Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[LatteLarrys]

fart noise

 

[Gil Gunderson]

They can’t protect a lead for shit. They can’t generate goals in high pressure situations, like 6 on 5, towards end of games or periods etc. they are having a real difficult time matching or setting intensity when it’s direly needed. Overall lots of their stats look ok, but they fall down or don’t step up at the worst or most urgent times and it’s costing games and points.

It’s odd because in previous seasons I always had the sense that they were a tough team to play against even if they were outmatched wrt skill experience and so on. While I think we’re seeing the trials that a young team goes through, I am not getting that same sense this season, not consistently and not out of the team outside a few notable players (Brady giroux most regularly).

It is frustrating as f*** as a fan, and to hear Dorion say that it has little to do with coaching exacerbates that frustration.

That’s essentially my issue. The underlying stats overall look decent, but everything looks flat when those special teams are needed. Our most important PK’s end up being the worst. When we get a 3rd period PP with a chance to tie the game, nothing is really ever generated, and it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the game is over the second the goalie skates to the bench.

That’s not even mentioning how fragile this team is in the final minutes of a period.

 

[majormajor]

While not necessarily a problem of DJ himself, the club has a number of bad habits that suggest to me that they need a crackdown, the type of which you can only bring in under a new coach.

They chase fancy plays at the expense of shot volume, they blow their zone without clear possession, etc... Just kind of a dumb team.

 

[LatteLarrys]

At this point, I really can't figure out what direction we're trying to (or should) take. I guess we really are in caretaker mode until new ownership cleans house, or DJ has some serious dirt on Dorion. Way out of the race by November once again and we're probably looking at a high pick in a deep draft with DJ at the helm. But as far as coaching, continuing this sad state of affairs isn't exactly great for player morale and development, and not to mention winning back the fanbase.

 

[Bileur]

4 OUT OF 6 OF THESE RECORDS ARE UNDER THE SAME COACH!!




WTF are we waiting for?

What an indictment on DJ.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

4 OUT OF 6 OF THESE RECORDS ARE UNDER THE SAME COACH!!




WTF are we waiting for?

I’m struggling to see how anybody can look at this and say “yes this is the guy capable of turning this season around with a .700 record to jolt us into the playoffs”. It’s beyond insanity, he’s just not a winner at the NHL level.

 

[Sens Vader]

4 of the top 6 worst starts in franchise history

Still the coach…. It’s pathetic

Maybe give a coach a long leash when he’s proven something before coming here. He’s a first time NHL coach and shitting the bed

Get rid of him

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Let's go for 5

Certainly not all on him.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

At this point its a wash. Season is essentially over and everyone knows there's no chance he'll be back. What a shit way for this season to go.

Hoping for another lottery pick is definitely not where I thought we'd be 15 games in.

 

[swiftwin]

At this point its a wash. Season is essentially over and everyone knows there's no chance he'll be back. What a shit way for this season to go.

Hoping for another lottery pick is definitely not where I thought we'd be 15 games in.

Season is over because we're 6pts out of a playoff spot with 67 games left to play?

Like, I'd understand that sentiment if we were getting dominated on the ice, but we're not. Yes, I get it, metrics don't matter if you're not putting W's up. But metrics do matter because they are predictors of future performance. We have 67 games left to get 3 more wins than our competition.

 

[Norris4Norris]

A new coach can change a team immediately by giving it energy (new coach syndrome). That fresh start might create a winning streak. Then if the new coach implements a sound defensive system we could continue to win. DJ is probably falling on deaf ears with respect to the players.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Season is over because we're 6pts out of a playoff spot with 67 games left to play?

Like, I'd understand that sentiment if we were getting dominated on the ice, but we're not. Yes, I get it, metrics don't matter if you're not putting W's up. But metrics do matter because they are predictors of future performance. We have 67 games left to get 3 more wins than our competition.

I do not foresee this team turning it around and stacking wins regardless of the underlying metrics. Something is wrong with this team and their ability to win games and I can't put a finger on it, but it gives me little confidence. You make a reasonable point about not being that far out really, but similar to Vancouver, they need to do it and do it real fast if there's going to be any hope.

 

[Senscore]

Season is over because we're 6pts out of a playoff spot with 67 games left to play?

Like, I'd understand that sentiment if we were getting dominated on the ice, but we're not. Yes, I get it, metrics don't matter if you're not putting W's up. But metrics do matter because they are predictors of future performance. We have 67 games left to get 3 more wins than our competition.

Hey if you want to be the guy leaning on underlying statistics go right ahead, but underlying statistics also say our playoff chances are well into the single digit percentages right now.

 

[Flamingo]

They can’t protect a lead for shit. They can’t generate goals in high pressure situations, like 6 on 5, towards end of games or periods etc. they are having a real difficult time matching or setting intensity when it’s direly needed. Overall lots of their stats look ok, but they fall down or don’t step up at the worst or most urgent times and it’s costing games and points.

It’s odd because in previous seasons I always had the sense that they were a tough team to play against even if they were outmatched wrt skill experience and so on. While I think we’re seeing the trials that a young team goes through, I am not getting that same sense this season, not consistently and not out of the team outside a few notable players (Brady giroux most regularly).

It is frustrating as f*** as a fan, and to hear Dorion say that it has little to do with coaching exacerbates that frustration.

It’s perkiness recoil. After season upon season of never-say-die determination, we’re in a period of repose. We got up for a season of skillful, tactical bemusement. But that doesn’t win games.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

There’s nothing to lose (other than a high draft pick) by pulling the trigger now. We may or may not make the playoffs with a new coach, but not making them is basically a certainty with the current one.

 

[Cosmix]

Let's go for 5

Certainly not all on him.

That chart shows clear progress: 5 to 9 to 11 points over the last 3 seasons including this one!

At this point its a wash. Season is essentially over and everyone knows there's no chance he'll be back. What a shit way for this season to go.

Hoping for another lottery pick is definitely not where I thought we'd be 15 games in.

Not a bad year to tank for a high draft pick.

4 of the top 6 worst starts in franchise history

Still the coach…. It’s pathetic

Maybe give a coach a long leash when he’s proven something before coming here. He’s a first time NHL coach and shitting the bed

Get rid of him

Get rid of the GM too.

 

[Cosmix]

The players he acquired?

.

When Dorion cans DJ, I think he will say there was a lack of results and a new voice is needed to get the team to perform at the level he expects.

 

[Flamingo]

Relax. There hasn’t even been a players-only meeting. Does Tchucky know how to run one of those? Maybe Giroo can help.

 

[bert]

While not necessarily a problem of DJ himself, the club has a number of bad habits that suggest to me that they need a crackdown, the type of which you can only bring in under a new coach.

They chase fancy plays at the expense of shot volume, they blow their zone without clear possession, etc... Just kind of a dumb team.

Yeah they dont seem very intelligent or care to do the necessary things to win games.

 

[Viletho]

At this point its a wash. Season is essentially over and everyone knows there's no chance he'll be back. What a shit way for this season to go.

Hoping for another lottery pick is definitely not where I thought we'd be 15 games in.

Me neither. But if there is one year to suck. It's this year.

 

[majormajor]

At this point its a wash. Season is essentially over and everyone knows there's no chance he'll be back. What a shit way for this season to go.

Hoping for another lottery pick is definitely not where I thought we'd be 15 games in.

That chart shows clear progress: 5 to 9 to 11 points over the last 3 seasons including this one!


Not a bad year to tank for a high draft pick.


Get rid of the GM too.

They need to learn how to win and you don't want them trying to start learning that next Fall after trying to lose this year. That wastes next year not just this one.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

They can tank, but we’re not immune to trade requests. This is Brady’s 5th season. At some point the core players will get fed up.

 

[bashbros32]

The 2 craziest stats that I see so far is the 4 of 6 seasons thing...

The other 2 seasons were our teams 1st and 3rd... you know, as a 90s expansion team with 0 talent...

and the fact that the only coaches we have EVER had that have posted a losing record, and lasted more than 2 seasons, are Rick Bowness (again, 90s expansion team with 0 talent) DJ Smith, and Guy Boucher, who took us to the conference finals, which bought him some leeway.

The ONLY coach who lasted even a single season with a worse record than DJ has over 4, is Bowness, once more, from a 90s expansion team.

 

[Mingus Dew]

They can tank, but we’re not immune to trade requests. This is Brady’s 5th season. At some point the core players will get fed up.

The core players are the ones guilty of lazy and thoughtless hockey. If they want the team to start winning they can make that happen lol.

The problem is they need an external force to jumpstart that and it ain't DJ.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

IMO the reason you fire DJ is not because he is a bad coach, but to hold the players accountable. They love DJ, losing him is losing a core part of their group, and that's what needs to happen. It's a slap in the face to the players - this guy who you love & respect & want to win with is gone, because you guys couldn't step up.