Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[Big Muddy]

Basically there are two or three "systems" that NHL teams play in their own end, but different coaches will add their own wrinkles and will definitely have their own emphases. DJ clearly emphasizes collapsing towards the goal and pretty much ignoring the points. I personally think we need to challenge the points a bit more and create some uncertainty for the other team's D, but DJ isn't the only coach that favours that type of D-zone play.

But invariably systems collapse and THAT'S where a good coaching staff will help. Good teams get exposed but have been coached to immediately move to a plan B and recover more often than not before the puck ends up in their net. I don't see anything but panic from our guys. I assume SOME of that could be inexperience but I think they also have just never been made to understand what to do when something goes wrong. Our smallest deviations from any sort of coverage spiral into HDCA way too often. That is what I see with this team.

And while most teams play a variation on a couple of different coverage systems, teams have different breakout schemes. To be blunt, ours sucks. Way too many long passes and our spacing is terrible. By about 10 minutes into every game I'm fed up with a lone forward, at the opposing team blueline, deflecting a 90 foot pass into the other team's end with no pressure coming. We have very little puck support moving up ice; we make it way too easy for the other team to break out (if we even get it into the other team's end) and we are way too spread out to transition from offense to defense (and vice versa) in the neutral zone in the event of a turnover.

These are things that need to be hammered into player's heads by the coaching staff. More than three years under DJ and he seems unwilling or unable to do that. Time for a change.

Ya, there's 1 - 3 -1 schemes, left-wing locks, a number of other schemes. Part of it depends on where the puck is on the ice, and whether the team is on offense or defense (in combination with where the puck is).

We do have a lot of individual player break downs. The first two goals against us in the recent LAK game were great examples. The 1st goal our player (Debrincat) just didn't cover his player quick enough and didn't position himself well enough on the inside of the player breaking in on net. The 2nd goal was a bad line change and Watson just didn't get on the ice fast enough to cover his guy. There's lots of breakdowns and sloppy play to blame in lots of games.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

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.

Cameron went on to show he was by faaaaarrrr the worst coach this team had post Harrtsburg We were boring, shit, and emotionless under him.

Maclean took us to the playoffs two consecutive years. Took the league best rangers to seven games and had US taking the game to them. He absolutely clowned Montreal

Maclean’s last year… well there are rumours and theories about how that came about and why Maclean changed.

#1 thing I liked about Maclean tho was this team had attitude under him.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

everyone is 'rational' in their mind.

I am not.

 

[Cosmix]

Ya, there's 1 - 3 -1 schemes, left-wing locks, a number of other schemes. Part of it depends on where the puck is on the ice, and whether the team is on offense or defense (in combination with where the puck is).

We do have a lot of individual player break downs. The first two goals against us in the recent LAK game were great examples. The 1st goal our player (Debrincat) just didn't cover his player quick enough and didn't position himself well enough on the inside of the player breaking in on net. The 2nd goal was a bad line change and Watson just didn't get on the ice fast enough to cover his guy. There's lots of breakdowns and sloppy blame in lots of games.

Debrincat was asleep watching the puck and assuming his man, the D at the point, would remain at the point. It's a rookie/lazy player type of mistake. Debrincat is not a rookie. He knows better.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Debrincat was asleep watching the puck and assuming his man, the D at the point, would remain at the point. It's a rookie/lazy player type of mistake. Debrincat is not a rookie. He knows better.

He’s usually the most reliable forward defensively in that top 6. That play was out of character. Beginning of the game. Wasn’t switched on fully

 

[Cosmix]

He’s usually the most reliable forward defensively in that top 6. That play was out of character. Beginning of the game. Wasn’t switched on fully

I like Debrincat but I don't like his small size and his salary/AAV which I think might be better applied to a 1st line C or top pairing RD. But those are hard to acquire.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Debrincat was asleep watching the puck and assuming his man, the D at the point, would remain at the point. It's a rookie/lazy player type of mistake. Debrincat is not a rookie. He knows better.

Sure but even veterans make mistakes.

He's been good. Not good enough considering how much he gets paid but he's not a problem either.

Again, we make a trade for an offensive player and they do not gel with anyone: Ryan, Duchene and now Debrincat. All were good but not good enough and a big part of it was chemistry.

Our pro scouting needs to be completely overhauled. We can't keep making these types of big trades and have chemistry issues be the downfall.

 

[Cosmix]

Sure but even veterans make mistakes.

He's been good. Not good enough considering how much he gets paid but he's not a problem either.

Again, we make a trade for an offensive player and they do not gel with anyone: Ryan, Duchene and now Debrincat. All were good but not good enough and a big part of it was chemistry.

Our pro scouting needs to be completely overhauled. We can't keep making these types of big trades and have chemistry issues be the downfall.

The acquisition of Debrincat is similar to the acquisition of Dadonov: an offensive scoring winger.

We really need an offensive puck handling play making center who can make other players better; not a small winger.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I like Debrincat but I don't like his small size and his salary/AAV which I think might be better applied to a 1st line C or top pairing RD. But those are hard to acquire.

We have two top Cs.

Yeah if there is a true top guy. But there never is. toews was the last one. A real top pairing d man

 

[Loach]

Basically there are two or three "systems" that NHL teams play in their own end, but different coaches will add their own wrinkles and will definitely have their own emphases. DJ clearly emphasizes collapsing towards the goal and pretty much ignoring the points. I personally think we need to challenge the points a bit more and create some uncertainty for the other team's D, but DJ isn't the only coach that favours that type of D-zone play.

But invariably systems collapse and THAT'S where a good coaching staff will help. Good teams get exposed but have been coached to immediately move to a plan B and recover more often than not before the puck ends up in their net. I don't see anything but panic from our guys. I assume SOME of that could be inexperience but I think they also have just never been made to understand what to do when something goes wrong. Our smallest deviations from any sort of coverage spiral into HDCA way too often. That is what I see with this team.

And while most teams play a variation on a couple of different coverage systems, teams have different breakout schemes. To be blunt, ours sucks. Way too many long passes and our spacing is terrible. By about 10 minutes into every game I'm fed up with a lone forward, at the opposing team blueline, deflecting a 90 foot pass into the other team's end with no pressure coming. We have very little puck support moving up ice; we make it way too easy for the other team to break out (if we even get it into the other team's end) and we are way too spread out to transition from offense to defense (and vice versa) in the neutral zone in the event of a turnover.

These are things that need to be hammered into player's heads by the coaching staff. More than three years under DJ and he seems unwilling or unable to do that. Time for a change.

Jason York said that the fall back plan for Dzone coverage is to collapse to the house when things go side ways. If the system is to fall back to the house from the start, what do the players do when things go sideways?

 

[OD99]

The thing with DJ is that sure, he had limited tools previously but still had basically no growth in the game as guys matured, etc...now we have a few guys that are very good and have enough years in the league to be competitive each and every night yet we are pacing for a pathetic season.

How do we make a leap that he can go from the status quo to somehow making the playoffs with him at the helm? It is a massive jump and I don't think Norris alone makes the difference.

Jason York said that the fall back plan for Dzone coverage is to collapse to the house when things go side ways. If the system is to fall back to the house from the start, what do the players do when things go sideways?

And why do our collapse include everyone from the other team being open in the slot whenever they cruise in there?

 

[Sens Vader]

Rack up those losses DJ, gonna have an almost impressive losing resume when you’re fired from Ottawa

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Everytime we say "Big stretch coming up. If they can put together a __-__ record they can get back in the race" they just end up shitting up the first 3 or 4 games.

 

[HSF]

how can anyone be against getting a new coach at this point?

that third period was not acceptable

 

[Psycroptic86]

Counting down the days when he's fired.

 

[Flamingo]

Our goalies are performing near league-average, with goals against close to the xGA stats.

Just look at how well Murray is doing, btw.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

*looks down at ipad as opposing team's goal horn sounds*

 

[Sens Vader]

I hope the sale comes fast so this guy is fired quickly

Dorion too

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I hope the sale comes fast so this guy is fired quickly

Dorion too

Likely both replaced before the draft at the end of June if everything goes to plan. I suspect DJ will get his walking papers at the end of the season regardless.

 

[NB613]

CC: DJ Smith

 

[HSF]

CC: DJ Smith

He has no clue

 

[Alex1234]

Mid december
9 points away with 2 games in hand

 

[JD1]

Sure but even veterans make mistakes.

He's been good. Not good enough considering how much he gets paid but he's not a problem either.

Again, we make a trade for an offensive player and they do not gel with anyone: Ryan, Duchene and now Debrincat. All were good but not good enough and a big part of it was chemistry.

Our pro scouting needs to be completely overhauled. We can't keep making these types of big trades and have chemistry issues be the downfall.

It's got nothing to do with chemistry. He's not putting the puck in the net. Pure and simple. He's had plenty of grade A chances. It's not going in and that's on him, not the guys setting him up.

 

[bashbros32]

Mid december
9 points away with 2 games in hand

3-1-1 this month so far!

thats .700, keep that up all month and we will start to claw our way back into things.

 

[Micklebot]

Last 10 games have been pretty interesting in terms of the underlying numbers:

5-4-1, 90 pts pace.
Notable injuries: Norris missed 10, Zub 4, Chabot 2,

5v5 team ranks (natural stattrick since 20 Nov)
5th CF%
11th SCF%
11th HDCF%
6th xGF%
6th xGF/60
9th xGA/60
31st! GF/60
20th GA/60
29th! GF%

PP
4th GF/60
1st xGF/60
3rd SCF/60
5th HDCF/60

PK
11th GA/60
32nd! xGA/60
32nd! SCA/60
32nd! HDCA/60

I think Chabot playing better has made a pretty significant impact that shows up in the underlying numbers, and we've better really struggling to finish 5v5. PP is fire, and the goalies are doing well on the PK, but I'm not sure why the underlying numbers took a nose dive (the rest of the season we've been middle of the pack in xGA/60, SCA/60 and HDCA/60.)

Does any of this have to do with coaching adapting? I think we've been playing better as of late,