Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[JungleBeat]

Did he really put brassard over debrincat in the final minutes? If so fire him

 

[HSF]

Hate to break it to you but that decision has little to no bearing on the outcome of last night’s game.

Just one of many. Biggest thing is the poor defensive coverage and inability to win on the road should be others

DJ was fine for a rebuild but now we need someone to take us to the next level

 

[Tuna99]

Hate to break it to you but that decision has little to no bearing on the outcome of last night’s game.

agree, the horrible 58 minutes before that made any coaching decisions by that point a Hail Mary

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Hate to break it to you but that decision has little to no bearing on the outcome of last night’s game.

Doesn't matter it was a dumb decision.

Brassard is washed and like 36, he can't keep up in the NHL anymore. Not too mention it's a young man's league.

You have Pinto, DBC, Joseph, even Motte Kastelic and you throw out Brassard? Makes no sense.

 

[Xspyrit]

Unless things turn around magically, the team will dig a big hole then eventually start playing great when the coaching staff "let them play". Until then, they will be confused on how to play properly, particularly in the N and D zones

Then we'll miss out on the playoffs and a top-10 pick (but if they're going to pick a Boucher type prospect with a Top-10 pick then I'd rather pick late in the 1st round)

Done coverage is unbelievably bad

Debrincat Stützle Gouirx looks great lol

Who Would Have Thought?!™

Just one other of these things I have been yapping about in before it happens... sigh. Result : we are semi tanking a possible great start to the season and Norris is injured for months. Don't try to force a square peg into a round hole you fools. DeBrincat and Norris on the same line was just plain stupid. It's crazy how clueless they are sometimes. Just like trading Brown when Formenton (and Batherson) is a possible criminal

I have never been as frustrated as much by a management trifecta like Melnyk/Dorion/DJ have done. Melnyk daughters at least gives a bit of relief from the ownership standpoint but still have very little trust in the rest. We need someone to buy this team and rebuild the whole staff, except the Manns of course and a few scouts/others

This organization has been so frustrating for years

 

[swiftwin]

Doesn't matter it was a dumb decision.

Brassard is washed and like 36, he can't keep up in the NHL anymore. Not too mention it's a young man's league.

You have Pinto, DBC, Joseph, even Motte Kastelic and you throw out Brassard? Makes no sense.

Not sure I agree with this.

There's no "keeping up" to be done when you're passing the puck around in the O-zone on a 6-on-5. Brassard is a veteran who has a long history of clutch plays and goals. His nickname is "Big game Brass" for a reason.

I'm sure an argument can be made to have DBC there instead. But to confidently proclaim it "a dumb decision" is wrong.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Not sure I agree with this.

There's no "keeping up" to be done when you're passing the puck around in the O-zone on a 6-on-5. Brassard is a veteran who has a long history of clutch plays and goals. His nickname is "Big game Brass" for a reason.

I'm sure an argument can be made to have DBC there instead. But to confidently proclaim it "a dumb decision" is wrong.

Lmao come the f*** on, dude

 

[DaveMatthew]

Not sure I agree with this.

There's no "keeping up" to be done when you're passing the puck around in the O-zone on a 6-on-5. Brassard is a veteran who has a long history of clutch plays and goals. His nickname is "Big game Brass" for a reason.

I'm sure an argument can be made to have DBC there instead. But to confidently proclaim it "a dumb decision" is wrong.

This is one of the problems with Smith (and most other coaches, to be fair). I get it, it's hard to be impartial when you're around the players each day all day. You build relationships, you "trust" some guys more than others, etc.

But Brassard is not what he used to be. He's barely an NHL player in his current state. He's not very good. What he did in 15/16 with the Rangers doesn't matter. Derek Stepan played a big role on that team too. Who cares?

The argument for having DBC there instead is simple and not debatable. He's a significantly better player.

 

[swiftwin]

This is one of the problems with Smith (and most other coaches, to be fair). I get it, it's hard to be impartial when you're around the players each day all day. You build relationships, you "trust" some guys more than others, etc.

But Brassard is not what he used to be. He's barely an NHL player in his current state. He's not very good. What he did in 15/16 with the Rangers doesn't matter. Derek Stepan played a big role on that team too. Who cares?

The argument for having DBC there instead is simple and not debatable. He's a significantly better player.

So, I went back and looked at the shift charts, and it seems that Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux and Cat-Pinto-Batherson were the lines throughout the 3rd period that helped get us to within 1 goal. It looks like DJ just wanted to keep those lines together since they worked so well to get us the comeback. So, with the extra attacker, we should have ended up with Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux+Brassard, and Cat-Pinto-Batherson+Joseph as the two lines for the final 2 minutes of the game.

Brass was thrown on as the extra attacker when Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux had already been on the ice for a 40-50 seconds. With 1 min left, Pinto subbed for Tkachuk and Joseph subbed for Brassard. But Stutzle and Giroux stayed on the ice for a stupidly long shift (2:11 for Stutzle!), forcing DeBrincat and Batherson to stay on the bench. Finally a stoppage with 30 seconds left meant we could finally put out the intended Cat-Pinto-Batherson-Joseph line on the ice. Brass was only on the ice for 41 seconds.

 

[ChickenDinner]

I believe it is time to let him go.

 

[OD99]

He put Brady/Stu/G together (I think ) because they were easily, far and away, our best F on the night.

Glad he captured that magic but not sure he keeps them together long term. I would be find with it though as I think Cat / Pinto / Bath could be a good line as well.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

It would never happen, but I wouldn't mind bringing Guy Boucher back. He's immediately fix our defence structure, and I'd like to see what he could do with actual high-end forwards.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Trotz baby…

Have him coach until new ownership is in and PD is fired then he can ascend the throne

Yeah…. Dorion is going to hire a potential replacement for himself…. Thats going to happen

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Yeah…. Dorion is going to hire a potential replacement for himself…. Thats going to happen

Muckler did.

 

[Golden_Jet]

gotta get rid of him, he just cant coach defense

Or at least replace Cap with someone

Capuano, could go for sure, not the best D coach.

 

[Sens Vader]

Capuano, could go for sure, not the best D coach.

That would be the easiest change that could lead to better results

 

[Ice-Tray]

So, I went back and looked at the shift charts, and it seems that Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux and Cat-Pinto-Batherson were the lines throughout the 3rd period that helped get us to within 1 goal. It looks like DJ just wanted to keep those lines together since they worked so well to get us the comeback. So, with the extra attacker, we should have ended up with Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux+Brassard, and Cat-Pinto-Batherson+Joseph as the two lines for the final 2 minutes of the game.

Brass was thrown on as the extra attacker when Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux had already been on the ice for a 40-50 seconds. With 1 min left, Pinto subbed for Tkachuk and Joseph subbed for Brassard. But Stutzle and Giroux stayed on the ice for a stupidly long shift (2:11 for Stutzle!), forcing DeBrincat and Batherson to stay on the bench. Finally a stoppage with 30 seconds left meant we could finally put out the intended Cat-Pinto-Batherson-Joseph line on the ice. Brass was only on the ice for 41 seconds.

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I just wanted to say that I’ve really been enjoying your posts this season.

I find it interesting that people tend to challenge your initial opinions on various divisive topics, but when you come back with this kind data it’s all crickets, or simple repetition of previous points, only louder.

Thanks for doing your thing and keeping things in perspective, while also taking the time to produce data to back it up.

Thanks also to Mick, GSK and others who have taken the time to share the underlying numbers in here. I haven’t been able to reconcile the HFSens angst with games I’ve been watching, regardless of the score, and it’s nice to see why that might be.

We have actually been playing pretty good hockey, consistently. The biggest thing I have noticed as a persistent issue are the singular head scratchers that end up in the back of the net.

Go Sens!

 

[GCK]

It would never happen, but I wouldn't mind bringing Guy Boucher back. He's immediately fix our defence structure, and I'd like to see what he could do with actual high-end forwards.

Well I would stop watching. Most boring hockey outside of Lemaire.

So, I went back and looked at the shift charts, and it seems that Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux and Cat-Pinto-Batherson were the lines throughout the 3rd period that helped get us to within 1 goal. It looks like DJ just wanted to keep those lines together since they worked so well to get us the comeback. So, with the extra attacker, we should have ended up with Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux+Brassard, and Cat-Pinto-Batherson+Joseph as the two lines for the final 2 minutes of the game.

Brass was thrown on as the extra attacker when Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux had already been on the ice for a 40-50 seconds. With 1 min left, Pinto subbed for Tkachuk and Joseph subbed for Brassard. But Stutzle and Giroux stayed on the ice for a stupidly long shift (2:11 for Stutzle!), forcing DeBrincat and Batherson to stay on the bench. Finally a stoppage with 30 seconds left meant we could finally put out the intended Cat-Pinto-Batherson-Joseph line on the ice. Brass was only on the ice for 41 seconds.

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You can’t bring facts and truth to a public lynching. What were you thinking

 

[DanyHeatley]

i’ve always liked paul maclean, should bring him back

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

So, I went back and looked at the shift charts, and it seems that Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux and Cat-Pinto-Batherson were the lines throughout the 3rd period that helped get us to within 1 goal. It looks like DJ just wanted to keep those lines together since they worked so well to get us the comeback. So, with the extra attacker, we should have ended up with Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux+Brassard, and Cat-Pinto-Batherson+Joseph as the two lines for the final 2 minutes of the game.

Brass was thrown on as the extra attacker when Tkachuk-Stutzle-Giroux had already been on the ice for a 40-50 seconds. With 1 min left, Pinto subbed for Tkachuk and Joseph subbed for Brassard. But Stutzle and Giroux stayed on the ice for a stupidly long shift (2:11 for Stutzle!), forcing DeBrincat and Batherson to stay on the bench. Finally a stoppage with 30 seconds left meant we could finally put out the intended Cat-Pinto-Batherson-Joseph line on the ice. Brass was only on the ice for 41 seconds.

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Only on the ice for 41 seconds with like 2 minutes left when he is maybe the worst forward on the roster?

Honestly even when Brassard was good he wasn't that great. Good zone driver who sucks in the offensive zone.

And now at 35 when he is reduced to getting PTO's DJ is putting him out in critical moments of the game as the extra attacker?

There is no excuse for it.

 

[swiftwin]

Only on the ice for 41 seconds with like 2 minutes left when he is maybe the worst forward on the roster?

Honestly even when Brassard was good he wasn't that great. Good zone driver who sucks in the offensive zone.

And now at 35 when he is reduced to getting PTO's DJ is putting him out in critical moments of the game as the extra attacker?

There is no excuse for it.

Who do you put on the ice as the extra attacker?

Your four options are: Motte, Gambrell, Waston and Brassard.

Kastelic was hurt and only took one shift early in the 3rd.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Who do you put on the ice as the extra attacker?

Your four options are: Motte, Gambrell, Waston and Brassard.

Kastelic was hurt and only took one shift early in the 3rd.

You throw out Motte or Joseph and for the 2nd shift you keep the guys who are fresh on and replace the tired.

Not throw out your worst and weakest forward with 2 minutes left in a critical part of the ice. Heck I'd even prefer Watson at that spot because at least he can make room with his size. What is Brassard even good at now?

DJ has no killer instinct.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

i’ve always liked paul maclean, should bring him back

Greening Smith Neil is forever etched in Sens history.

 

[branch]

Yeah…. Dorion is going to hire a potential replacement for himself…. Thats going to happen

Dorion already signed all the players for his eventual replacement so why not?

 

[boxbox]

you know the Sens are back when the "FIRE ''insert unfortunate fellas name"" thread is getting top line minutes

but seriously is there a team in league which has gone through more coaches/staff changes than the Senators in the last decade or so ? I don't believe the inconsistency in games is on the coach but rather on the team leadership...I am by no means saying this team has lockeroom problems or such...there is only so much a coach can do and in the end its up to the players to execute...we have seen this team play great against quality opponents on more then one occasion so its not like they don't have " IT "...nothing against Giroux but hes not exactly someone I'd depend on to fill the "leadership" role on this team; he resume other then winning on a stacked Canada team does not scream "winner" at you, productive player YES ...not to forget our captain is a 23 year old kid who is on the right track but again no real leadership experience ...so like if the teams is down early and it seems to be somewhat often this season it most likely indicates lack of focus and execution... the coach can lay out the perfect game plan but if the players aren't up for it well then who is to blame ? I am not saying the coach cant be the problem but it seems its far too often...

it been said here often and its becoming more evident and its one thing Dorion failed to do this off-seaon and that was to bring in a reliable d man who has NHL experience; if it means giving up a piece of the future be it; a good prospect or draft picks, you do it...Ive said it before but I feel this team is just too young and inexperienced at this given moment sure expectations are fairly higher but when your defensive core consists of guys in their mid 20s at most then what have seen is so far is to be expected, the offense is there and I wish the same could be said about the defense but it can't ...

its easy to throw blame on the coach and logical since blaming the young player would hinder their development ... any small issue gets blown out of proportion when the team is losing ...the team is competitive and for stretches of certain games much better then the opposition...its hard to win constantly in any sport when you tend make a habit of falling behind early only to turn it on later

its not that doom and gloom....I mean we are like 5 points out of playoff position with a game in hand and sitting pretty for a chance at the top pick..and its only been like 10 games