in agreement with most that a change is probably best.
But let’s acknowledge that DJ is doing a pretty good job and excels in some areas and that coaching an nhl team for multiple years successfully is actually a very hard job.
I respect the man. Lots to like about him.

Agree with all of this but the "doing a pretty good job" bit. He seems like a well-liked, decent person doing his best, and I think even his biggest detractors would agree there.

 

[Icelevel]

Agree with all of this but the "doing a pretty good job" bit. He seems like a well-liked, decent person doing his best, and I think even his biggest detractors would agree there.

I just think all things considered with everything that goes into coaching a team he is doing pretty good. But pretty good/decent/ok isn’t good enough. We need someone to come in and do an excellent job of coaching every night keeping everyone on a good path.
Not easy to find someone like that but that’s who we need.

 

[Xspyrit]

We need to tank and get the highest possible 1st and 2nd round picks this year. It should be our last draft where we need to find high end talent, like in 2021 and 2022!

 

[Beech]

Going back through the schedule, we've got 5 regulation wins against teams in a playoff position the entire year, 2 of which happened in the first two weeks of the season.

Gotta re-sign DJ before that lineup to hire him gets too long.

cynic

 

[Emrasie]

Im in agreement with most that a change is probably best.
But let’s acknowledge that DJ is doing a pretty good job and excels in some areas and that coaching an nhl team for multiple years successfully is actually a very hard job.
I respect the man. Lots to like about him.

"Lot to like"?
Ok , he seems nice as a person and?

"Let’s acknowledge that DJ is doing a pretty good job and excels in some areas and that coaching an nhl team for multiple years successfully is actually a very hard job.";

Has he done it for at least a year in the NHL?

 

[coladin]

"Lot to like"?
Ok , he seems nice as a person and?

"Let’s acknowledge that DJ is doing a pretty good job and excels in some areas and that coaching an nhl team for multiple years successfully is actually a very hard job.";

Has he done it for at least a year in the NHL?

Apparently, or allegedly, DJ behind the scenes has been dealing with a lot of stuff with his young players. It has been alluded to, and maybe why the rope is so long with Drake. God only knows what really is going on there.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Apparently, or allegedly, DJ behind the scenes has been dealing with a lot of stuff with his young players. It has been alluded to, and maybe why the rope is so long with Drake. God only knows what really is going on there.

What kind of stuff ? (allegedly)

 

[Emrasie]

Apparently, or allegedly, DJ behind the scenes has been dealing with a lot of stuff with his young players. It has been alluded to, and maybe why the rope is so long with Drake. God only knows what really is going on there.

I was trying to find the "a lot of things" others that being a nice person, he is a NHL coach not an assistant coach or a dev coach.

 

[Golden_Jet]

What kind of stuff ? (allegedly)

Wondering the same, never heard this.

 

[Loach]

Apparently, or allegedly, DJ behind the scenes has been dealing with a lot of stuff with his young players. It has been alluded to, and maybe why the rope is so long with Drake. God only knows what really is going on there.

Huh?

 

[Union2017]

We need to tank and get the highest possible 1st and 2nd round picks this year. It should be our last draft where we need to find high end talent, like in 2021 and 2022!

Our first round pick is only top 5 protected this year, so tanking will not do any good. We should try and create the winning mentality and not keep destroying the kids confidence. They need to believe in themselves and enjoy playing games. And if we win the lottery, that's great.

 

[swiftwin]

We need to tank and get the highest possible 1st and 2nd round picks this year. It should be our last draft where we need to find high end talent, like in 2021 and 2022!

I disagree. The continued progression and development of our core of young players is way more important that drafting a couple draft picks higher in the 2nd round.

 

[cudi]

We need to tank and get the highest possible 1st and 2nd round picks this year. It should be our last draft where we need to find high end talent, like in 2021 and 2022!

too risky with not owning our own picks. Finish as close to the playoffs as possible. Dont give Zona a top 10 pick.

 

[swiftwin]

Our first round pick is only top 5 protected this year, so tanking will not do any good. We should try and create the winning mentality and not keep destroying the kids confidence. They need to believe in themselves and enjoy playing games. And if we win the lottery, that's great.

Exactly. We are witnessing in real time how difficult it is to transition from a "rebuilding/tanking season" to a "meaningful games season".

The last thing this team needs is to go back into a tanking mode.

Agree with all of this but the "doing a pretty good job" bit. He seems like a well-liked, decent person doing his best, and I think even his biggest detractors would agree there.

LOL! You must be new around here.

 

[SensHulk]

Bring back Jacques or bring in Claude Julien. Claude was rumored to be the favorite to coach the sens before the bruins got wind of it and decided not to fire him in 2016 (they proceeded to fire him at the start of the next season instead)