Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Agent Zuuuub]

This is what I hate the most, I gotta wait a whole year just to maybe watch a good team.

We are finally at the tail end of it though. This summer will be a new beginning.

I think DJ is getting too much hate here tho, he was put in a position to fail. The roster composition sucks and it has ever since Dorion was put in charge. We could have had Cooper and the team would still suck because Dorion teams always have AHL level depth players.

 

[TonySoprano11]

We are finally at the tail end of it though. This summer will be a new beginning.

I think DJ is getting too much hate here tho, he was put in a position to fail. The roster composition sucks and it has ever since Dorion was put in charge. We could have had Cooper and the team would still suck because Dorion teams always have AHL level depth players.

No totally disagree. There is enough talent on this team to make it competitive under the right coaching scheme.

 

[Bileur]

Good to see him step in front.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

We are finally at the tail end of it though. This summer will be a new beginning.

I think DJ is getting too much hate here tho, he was put in a position to fail. The roster composition sucks and it has ever since Dorion was put in charge. We could have had Cooper and the team would still suck because Dorion teams always have AHL level depth players.

We have a legit good roster this year, DJ just has no idea was he's doing.

Toronto has/had 3 of their top 4 D missing yet they're managing to win games, systems are everything.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

NHL coaching hot seat index: Is Gerard Gallant in trouble?

Burning up​

Bruce Boudreau, Vancouver Canucks
Dallas Eakins, Anaheim Ducks
Gerard Gallant, New York Rangers
D.J. Smith, Ottawa Senators

 

[Tuna99]

I cannot believe another motivated coach couldnt get more then last place finishes and ugly hockey out of this team.

DJ got Zaitsev to a good place by sending him to the AHL not because Zaitsev sucked at hockey, but because the fans were means, this is considered a good week by DJ Smtih standards - back talk the fans when you continually play a train wreck Dman and have your team unprepared for a game they had to win. good for him

 

[RickyLafleur]

This man will never be a head coach in the NHL again just like everyone else we've had since Murray.

 

[HSF]

Its almost like this team needs to go on another huge losing streak for anything to happen

what a shame

 

[Larionov]

This man will never be a head coach in the NHL again just like everyone else we've had since Murray.

This is likely true, although I would argue that Guy Boucher deserves another shot. He won't get it, which is a shame, but he is a smart hockey guy. Ditto for Dave Cameron, who is an outstanding teacher and currently has a decidedly NOT loaded Ottawa 67's team at 21-4. Absolutely no one expected the 67's to be the top team in the OHL, but he has those kids playing hard every night and playing a system. Fun fact - Cameron actually has a winning record as a Sens head coach, which not many others can say...

 

[Micklebot]

Its almost like this team needs to go on another huge losing streak for anything to happen

what a shame

No, they need a sale to close, that's been pretty obvious since the team being up for sale was announced.

 

[Micklebot]

This is likely true, although I would argue that Guy Boucher deserves another shot. He won't get it, which is a shame, but he is a smart hockey guy. Ditto for Dave Cameron, who is an outstanding teacher and currently has a decidedly NOT loaded Ottawa 67's team at 21-4. Absolutely no one expected the 67's to be the top team in the OHL, but he has those kids playing hard every night and playing a system. Fun fact - Cameron actually has a winning record as a Sens head coach, which not many others can say...

Apparently Boucher has already been offered another shot

MacLean is the one I'm most curious to know why he hasn't landed a sniff at another chance, he's got two pretty successful seasons as HC (Jack Adams nomination followed by a Jack Adams win), the team was a bubble team the next year when Spezza was recovering from back surgery while the team was adapting to life without Alfie and Karlsson in his first post Cooke season. Even his final year had the team playing 500 under him though the team had pretty clearly stopped listening.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

We’re the only team in the league that if we “start slow” we’re gonna be down by 4 in the first ten minutes.

LOTS of teams start slow. They don’t all get obliterated.

We need to have some sort of structure or gameplan so that if things get messy we can chill. Play strong defensive hockey and get back into the game. We don’t. Lots of teams aren’t always on their A+ game. And even when they’re not they’re fundamentals allow them to keep the game manageable while they get back in it.

DJ is the only coach in the league where if his team doesn’t start the game absolutely firing on all cylinders they’re out of the game by 1st intermission.

 

[Big Muddy]

We have a legit good roster this year, DJ just has no idea was he's doing.

Toronto has/had 3 of their top 4 D missing yet they're managing to win games, systems are everything.

What isn't mentioned here is that Toronto has one of the best top six forward group in the league. They are also ironically getting great goaltending (Murray's nickname is now Marvelous Matt Murray).

Let's see what happens next year. If we change coaches and still make don't make the playoffs, I hope folks won't be too disappointed. To make it clear, I'm not saying coaching isn't a factor. I do think it is a factor. I also just think that it's not quite that simple, and there's more involved and other factors.

 

[bert]

Good to see him step in front.

Quite the move when I dont really think its on the coach to get up to play a game in the NHL. That's just my opinion I guess. The message is stale if he has to do an inspirational speech every single game for 82 games.

One trend I have noticed is this team really sucks when they play in an empty CTC. These early week games have all been so bad. Seems like the players cant get up for the games in an empty barn. Cant really blame them either.

We have a legit good roster this year, DJ just has no idea was he's doing.

Toronto has/had 3 of their top 4 D missing yet they're managing to win games, systems are everything.

You sure? This teams bottom 6 is one of the worst in the league. After its top 3 D men the rest are bottom pair/replacement level. The goaltending has been really up and down.

I think its time for a new coach for sure but I dont think DJ is a bad coach. The message is stale, thats alot of losing its only human nature.

To me I see so many lazy plays, I dont see a full buy in from this group. They need a new voice.

 

[umma gumma]

To me I see so many lazy plays, I dont see a full buy in from this group. They need a new voice.

Yep. Waaaaaaay too many.

 

[Dionysus]

We are finally at the tail end of it though. This summer will be a new beginning.

I think DJ is getting too much hate here tho, he was put in a position to fail. The roster composition sucks and it has ever since Dorion was put in charge. We could have had Cooper and the team would still suck because Dorion teams always have AHL level depth players.

That is a major issue. No depth on forward or defense again. Any injuries and multiple players are playing above where they should be.

The roster doesn't really match the system, which is poor planning, the coach and GM have been in place for years now.

I think a new voice from behind the bench is still needed, even an interim coach for the rest of the season. Give these guys some new concepts to learn and adapt to. See who is flexible and who isn't.

 

[HSF]

We are finally at the tail end of it though. This summer will be a new beginning.

I think DJ is getting too much hate here tho, he was put in a position to fail. The roster composition sucks and it has ever since Dorion was put in charge. We could have had Cooper and the team would still suck because Dorion teams always have AHL level depth players.

this roster should not be this bad

they look completely lost defensively some nights. You have a 40 goal scorer on a weak Chicago roster who looks completely lost. Batherson and Chabot for most of this season were the same

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

No totally disagree. There is enough talent on this team to make it competitive under the right coaching scheme.

this roster should not be this bad

they look completely lost defensively some nights. You have a 40 goal scorer on a weak Chicago roster who looks completely lost. Batherson and Chabot for most of this season were the same

our top players put up points but they suck defensively and teamplay. I guess you could put that on the coaching, but straight up caring more for offense vs defense is also an individual fault. Stutzle, Brady, Chabot, Drake have never needed to play responsible winning hockey to get top minutes, pp time and money and it shows. They play like it's shinny.

So top players that don't play a complete game and then you have abysmal depth that has multiple healthy scratch/AHL level players on it, both on F and D.

This roster is this bad.

 

[HSF]

our top players put up points but they suck defensively and teamplay. I guess you could put that on the coaching, but straight up caring more for offense vs defense is also an individual fault. Stutzle, Brady, Chabot, Drake have never needed to play responsible winning hockey to get top minutes, pp time and money and it shows. They play like it's shinny.

So top players that don't play a complete game and then you have abysmal depth that has multiple healthy scratch/AHL level players on it, both on F and D.

This roster is this bad.

what does 'bad' mean?

Should we be fighting for positioning with Arizona Chicago or Anaheim?

Probbaly not

 

[Loach]

That is a major issue. No depth on forward or defense again. Any injuries and multiple players are playing above where they should be.

The roster doesn't really match the system, which is poor planning, the coach and GM have been in place for years now.

I think a new voice from behind the bench is still needed, even an interim coach for the rest of the season. Give these guys some new concepts to learn and adapt to. See who is flexible and who isn't.

There are potential GMs and Coaches scouting this team right now. Jobs are going to be available as soon as the bid is confirmed in principle in late January/February. No way new ownership waits until the summer. That aould lose another year. New staff will get a feel for things the last few months of the season and then this summer player changes will happen. This is my gut feeling.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Like I have said many times, this team looks awesome when everyone is on.

That is not sustainable. And we will only be successful with a good system that will hide the flaws of the team when some players are having off nights, goalies included.

Thus far, we have denoted no system, so either we are playing REMARKABLE GAMES or piss poor games. Or even remarkable games that we lose because of terrible exploits other teams find (even if its just 1-2 a game) in our chaotic mess.

That, and Travis Hamonic is a mess.

 

[GCK]

We have a legit good roster this year, DJ just has no idea was he's doing.

Toronto has/had 3 of their top 4 D missing yet they're managing to win games, systems are everything.

Marner, Matthews, Nylander are actually playing 2 way hockey which took many years and playoff failures to ingrain in them. Check out the leafs depth forwards like Kampf, Jarnkrok these are guys that know how to defend. Dorion adds guys like Joseph.

 

[DrEasy]

Apparently Boucher has already been offered another shot

MacLean is the one I'm most curious to know why he hasn't landed a sniff at another chance, he's got two pretty successful seasons as HC (Jack Adams nomination followed by a Jack Adams win), the team was a bubble team the next year when Spezza was recovering from back surgery while the team was adapting to life without Alfie and Karlsson in his first post Cooke season. Even his final year had the team playing 500 under him though the team had pretty clearly stopped listening.

MacLean was a dinosaur. Remember his insistence on the GSN line, not using Condra, using absolute plugs on the shootout (Greening, instead of, say, Da Costa). I wouldn't mind him as an assistant coach (if nothing else, good personality to have on the bench), which is the job he got after he was fired from Ottawa.

The moment he left and Cameron came in, the team got better. Sure, part of it might be the usual coaching change effect, but Cameron implemented some changes that had an effect almost instantly.

Cameron did get "lucky" that some injuries also happened to the players who weren't performing well (such as Lehner and MacArthur at the time), which opened the door to the Hamburglar run.

I agree with @Larionov that Cameron was under-rated. Many thought he only got the job thanks to Melnyk, but even if that were the case, he is a competent hockey guy. Maybe not the best coach ever, but not the worst either.

 

[Alex1234]

Say what you will but I loved to cheer for them in the 2017 spring
That run Cup was sooooo good
We had a chance every night
And if we scored in that 2nd overtime vs Pitt, many analysts said we would have win the Cup because Nash was not as good.

Im f..ing tired of losing

 

[Micklebot]

MacLean was a dinosaur. Remember his insistence on the GSN line, not using Condra, using absolute plugs on the shootout (Greening, instead of, say, Da Costa). I wouldn't mind him as an assistant coach (if nothing else, good personality to have on the bench), which is the job he got after he was fired from Ottawa.

The moment he left and Cameron came in, the team got better. Sure, part of it might be the usual coaching change effect, but Cameron implemented some changes that had an effect almost instantly.

Cameron did get "lucky" that some injuries also happened to the players who weren't performing well (such as Lehner and MacArthur at the time), which opened the door to the Hamburglar run.

I agree with @Larionov that Cameron was under-rated. Many thought he only got the job thanks to Melnyk, but even if that were the case, he is a competent hockey guy. Maybe not the best coach ever, but not the worst either.

Every coach relies more on vets and grinders than fans want, especially as the team are struggling and the skilled guys start tuning the coach out trying to do thing on their own.

MacLean wasn't perfect, and he lost the room by the end so it's not surprising Cameron turned things around a bit when he took over, but MacLean had his moments. I thought he'd have done well with a defensive minded assistant.