Proposal: Fire DJ Smith

[BankStreetParade]

no problem calling out brannstrom but a bottom pairing guys on your team should not be one of the first defensemen called out this season when you have your top 4 guys playing like ass a lot of the recent games. Hamonic? Z? Sanderson had a terrible night a few nights ago....lets not get started on CHabot

Optics wise its just odd and imo sends the wrong message. DJ has clear biases with certain defensemen and we have seen it for years

Hamonic and Z - top 2 defensemen on the team in defensive zone starts at 55%+ and 2 of the PK anchors in icetime.
Brannstrom - 1st among defensemen and 3rd overall on the team in offensive zone starts at 60%+
Sanderson - a rookie
Chabot - overplayed

So criticize the 2 guys who play the hardest, ugliest minutes of all defensemen on the team while the other guy gets laid a fresh bed of roses every game and does f***ing nothing. He's up there with Batherson, Debrincat, Stutzle and Tkachuk in oZS%, by the way, if you wanna talk about opportunity.

But, yeah, you go and chew out the 2 guys doing the job that gets no praise and all the criticism and see how much of your credibility is left.

I don't understand how anyone could come to the conclusion that you came to. It's one of the most thoughtless things I've read on here recently.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Not sure how any GM with half a brain doesn't fire DJ after that 7 game losing streak.

 

[HF Reader]

Some of that Radio conversation is more pertinent to DJ and some topics people have brought up here. I can't imagine DJ liking moving Paul and then Brown out and not getting Forms back

I'm with you, a good radio conversation. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[HSF]

Hamonic and Z - top 2 defensemen on the team in defensive zone starts at 55%+ and 2 of the PK anchors in icetime.
Brannstrom - 1st among defensemen and 3rd overall on the team in offensive zone starts at 60%+
Sanderson - a rookie
Chabot - overplayed

So criticize the 2 guys who play the hardest, ugliest minutes of all defensemen on the team while the other guy gets laid a fresh bed of roses every game and does f***ing nothing. He's up there with Batherson, Debrincat, Stutzle and Tkachuk in oZS%, by the way, if you wanna talk about opportunity.

But, yeah, you go and chew out the 2 guys doing the job that gets no praise and all the criticism and see how much of your credibility is left.

I don't understand how anyone could come to the conclusion that you came to. It's one of the most thoughtless things I've read on here recently.

offensive and defensive zone starts is such a flawed stat when most shifts start on the fly off the bench

I think you are missing my point. There are many defensemen that should be called out way before brannstrom a bottom pairing guy who is not the reason why we are where we are in the standings. Seems odd but on par with DJ to call out brannstrom and not the countless ass games that chabot, hamonic and Z have played

We need a coach who can implement a better team structure and also keep everyone accountable

you dont think there have been games where chabot, hamonic, z or even sanderson should have lost ice like Branny? What about Batherson ?

 

[BankStreetParade]

offensive and defensive zone starts is such a flawed stat when most shifts start on the fly off the bench

I think you are missing my point. There are many defensemen that should be called out way before brannstrom a bottom pairing guy who is not the reason why we are where we are in the standings. Seems odd but on par with DJ to call out brannstrom and not the countless ass games that chabot, hamonic and Z have played

We need a coach who can implement a better team structure and also keep everyone accountable

you dont think there have been games where chabot, hamonic, z or even sanderson should have lost ice like Branny? What about Batherson ?

I've been very critical of Batherson and I've even said he should be benched a game to get his head right. Unfortunately, things aren't that easy when your lineup is thin due to injuries and you're trying to win games any which way you can.

Sanderson is a rookie. A rookie mind you who has vastly vastly outplayed a guy in his 4th NHL season and with over 150 GPs under his belt. So I'm not sure what public criticism you'd like to see exactly?

Hamonic and Zaitsev play hard, ugly minutes and, due to issues with depth, are forced to play far more than they should. Again, you wanna blow up your credibility with your team, go after this kind of player publicly with criticisms. Not to mention, they sent Zaitsev down to Belleville, so it's not like they haven't taken action.

Also, this "system" excuse is starting to get so f***ing lame. No one on here could accurately describe an NHL system and what that entails. You wanna talk about the really simple stuff? Guys with lots of time to make plays routinely make bad choices, commit turnovers or straight up whiff on clearing pucks out of the zone. That has nothing to do with "system" or coaching. If you're in the NHL, you should be able to get the puck out of your zone unless someone is committing an infraction against you. Period. This team constantly shoots itself in the foot making bad plays with the puck and it is guys like Brannstrom, who leads the team in giveaways/60 by the way, who are often the culprits in tough moments. I just don't understand why he gets so much grace from some people in this fanbase when he literally does nothing. He's just there. It's like some have projected what they want him to be over top of what he actually is.

 

[swiftwin]

Also, this "system" excuse is starting to get so f***ing lame. No one on here could accurately describe an NHL system and what that entails. You wanna talk about the really simple stuff? Guys with lots of time to make plays routinely make bad choices, commit turnovers or straight up whiff on clearing pucks out of the zone. That has nothing to do with "system" or coaching. If you're in the NHL, you should be able to get the puck out of your zone unless someone is committing an infraction against you. Period. This team constantly shoots itself in the foot making bad plays with the puck and it is guys like Brannstrom, who leads the team in giveaways/60 by the way, who are often the culprits in tough moments. I just don't understand why he gets so much grace from some people in this fanbase when he literally does nothing. He's just there. It's like some have projected what they want him to be over top of what he actually is.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I've been very critical of Batherson and I've even said he should be benched a game to get his head right. Unfortunately, things aren't that easy when your lineup is thin due to injuries and you're trying to win games any which way you can.

Sanderson is a rookie. A rookie mind you who has vastly vastly outplayed a guy in his 4th NHL season and with over 150 GPs under his belt. So I'm not sure what public criticism you'd like to see exactly?

Hamonic and Zaitsev play hard, ugly minutes and, due to issues with depth, are forced to play far more than they should. Again, you wanna blow up your credibility with your team, go after this kind of player publicly with criticisms. Not to mention, they sent Zaitsev down to Belleville, so it's not like they haven't taken action.

Also, this "system" excuse is starting to get so f***ing lame. No one on here could accurately describe an NHL system and what that entails. You wanna talk about the really simple stuff? Guys with lots of time to make plays routinely make bad choices, commit turnovers or straight up whiff on clearing pucks out of the zone. That has nothing to do with "system" or coaching. If you're in the NHL, you should be able to get the puck out of your zone unless someone is committing an infraction against you. Period. This team constantly shoots itself in the foot making bad plays with the puck and it is guys like Brannstrom, who leads the team in giveaways/60 by the way, who are often the culprits in tough moments. I just don't understand why he gets so much grace from some people in this fanbase when he literally does nothing. He's just there. It's like some have projected what they want him to be over top of what he actually is.

What in the tits are you talking about? He gets called out a bunch as does the entire team.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Also, this "system" excuse is starting to get so f***ing lame. No one on here could accurately describe an NHL system and what that entails.

1. You dramatically underrate the hockey knowledge on this board. There are a lot of posters who talk out their ass (and I won't exclude myself from that group at times,) but a few who could not only tell you what a system is, but why the one being employed by Smith isn't playing to this roster's strengths.

2. The fact that you think this is NOT a system issue makes me think either you have a hard time identifying what a system is — no shame in that, enjoy hockey how you want, but that's textbook projecting — or you're not paying attention. It's entirely possible — and, in my opinion, on the nose — that this is both a systems and execution issue. It doesn't have to be a binary. But a coach is a lot easier to replace than a player, and a new voice in the locker room could help the guys figure it out. It's happened before, and it's not like this roster is lacking in talent.

 

[swiftwin]

but a few who could not only tell you what a system is, but why the one being employed by Smith isn't playing to this roster's strengths.

I've asked multiple times, yet nobody has provided such an explanation. If you can find a post anywhere that explains in specifics our system and why it does not fit our roster's strengths, please link it. I've searched far and wide.

 

[DJB]

Brannstrom gets a pass around here because he was the centrepiece of the Mark Stone trade. If he was a random 4th round pick or whatever everyone would want to jettison him.

I do want to know where pre season Branny went. He was looking good then. Now he’s back to his usual self unfortunately

 

[Alex1234]

If the mistakes are all players
Why on earth bother having a coach?












A part from making sure chewing gum packs never expire

 

[swiftwin]

If the mistakes are all players
Why on earth bother having a coach?












A part from making sure chewing gum packs never expire

Stop deflecting, lol.

 

[PatrickEaves]

It's weird how all these DJ defenders keep appealing to authority when we have a literal quote from a Nashville coach that said this team doesn't have a system, but relies on the talent of it's individual players to do anything.

 

[swiftwin]

It's weird how all these DJ defenders keep appealing to authority when we have a literal quote from a Nashville coach that said this team doesn't have a system, but relies on the talent of it's individual players to do anything.

There is literally not a quote that says that.

That is a literal, actual lie.

What's your end game here? Did you actually expect people not to call you out on this lie?

 

[Puikiou]

It's weird how all these DJ defenders keep appealing to authority when we have a literal quote from a Nashville coach that said this team doesn't have a system, but relies on the talent of it's individual players to do anything.

Gus basically said the same thing a few weeks ago too. But hey, actual pros playing/coaching the game + our own lying eyes are no authority to form an opinion on Pierre and DJ's genius, according to the apologists.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Brannstrom is interesting in that expectations were all about offensive numbers, but he's gotten precious little.

On the flip side, he's got arguably the best underlying on-ice stats of any D on the team,

He's buried behind Chabot and Sanderson at 5v5 and PP on the left side, but has been pretty good on the PK. I don't think we have a better option than him right now for that bottom pair, and think he gets a disproportionate amount of criticism for a guy that's really not in a prominent role at all, but that might be because of a faction who are fans and are overly positive, idk.

Ya I don't see him as a massive liability, nor a big positive contributor, he's just sort of there in a small role with a small body. I'm still disappointed he hasn't been able to squeeze out basically any production this year though. I assume he'll probably have a short shelf life in Ottawa either way, but may stick around another year.

 

[Bileur]

Gus basically said the same thing a few weeks ago too. But hey, actual pros playing/coaching the game + our own lying eyes are no authority to form an opinion on Pierre and DJ's genius, according to the apologists.

Don’t forget Bobby Ryan (850+ NHL games, including some in DJ’s system) saying he can’t identify what’s going on with DJ’s system.

 

[PatrickEaves]

There is literally not a quote that says that.

That is a literal, actual lie.

What's your end game here? Did you actually expect people not to call you out on this lie?

It's literally posted earlier in the thread. It's like you're allergic to reading.

 

[Micklebot]

It's weird how all these DJ defenders keep appealing to authority when we have a literal quote from a Nashville coach that said this team doesn't have a system, but relies on the talent of it's individual players to do anything.

That's not actually what the coach said though, and oddly, even if it was, you'd be appealing to the authority of that coach while criticizing others for appealing to authority...

Ya I don't see him as a massive liability, nor a big positive contributor, he's just sort of there in a small role with a small body. I'm still disappointed he hasn't been able to squeeze out basically any production this year though. I assume he'll probably have a short shelf life in Ottawa either way, but may stick around another year.

Given the underlying numbers it's outright impressive he hasn't gotten more secondary assists if nothing else... He has among the lowest % of on ice goals where he registers a point league wide, were getting chances and even scoring goals, he just isn't registering pts.

 

[swiftwin]

It's literally posted earlier in the thread. It's like you're allergic to reading.

Where exactly does it say we don't have a system? You're the one who appears to be allergic to reading.

 

[OD99]

Brannstrom gets a pass around here because he was the centrepiece of the Mark Stone trade. If he was a random 4th round pick or whatever everyone would want to jettison him.

I do want to know where pre season Branny went. He was looking good then. Now he’s back to his usual self unfortunately

I didn't see the last game but sounds like he wasn't good but that is far from the norm for him this year.

I find he gets called out when he loses a puck battle (which can be considered a GA) but people don't bother to count how many times our D, under no pressure, just hand the puck over.

He tries to lake plays and his underlying numbers support he is for better defensively than most give him credit for. He hasn't created the offensive opportunities we would like but his D is light years from where it was 2 seasons ago.

I still believe he will have a long career and the points will come soon enough.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Given the underlying numbers it's outright impressive he hasn't gotten more secondary assists if nothing else... He has among the lowest % of on ice goals where he registers a point league wide, were getting chances and even scoring goals, he just isn't registering pts.

Interesting, I did not know that. Some tough luck involved there obviously.

 

[BankStreetParade]

It's literally posted earlier in the thread. It's like you're allergic to reading.

That quote means what it means to you because that's what you want it to be. Your bias is being confirmed, nothing more, nothing less. But to be clear about it, your interpretation is wrong.

 

[Beech]

Not sure how any GM with half a brain doesn't fire DJ after that 7 game losing streak.

he cannot.. You have been following the story, either here, or on radio or in all media. Team sale!!

Eugene died in early 2022..It's not like he died instantly. The end is typically 4-6 months off (I know, my wife). So from around Nov of 2021, Eugene knew he was dying, he most likely began to work with the league on a sale.

So from around Nov 2021, there has probably been a "Do not make moves" order. Either from Eugene to the staff or from Bettman to the staff or both.

There will be no moves until the season ends and until a new owner appears. If the team slides badly, say another 6-7 game losing streak, DJ will be gone and an assistant will be promoted. I don't envision that. As the injured heal, this team will settle into a 500-550 win percentage team and ride out the year.

by summer, odds are good DJ, PD and many others are gone.... Unless the new owner is another Eugene. One who penny pinches and if DJ and PD and others have term left on their contracts, they stay.

 

[Alex1234]

Philly with more points then the Sens so far this season lol