Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[LevelingSolo]

We should have lost the Florida series 20-2.

Instead we almost took two un-winnable games to overtime.

That’s pretty good coaching.

Fire Zaitsev into the sun before Smith.

I’m more critical of Chabot tbh. I know Sandy is beyond exceptional, but when a rookie five games in is your best defenceman - you’ve got work to do.

Goaltending you mean

 

[Wallet Inspector]

The more I think about it the more I think he needs to go.

There are constant breakdowns. Breakdown after breakdown. I highly doubt that a lightbulb will suddenly turn on in DJs head and he will fix this structural mess thats been cemented on the team for his entire tenure.

The problem too is we keep throwing away close games due to
A. Late period goals
B. Having long stretches during games where we play like shit.

 

[OD99]

Is it too early to hope for the lottery balls to fall our way?

Playing like we are tanking

 

[Icelevel]

I like DJ. But if it meant bringing in Julien or Trotz(preference) then it would be a happy day.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I like DJ. But if it meant bringing in Julien or Trotz(preference) then it would be a happy day.

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.

 

[Icelevel]

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 think that would be a bad idea myself.

 

[robsenz]

Tough loss, Still too early. Tons of positives to pull from that game. But they need to get some convincing wins soon. They've had a tough schedule to start the year. I bet they do well the next 8 games.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Is it too early to hope for the lottery balls to fall our way?

Playing like we are tanking

The thought of a lottery with the expectations these players had going into the season would be heartbreaking.

The team needed to trade off the necessary futures(Greig + one of their firsts in the next few seasons) to get another D in the Zub mold.

 

[aragorn]

They have been in every game this yr, even the two in Florida where they were massively outshot they were still in it into the third period. How many games were they blown out in the first or 2nd period last yr? They are getting better, but there are still a few players that have to be replaced most notably on defence. Not only do they need Zub back asap & signed asap they need a big, tough RD who can also move the puck like Scott Mayfield RD.

I imagine they are still too far away from the TDL to make a move this early in the season but he needs to do something soon. They also have to stop taking so many risks with the puck & stop making so many mistakes all over the ice. They are still a young team learning to play the game the right way, we are not there quite yet.

 

[Alex1234]

There’s a reason for our record at home vs away from home
When DJ doesnt have the last change for matching he’s lost and doesnt adapt DURING the game
It’s time

 

[aragorn]

I don't think it is coaching I think it's the players taking too many risks with the puck, making crucial mistakes at bad times & some of the guys that are suppose to be putting it into the back of the net are not .... yet.

The defence has it's problems, the only pairing that is working reasonably well is Sanderson & Hamonic. Chabot & Zub can be good together too if Chabot can be stop with the brain farts but it's really trying to fix that 3rd pairing & getting some better depth on D. I think they will look to fix the D at some point leading up to the TDL, they have to.

 

[TonySoprano11]

I hear Don Cherry isn't doing much these days.

 

[SweSensFan]

Look a lot of players are playing bad.

Chabot
Stu
Giroux
Debrincat

All need to be better especially Chabot. That said it's clear that DJ is just not capable of getting the best out of his players or implementing a system that plays to his players strengths. Djs system is the same it was when we had 4 lines of garbage.

DJ bro the experiment has come to an end imo. Its time to bring in a coach who can get these players playing at the level they should be both offensively and defensively.

I think Giroux has been ok at least. Chabby alot of ups and downs, someone said he has developed some bad habits from being overplayed so much and I would agree.

Stü has to be better, first line has been way to weak the last 3 games at least and I would like to see a scramble of the lines.

D-cat needs to get going, I would try these lines if I was the coach:

BT7 - Giroux - Bath
Dcat - pinto - stü
Motte - Brass - Joseph
Kelly - kastelic - watson.

(I understand there are plenty of arguments against my lines but luckily I am not the coach and also I don't think these are lines to keep all season but to try now considering the situation with injuries and 3 straight losses)

 

[bert]

Disagree. I think we make the change in the offseason to take the team to a new level. I expect this team will sort it out and be there later in the season but fall short.

New ownership
New POHO
New GM
New coaching staff

This is it. Don't think Dorion should get to pick another coach.

 

[bert]

It's easy for the players to look bad defensively when they're totally lost as to how to play on the ice and seem to have precious little direction overall. Every player appears to be trying too hard to overcome the complete lack of systems.

Lol you don't know what an NHL system entails. These posts are honestly hilarious.

I don't love what DJ is getting out of these players but I do know you haven't given one concrete example of the teams 'lack of system' in my entire tenure posting here. Yet you have this on repeat.

I do know this, if this is what he gets out of his best players Chabot in particular they need a change.

 

[Tuna99]

Can’t win on the road and the team has terrible discipline. The players don’t have a balance of effort and intellegence, it’s just all effort. Smith isn’t a thinking man’s coach, doesn’t have a tactical mind for the game.

Smith doesn’t have the necessary plan for mental discipline in his team. They are soft mentally

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

The franchise is now for sale, officially….. the GM or coach will not be replaced. They will not pay DJ to sit at home, and not coach and pay possibly millions for any of the big name coaching canidates being tossed around in this thread.

you don’t detail your car, place it for sale and then do major repairs before it’s sold….. the new owner(s) are buying “as is” and will decide if the car needs a new battery, paint job or have a supercharger installed.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

20 games. Unless this team starts getting its ass kicked by mediocre teams (we’ve yet to get our ass kicked at all, albeit largely due to goaltending) in the meantime… give him 20 games.

I will say, I missed this last game and the first in Florida, so I missed the real bad parts…. but 20 games. I would say that currently, DJ is just barely on track to get a 10 game trial beyond that but we will see… after 20 games.

The thought of a lottery with the expectations these players had going into the season would be heartbreaking.

The team needed to trade off the necessary futures(Greig + one of their firsts in the next few seasons) to get another D in the Zub mold.

Every non playoff team is in the lottery

 

[LuckyPierre]

The franchise is now for sale, officially….. the GM or coach will not be replaced. They will not pay DJ to sit at home, and not coach and pay possibly millions for any of the big name coaching canidates being tossed around in this thread.

you don’t detail your car, place it for sale and then do major repairs before it’s sold….. the new owner(s) are buying “as is” and will decide if the car needs a new battery, paint job or have a supercharger installed.

If this roster continues to get dramatically outplayed, and a change needs to be made for the sake of change, there are two former head coaches on the staff as interim options.

 

[topshelf15]

Its time ,he has served his purpose...We need a real coach that can work with the strengths of the team and limit exposure to its weakness

 

[Sun God Nika]

Every non playoff team is in the lottery

Difference between being lottery contender and a team that starts looking at the lottery after this after they miss. But I think you kind of already knew that was my point

 

[Alex1234]

I want him gone.

Why Holden and Zaitsev both played 10 minutes of short handed time is beyond me. He's not the type of coach to put any player in a position to succeed.

PK was miraculous last night

 

[Alex1234]

If not DJ start with Capuano
But we need better D structure ainef

 

[God Says No]

If not DJ start with Capuano
But we need better D structure ainef

Yeah, Capuano should be the first to go. Before DJ. I think DJ is fine, but if we want to take the next step it's becoming clear DJ is not the guy to lead us there. So we gotta make a decision at some point this season.

Saying that, switching Cap with someone else to see if things improve would be my first move. If that doesn't work then DJ goes.

 

[Union2017]

Yeah, Capuano should be the first to go. Before DJ. I think DJ is fine, but if we want to take the next step it's becoming clear DJ is not the guy to lead us there. So we gotta make a decision at some point this season.

Saying that, switching Cap with someone else to see if things improve would be my first move. If that doesn't work then DJ goes.

Get Marc Methot to coach our D.