Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[BondraTime]

Meh Melnyk was running the ship at the time, most of what he did was in poor taste.
I don't see how Cap is part of the solution here, we need to breathe new life in the team not have a guy who's been here for the whole stink

He's definitely not part of the solution, but the board isn't going to be adding any outside hires, and the Sens have Capuano as a backup plan, like they always have. Same as when Crawford took over for Boucher.

Brining up Mann doesn't make much sense either, he's in charge of our guys down in Belleville, and, presumably, would not be a guy new owners would be looking at making the Head Coach once they step in.

Whether they bring in Mann, or promote Cap, not going not make any discernable difference.

 

[Micklebot]

Presumably, the Sens withheld Capuano from interviewing for the Sabres head coaching gig last year because he would be plan B should DJ get sent packing.

Would be pretty poor taste to not allow him to interview for a promotion and then not give him the role.

I suspect with the team officially for sale there's likely a budget freeze. We aren't bringing in anybody else, Capuano will get the interim label and be out the door at seasons end barring a miracle.

I really don't see much of an alternative other than riding out DJ till years end and hoping he doesn't do permanent damage...

 

[dmarc]

He's definitely not part of the solution, but the board isn't going to be adding any outside hires, and the Sens have Capuano as a backup plan, like they always have. Same as when Crawford took over for Boucher.

Brining up Mann doesn't make much sense either, he's in charge of our guys down in Belleville, and, presumably, would not be a guy new owners would be looking at making the Head Coach once they step in.

Whether they bring in Mann, or promote Cap, not going not make any discernable difference.

I agree the difference between Mann or Cap isn't discernable and neither takes us to playoffs, more to give Mann a cookie for doing great development for our guys before new owners clean house.

Doubt there is a huge added cost to promoting Mann

 

[NB613]

I agree the difference between Mann or Cap isn't discernable and neither takes us to playoffs, more to give Mann a cookie for doing great development for our guys before new owners clean house.

Doubt there is a huge added cost to promoting Mann

Feel like this is a “Ducharme” situation. Only thing is, when the ownership inevitably hires their own GM and staff, its unlikely that Mann would then be part of organization (ie- Ottawa/Belleville) at all. So definitely some risk for him there.

Agreed that ”most balanced” option would be Mann as HC and keeping other coaches.

Likely options:
Capuano + keep assistants
Mann + keep associates/assistants
Outside hire + new staff

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

“hard working” is a team identity now? Those other teams who actually have winning records don’t work hard.

I think DJ has lost it. Skating hard because you're playing a dump and chase style isn't exactly the real definition of hard working. At least, not to me. It's called tiring yourself out for nothing with little to show for it.

We have the skill to make plays. To pass the puck tape to tape instead of dumping it down the ice. We have guys with good hockey vision and have some creativity. Instead of working harder, we need to start working smarter.

 

[SensHulk]

There are some real bad habits that have crept in within our top players (Bath, Brady, Stu) and while it’s not ‘coaching’ making them commit to these habits, it’s also not coaching that’s removing these habits.

What happened to the bag skates? What happened to the hard practices and cutting ice time for star players? Conversely, where are the players only meetings?

These cats have gotten far too comfortable with each other and the coaching staff, and need a JOLT. There’s a reason Giroux is consistently our best player day in and out.

Getting DJ out, while shitty for him, will also serve as a huge indictment on the core players in this org. He’s a players coach but fun’s over now. Even with new ownership coming, I can’t see how hiring Troy Mann as an interim coach would complicate the sale (please don’t just pick Jack)

 

[NyQuil]

This little guy is working really hard:

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

And besides. You can not task anymore your captain to engage a slaking player. It will be classified as a harassment, public humiliation and an abuse. NHL is not far away from judicial challenges, if it is still present You can not even raise a voice anymore directly to a player. Benching, trading, scratching, office/ice conversations - that's coaches job now. That's it. Also the captaincy in NHL is irrelevant right not. It is ridiculous even to think that Tkachuk will police the Sens dressing room for the coach. And do coach's job to shake players to accountability. Those times are gone.

Don't think that's true. The real issue is how can Brady get mad at anyone when he is one of the worst players at the defensive game and turnovers on the team.

The message loses a lot of bite.

 

[Senscore]

There are some real bad habits that have crept in within our top players (Bath, Brady, Stu) and while it’s not ‘coaching’ making them commit to these habits, it’s also not coaching that’s removing these habits.

What happened to the bag skates? What happened to the hard practices and cutting ice time for star players? Conversely, where are the players only meetings?

These cats have gotten far too comfortable with each other and the coaching staff, and need a JOLT. There’s a reason Giroux is consistently our best player day in and out.

Getting DJ out, while shitty for him, will also serve as a huge indictment on the core players in this org. He’s a players coach but fun’s over now. Even with new ownership coming, I can’t see how hiring Troy Mann as an interim coach would complicate the sale (please don’t just pick Jack)

They did an extended skating drill after the Florida game. Not sure if it was a bag skate per se or not.


It didn't work of course.

 

[LevelingSolo]

Crazy thing is I'm kind of looking back fondly on the Craig Hartsburg team.

Man that guy was so bad he made CC look like an elite coach

The trend of the "bargain bin coach" started with Hartsburg and nothing has really changed

 

[Gil Gunderson]

 

[BondraTime]

What’s Craig Patrick up too these days?

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Debrincat is getting Ducharmed ala Caufield.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Even our high powered offence has mustered only 2 goals total in our last 2 games.

 

[BondraTime]

Debrincat is getting Ducharmed ala Caufield.

Aside from Brassard and Joseph, they are all our best offensive players.

 

[HSF]

Aside from Brassard and Joseph, they are all our best offensive players.

Brassard is the real bad one on this list

from PTO to play with Debrincat is just so Senators

 

[Pancakes Pancakes]

Isn't that sort of DJ's thing? Have a terrible start and then win meaningless games at the end of the season to take us out of a lottery pick.

A new coach now may push us to 9th or 10th in the conf, DJ will ensure we finish 5th or 6th last in the NHL with the final push.

 

[BondraTime]

A new coach now may push us to 9th or 10th in the conf, DJ will ensure we finish 5th or 6th last in the NHL with the final push.

At this moment, the highest likilihood for the Sens to finish % wise is out of the playoffs with the worst lottery odds in the league.

Can't make this stuff up.

 

[Korpse]

Brassard is the real bad one on this list

from PTO to play with Debrincat is just so Senators

He's been a better fit than Pinto there. At no point has Pinto worked there. They keep trying it but it's never worked. 68 min 5v5 together outscored 0-3.

 

[Flamingo]

There is no such a thing as a player's coach. If a manager is soft to get his message across. He is in a wrong position.
It is like a mantra for Sens fans. To make them feel better. The real world does not work like this. You get what you got and you run them like dogs, for all the money they make. To build your winning resume with numbers, to be hired again in this business.
It is a livelihood of any coach, we are talking about. No wonder, after a Sen's HC job, those individuals never see NHL again. They are just not motivated, soft and weak. Why to hire them in the first place?

And besides. You can not task anymore your captain to engage a slaking player. It will be classified as a harassment, public humiliation and an abuse. NHL is not far away from judicial challenges, if it is still present You can not even raise a voice anymore directly to a player. Benching, trading, scratching, office/ice conversations - that's coaches job now. That's it. Also the captaincy in NHL is irrelevant right not. It is ridiculous even to think that Tkachuk will police the Sens dressing room for the coach. And do coach's job to shake players to accountability. Those times are gone.

I don't follow you. There certainly is such a thing as a player's coach. That style has a limited shelf life, and it depends on players bringing their own sense of accountability. And there's the opposite coaching style, which has a limited shelf life too. Where the coach penalizes bad play with demotions and benching. The players eventually tune that kind of hard-nosed messaging out, typically after they've sacrificed creativity for x's and o's to the point that the returns diminish. And captains certainly matter. At least leadership does. It's best that it's the player with the "C", but any player can exhibit strong leadership qualities and positively influence his team without usurping the captain. But if a leader is going to openly challenge the decision-making or effort of another player, they need to have their own house in order. Giroux, where are you?

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

What’s Craig Patrick up too these days?

Craig Patrick?

I'd take Kurt Russell.

 

[HSF]

He's been a better fit than Pinto there. At no point has Pinto worked there. They keep trying it but it's never worked. 68 min 5v5 together outscored 0-3.

neither are top 6 material rn

The organization said that missing Pinto early last year really hurt us but relying on a rookie to have a great year is asking for trouble

Brassard was unplayable last year in the post season ...he is done

 

[SensHulk]

Not sure if this was posted already….my goodness the rope DJ has received is just not fair to the likes of Guy Boucher, Cory Clouston, Bowness or PMac

 

[BondraTime]

Not sure if this was posted already….my goodness the rope DJ has received is just not fair to the likes of Guy Boucher, Cory Clouston, Bowness or PMac

Those teams weren't supposed to lose though.

This team has just had that excuse in the back pocket the whole way.

 

[SensHulk]

Their best shots of winning on this road trip were against the sharks and ducks. Gonna get smoked against the knights and kings. So best case we sim against the ducks…3 wins in the next pivotal 10 game stretch…

Those teams weren't supposed to lose though.

This team has just had that excuse in the back pocket the whole way.

We shouldn’t be rewarding ability to suck more than ability to get their teams to the playoffs, which is what all those other coaches did (except bowness who was inheriting an atrocious expansion team)