Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Those are the only 2 top 6F with more than 400GP in their careers. Experience matters way more than most people realize and impacts on-ice results far more than one thinks. This is part of the growing pains of watching a really young team learn the ins and outs.

Only 2 NJD top 6 forwards have more than 400 games played and neither of them are remotely as good as ours (Haula and Palat). Maybe our issue is a headcoach with less than 400 games?

Sounds like a young team, trying to learn the ins and outs of the game, probably should learn from a coach that knows the ins and outs of the game.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Only 2 NJD top 6 forwards have more than 400 games played and neither of them are remotely as good as ours (Haula and Palat). Maybe our issue is a headcoach with less than 400 games?

Sounds like a young team, trying to learn the ins and outs of the game, probably should learn from a coach that knows the ins and outs of the game.

Riiiight…. So I guess Detroit and Buffalo also need new head coaches because they presumably should also be better?

I love how you think you’re qualified to talk about the ins and outs of the pro game and how they’re taught lol.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Are their more categories that you haven’t mentioned?

Curious since now we’re ahead in the standings. Do you have some insight into what is going well for us?

I feel like your post shows a fraction of the whole story for some reason.

You ask me to look for more information to tell me I'm not telling the whole story, but you don't want to look for any of it yourself?

Lol, what the f***?

 

[Ice-Tray]

You ask me to look for more information to tell me I'm not telling the whole story, but you don't want to look for any of it yourself?

Lol, what the f***?

I was telling you to look for you dude, so you could moderate your opinion.

Most people understand where we need work. Some people, like yourself, don’t understand that every team in our position has areas that they need to work on. It’s why we’re getting better, but not a playoff team yet.

I wanted you to consider the two teams that we‘re linked with, who we are ahead of currently, to get you to consider how shitty their head coaches must be as well, or perhaps how dumb your ever vocal opinion is.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Riiiight…. So I guess Detroit and Buffalo also need new head coaches because they presumably should also be better?

I love how you think you’re qualified to talk about the ins and outs of the pro game and how they’re taught lol.

Maybe, who the hell knows?
The difference is that Detroit's head coach is in his first year in that role, Buffalo's in his 2nd.

DJ Smith into his 4th year. Let me know if Buffalo or Detroit has a -30 GD 5v5 in their 4th year of that coach.

 

[Yak]

Just like Dorion and DJ, new ownership may not want to make rash decisions right away or they might.

However, major shakeup in GM and Coach coming at some point in 23-24 is my feeling unless we see a good playoff run.

This was in Dorions 5 year plan...lol

 

[BankStreetParade]

Only 2 NJD top 6 forwards have more than 400 games played and neither of them are remotely as good as ours (Haula and Palat). Maybe our issue is a headcoach with less than 400 games?

Sounds like a young team, trying to learn the ins and outs of the game, probably should learn from a coach that knows the ins and outs of the game.

It would actually be Meier and Haula, instead of Palat.

I'm not saying the coach can't be better but you're dismissing inexperience and cherry-picking one team to make your point. Don't find the exception to the rule and expect to be able to easily replicate the results.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

It would actually be Meier and Haula, instead of Palat.

I'm not saying the coach can't be better but you're dismissing inexperience and cherry-picking one team to make your point. Don't find the exception to the rule and expect to be able to easily replicate the results.

Meier was just added. They played the entire season without him.

 

[aragorn]

Just like Dorion and DJ, new ownership may not want to make rash decisions right away or they might.

However, major shakeup in GM and Coach coming at some point in 23-24 is my feeling unless we see a good playoff run.

This was in Dorions 5 year plan...lol

I kind of agree, it will be difficult for new management to want to make changes given this is a young team that is clearing on the rise with tremendous potential with more good young prospects coming to fill the bottom six. New ownership will have a lot to do & likely don't have the hockey operations expertise unless they have people in mind that they are bringing with them which may or may not materialize. While moving on from this management group is popular on this board there is no indication that it's popular in general among the casual fans & if they are much improved next yr the need to move on from management reduces. Of course the reverse is also true, if they get off to another bad start they might get replaced sooner rather than later. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, but IMO I think it's far from being a done deal.

 

[Korpse]

From a defensive perspective:
- We are 3rd worse for defensive zone giveaways, despite having a solid set of defense (nobody can convince me our individual dmen are bottom 5).
- we're 10th last in shots against
- We're 5th last in high danger shots against
- We're 16th in team save percentage
- we have 495 takeaways but 686 giveaways, 61% of which are in our d zone.

Are these statistics at all strengths? That would be a huge flaw in your analysis. I know that some are, but I'm not sure where you are pulling this data from so I can't verify all of it. They spend 6:10/gp (2nd most) on the penalty kill, thats going to heavily skew the data.

Giveaways are a throw away stat, they aren't going to tell you much given how they are tracked. In terms of takeaway vs giveaway. The ratio isn't 1:1. It's at least 1:2, probably more. 17 teams are -100. Only two teams are +100.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Maybe, who the hell knows?
The difference is that Detroit's head coach is in his first year in that role, Buffalo's in his 2nd.

DJ Smith into his 4th year. Let me know if Buffalo or Detroit has a -30 GD 5v5 in their 4th year of that coach.

Ah, so those two coaches didn’t have to be on the bench for the complete bottoming out years?

Again, context doesn’t seem to matter to you.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I kind of agree, it will be difficult for new management to want to make changes given this is a young team that is clearing on the rise with tremendous potential with more good young prospects coming to fill the bottom six. New ownership will have a lot to do & likely don't have the hockey operations expertise unless they have people in mind that they are bringing with them which may or may not materialize. While moving on from this management group is popular on this board there is no indication that it's popular in general among the casual fans & if they are much improved next yr the need to move on from management reduces. Of course the reverse is also true, if they get off to another bad start they might get replaced sooner rather than later. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, but IMO I think it's far from being a done deal.

As I said to buddy, everything look soooooo bad coach and GM’s are terrible bad, until you start looking at other teams in the same place we are in the rebuild/competitive cycle.

All of a sudden we don’t look so bad, and it’s starts to make sense what every single professional NHL player has said about the importance of experience in the league.

We’re right where we should be along a positive trajectory. some people need instant gratification so they have been dragged kicking and bitching along this whole rebuild, thinking they know best… still.

 

[Sens Vader]

You’re allowed to not want DJ as a head coach.

 

[Bileur]

You’re allowed to not want DJ as a head coach.

Source?!?

 

[Yak]

Barring a incredible playoff run next year, we will see changes. Maybe moves up or down or lateral who knows.

We are ready for next level changes that take us on cup runs!

 

[Ice-Tray]

You’re allowed to not want DJ as a head coach.

Sure you can! You’re allowed to do lots of things. Other people are allowed to do stuff too!

 

[KingAlfie11]

I would be shocked it the new ownership keeps the management and coaching staff, I'm pretty sure they gonna want to pick their own hockey personal right? I know I would I have a feeling that this franchise needs new people running the hockey operation.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I mean are you at practice? Ive seen Chabot score on breakaways in the NHL never seen either of the other guys.

You don’t remember zuba goal against Toronto

 

[SensHulk]

Like a number of people on here, I am on the fence on DJ Smith. I get the sense that he is not a tactical coach but can relate to the players and that the players like him and do play hard for him. I never get the sense that the players have quit on him but I do think that he is simply out of his element a lot of games.

With a new ownership group, I think that DJ and Dorion get replaced but I would not be totally upset if they were still here because it almost seems like they both have earned the right to hoist the Cup in '24!

Anyway that you slice it, DJ has put himself into second place in all time Wins for Sens coaches:

View attachment 673565

This speaks more to the ineptness of a management group allowing DJ Smith to coach sub .500 hockey for over 4 years. He’s in 2nd place and yet has zeroes across the last 5 columns…

 

[bert]

You don’t remember zuba goal against Toronto

You're right I give. Terrible choice by DJ. What does he know. Just watches these guys every day. Chabot just scored a nasty goal the next day but yeah let's continue to complain..

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I'd say the biggest flaw with the system is that it's a decade too late. Relying on a lot of chip plays off the boards and dump and chase was good a decade ago if you knew your skaters were consistently one step faster than opponents. But being fast isn't an advantage anymore because every team is fast.

 

[bert]

You are giving him too much credit. He inherited Matthews Marner and Nylander and then Tavares signed on. He has benefitted by working for an organization with deep pockets that has adopted an win now approach and traded man of their draft picks to do so. Leafs have far better depth than the Senators especially on the blueline. Throw in a guy like Giordano who agreed to a minimum contract even though he is worth 4 times that. Where are Ottawa's Bunting or Jarnkrok; two low paid gems that Leafs management has found?
Yes the team plays pretty good defense overall but let's see if he can win one playoff round with all that talent before calling him "unreal".

His entire body of work as a coach is one of the best ever. Wins absolutely everywhere. Jarnkrok?... come on. Soft as puppy shit. Their d sucks. It's a bunch of 3's, 4's and 5's. They have won games all year due to structure. They have some great top end talent and they are a top 5 team in the league. But the roster is horribly constructed.

What you're describing is Dubas. He inherited the top end talent and has been piss poor building winning around it. Wasting money on players like Jarnkrok is a great example. They needed hard players to play against. He is perimeter. Couldn't believe how much of a non factor he was in Calgary in the playoffs.

Yes it's time to move on from both Dorion and D.J. They have both had some good and bad moments. They're both young in the careers and will get better. It's not all black and white. However this team needs new leadership and a new voice at the top and that person should get to pick a new coach. A coach that exemplifies the culture new ownership and management want starting from the top. Hopefully a coach with a history of winning, and that is good at implementing strong systematical play with plenty of detail oriented accountability.
DJ has built a good culture from a work ethic and caring for your teammate perspective. Now the other parts. A coach that the players hate but know has their back may galvanize this group. Something to think about.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

You're right I give. Terrible choice by DJ. What does he know. Just watches these guys every day. Chabot just scored a nasty goal the next day but yeah let's continue to complain..

Not on a breakaway

 

[bert]

Not on a breakaway

So just for clarification. You believe you'd be a better evaluator of who should go in the shootout than DJ Smith.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

So just for clarification. You believe you'd be a better evaluator of who should go in the shootout than DJ Smith.

Ugh it would be so easy to just type yes here. That is,imo, the best thing I could do for this discussion.