Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[DaveMatthew]

We’re in a bizarre spot. We’ve lost enough games already that the chances of a new coach coming and in getting this team into the playoffs is slim to none. Plus, new ownership will without a doubt clean house (Dorion and Smith will not be retained).

So would I fire the coach? Yeah, absolutely. Do I think the board will allow DJ to fire the coach, knowing that new owners would want a fresh slate ? I doubt it.

Both these guys are dead men walking. It’s just a question of how many games we lose before the sale is done.

 

[Bileur]

You don’t have to sign the new coach to a 5 year deal. Just fire DJ and get an interim guy in here.

 

[DJB]

Another day closer

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Another day closer

Which also means another day late

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Is there something they can do to to fix the PP at the very least? It's absolutely costing us games.

Have a 3-4 pass rule, where no matter what after 3 passes you shoot the god damn puck.

 

[lunadio]

Dj needs to be fired imediately just for the sake of showing these guys there's other ways to play they have had 4 years of his no system ahl caliber coaching they need to evolve but dj isn't near good enough to coach at this level just being hard worker and his dum saying play right way I'm sick of hearing we did good things but bad things happened I feel like he's a zombie

I know sale and budget restriction won't allow coaching change but I can dream

 

[Viletho]

Is there somewhere that we can see which player are the most used by each team on the PK?

I swear, most team use 1 or 2 of their best offensive player to kill penalty while we mostly used 3rd and 4th liner. Last year, our PK was a threat with Brown and Formenton.

Norris was used, so that is one and Stutzle recently. But for example, why isn't he using Pinto on the PK? Best defensive forward in the NCAA the year he was nominated for the hobey baker. Was doing great in preseason. Maybe the forward with the best defensive minded on the team. And he see no PK. Good coach manage their best player team to play them in all situation because this is what make you win game.

We get scored on every game on the PK, so i wanted to look at that.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Not that I’d want Capuano to take over or anything, but why do people think he’s any worse than DJ? People are hypothesizing worst case scenarios if DJ gets fired as if we’re not already in that situation right now.

We’re 5-9-1, we’re not going any lower without DJ. The guy has a .380 career winning percentage, stop acting like we risk letting Scotty Bowman walk or something. Hell, Capuano’s resume is miles ahead of DJ’s.

 

[Viletho]

Not that I’d want Capuano to take over or anything, but why do people think he’s any worse than DJ? People are hypothesizing worst case scenarios if DJ gets fired as if we’re not already in that situation right now.

We’re 5-9-1, we’re not going any lower without DJ. The guy has a .380 career winning percentage, stop acting like we risk letting Scotty Bowman walk or something. Hell, Capuano’s resume is miles ahead of DJ’s.

If he's worst. it's a blessing in disguise because we will get a better pick in this insane draft lol

 

[Gil Gunderson]

If he's worst. it's a blessing in disguise because we will get a better pick in this insane draft lol

Then just keep DJ. His record over 4 seasons is already one of the worst in NHL history.

 

[Puikiou]

Same chorus post-game.

Everyone played great. The other team defended well/got the bounces. If we perform like this every night, we'll win more often than not. Things will be fine. Their goalie made the saves.

Bottom line: A ''system'' that consistently produces the same result, regardless of personal, for four years in row sucks. We lost. Again. With 15 games games played, the Arizona Coyotes have more wins than the Ottawa Senators. One team is in the midst of a deep rebuild, the other is coming out of one. It's a sick joke.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

With the way the team presses (or lack of it), I think a genuine discussion can be had about whether or not it's worth pulling the goalie in the final minutes when we're down a goal.

Everything this team does when they need a goal badly is predictable and non-threatening. The way they play with the man-advantage is every PKer's wet dream.

 

[SensHulk]

I don’t see why we couldn’t fire smith and replace him with Mann on an interim basis. Gives the new ownership an opportunity to still reevaluate their options next summer.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

At some point DJ may sort of want it to happen too. Him not being back next year is at about 100% now. With new owners coming and the 4th year of poor starts, It'd take a miracle for him to stay. He's basically a lame duck coach from here on out.

 

[ChurchOfAlfie]

Reading Ian Mendes' article on Alfredsson and this quote, regarding Dave Allison, seemed oddly relevant...

“Looking back, he wasn’t ready for that assignment,” Alfredsson says of Allison.

 

[Karl Prime]

Reading Ian Mendes' article on Alfredsson and this quote, regarding Dave Allison, seemed oddly relevant...

“Looking back, he wasn’t ready for that assignment,” Alfredsson says of Allison.

Ever since he became coach, I thought he wouldn't be the coach when the team was getting good. Maybe this group needs their version of Martin.

 

[JimmySpaetzle]

Lindy Ruff: I’m okay with fans booing me at the beginning of the year, this league is about wins and that’s as much on me as anybody else

DJ: we played hard, that’s what counts

Wonder why one guy has been in the league for decades and the other will shortly be on his way out…

 

[atmx093]

I was looking at the list of head coaches we've had since '92. Reminds me of the big movies/games bargain bins they had at Wal Mart. Couple of nice things, but mostly a smorgasbord of "I'll pass".

 

[RickyLafleur]

Was at the game yesterday...jesus christ the PP is so frustrating to watch. Did Sanderson even attempt a single shot yesterday?

 

[Pinto Bean]

I just can't see any reputable coach (Julien, etc.) wanting to come to this team 1.5 months into the season, where ownership is in the process of being transferred, and when the team is struggling mightily.

If we see a move now, I have to assume the next coach is Capuano or someone else internally getting the Interim tag to play out the remainder of the season.

Subsequently, my hope is that the new ownership comes in, does a bit of house cleaning.

- Thank Capuano for his time
- Hire a reputable coach
- Move on from multiple pieces in the management
- Bring in a forward-thinking GM akin to a guy like Bobby Webster with the Raptors and an experienced but solid President
- Bring back Alfie in some capacity
- Add to all departments of the Sens organization (Scouting, Analytics, Training, Player amenities, AHL, etc.)

 

[bashbros32]

I was looking at the list of head coaches we've had since '92. Reminds me of the big movies/games bargain bins they had at Wal Mart. Couple of nice things, but mostly a smorgasbord of "I'll pass".

It's extremely depressing knowing that the only coach who lasted 2+ seasons with a worse record than DJ is Rick Bowness, who coached a fking 90s EXPANSION TEAM!

 

[Psycroptic86]

Was at the game yesterday...jesus christ the PP is so frustrating to watch. Did Sanderson even attempt a single shot yesterday?

I think he did once, but the shot was wide.

 

[Sens Vader]

The longer we wait on firing DJ there more sunken this seasons gets.

No coach in history should survive 4 consecutive seasons of pathetic starts.

Get rid of him now, do not wait.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Why are we clinging on to this loser? Hasn’t he had enough chances? What are we waiting for? The season is already lost and it’s only November.

I was hoping I would wake up with a new coach announcement.

 

[RickyLafleur]

With the way the team presses (or lack of it), I think a genuine discussion can be had about whether or not it's worth pulling the goalie in the final minutes when we're down a goal.

Everything this team does when they need a goal badly is predictable and non-threatening. The way they play with the man-advantage is every PKer's wet dream.

We should never pull the goalie again. There is 0 urgency from all of our players just standing around, sometimes there us 2 or 3 guys in the same spot looking at each other instead of spreading out and getting into position. It's the same when your watching the PP, they constantly pass the puck back to forth attempting wide angle shots that have a very low chance of going in since there is minimal net front presence in these situations.