How much rope does DJ Smith have? [UPDATE: None]

[bert]

If we have another terrible start I think Dorion gets canned by Christmas and the new GM makes a call on DJ.

Can't have another bad start. He should be fired if it happens a 3rd time in a row.

 

[Sun God Nika]

At this point if we are not in a playoff spot 15 games into the season he has to go

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

With so much change on the roster, it's definitely going to take some time for the guys to gel and see what clicks. Paper lineups are one thing, on the ice is a different matter. And JD is going to have to modify his system to fit a more talented group (and hopefully a stronger group of blueliners if we make another acquisition).

I'm expecting the Oct-Dec portion of the seaosn to be a real roller coaster, and then we start rolling a few weeks after Xmas. Make the playoffs near the end of the season just as we're hitting our stride.

 

[DJB]

I was fine with DJ during the rebuild but now I really wish we had Bruce Boudreau.

This team needs to start winning immediately or DJ is toast

 

[IranCondraAffair]

At this point if we are not in a playoff spot 15 games into the season he has to go

To me,, this is the longest leash he could have that would still allow us to make the playoffs fi we start poorly.

We can go 5 - 9 - 1 and still make the playoffs, but only if we do a MASSIVE turnaround. If we wait till we're 7 - 11 - 2 or 9 - 14 - 3 or something, it sounds ridiculous, but it might be too late.

 

[Micklebot]

I was fine with DJ during the rebuild but now I really wish we had Bruce Boudreau.

This team needs to start winning immediately or DJ is toast

It will be an interesting test for him. Expectations are drastically different going into this year, and the personalities he's dealing with have changed. I think Giroux is a fantastic add because of his leadership and having been through some tough playoff series against a prime Pens team back in the day. He knows what it takes for a young team to succeed.

Hope we come out with some classic Muckler Era Swagger tm (MES for short), put on your sweater vest, sens are coming to burn down your village.

 

[SENATOR]

DJ is an average coach. I think we need to improve. Because we could see Stutzle again on a wing. And the whole hell will break loose. It will be a short period gain, but we will lose in a precious time development for him I also want to see Brannstrom on the first PP unit. Chabot is just an average PP dman. Very slow with his decisions, not a great shot, not a good puck distribution. DJ does not see it, which is ridiculous.

 

[thinkwild]

I think DJ deserves credit for creating the culture in the room where players talk about how they want to be there and what a tight knit team they are, And that the players are all buying in. Despite all the craziness of a toxic owner and trades mgmt has made, the room has stayed strong.

If this new team gets off to a rough start and its the coaches fault, then sure fire him. How do i tell if its the coaches fault and not the players fault?

But its not how they start for me, it might well take some time to gel. Its how they finish. I see no reason DJ shouldnt be given enough rope to see how he finishes rather than be fired as a scapegoat cause fans are angry the team didnt instantly gel and start winning.

But im not really expecting a bad start anyway. If the team does start off great then we should immediately give DJ an extension?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Dorion won't hesitate to fire him if they get off to a bad start. Dorion will believe he gave DJ the pieces to win and he will need the results to keep his job. They need to be keeping pace for the 1st 15-20 games.

 

[Neil Patrick Harris]

Part of me thinks he should be on a short leash because we can't get off to another poor start to the season.

Part of me also recognizes that we've had quite the roster overhaul, and it may take more time than we'd like for everyone to gel together.

Hopefully we get off to a good start, and none of this matters.

 

[kellmuff96]

DJ would be a perfect assistant coach. Seems to be a genuine nice guy that coaches love. But we've seen poor deployment and poor tactics to know hes not the guy to lead you to the top.

I know this isnt a popular opinion but like.... go call Quenneville.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I was fine with DJ during the rebuild but now I really wish we had Bruce Boudreau.

This team needs to start winning immediately or DJ is toast

Yeah but then we’d need to fire him and get a coach who can win games in the playoffs…

 

[DJB]

Yeah but then we’d need to fire him and get a coach who can win games in the playoffs…

Bruce has been in a Cup final no?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Bruce has been in a Cup final no?

Garrioch? Have to be die hard to want him as the next coach. lol jk

 

[Alex The Loyal]

Considering I wanted DJ fired for last season, if the Sens are rolling over and dying within the first 15 games of the season, then I am BEYOND done with him#


Sick of tanking, sick of 60+ meaningless dead rubber games

 

[Ice-Tray]

Bruce has been in a Cup final no?

I don’t think so, I think 11 wins is his playoff max with the ducks a while back. He is known as a playoff choker….. no thank you.

I’d rather go with a new young promising coach.

That’s just me though.

 

[Loach]

I don’t think so, I think 11 wins is his playoff max with the ducks a while back. He is known as a playoff choker….. no thank you.

I’d rather go with a new young promising coach.

That’s just me though.

He needs better assistant coaches I think. The battle and offence is there...the defence is a mess though. The defence was a mess in Toronto when he was there and he was in charge of it. Get DJ some help in the form of video coaches and specialty coaches and such. Redden will help a bunch is my bet. Brannstrom might benefit a lot from working with Redden.

 

[Ice-Tray]

He needs better assistant coaches I think. The battle and offence is there...the defence is a mess though. The defence was a mess in Toronto when he was there and he was in charge of it. Get DJ some help in the form of video coaches and specialty coaches and such. Redden will help a bunch is my bet. Brannstrom might benefit a lot from working with Redden.

I agree.

I think Caps contract is up as well, I wonder if we replace him. Could definitely use a guy who was a good player in there perhaps?

I

 

[Loach]

I agree.

I think Caps contract is up as well, I wonder if we replace him. Could definitely use a guy who was a good player in there perhaps?

I

Redden "Ok Branny. Stop trying to muscle guys in the corners and on the boards. Stop taking hits and get blown up. Aragorn loves it but don't. You got two steps to find open ice and make the pass, reverse or off the glass and out. Make them react to you."
Branny "What?"
Redden "Think the powerplay but in our end"
Branny "Oh shit! Got you."


Lol!

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Bruce has been in a Cup final no?

Game 7 of the WCF I believe. Close.

Anaheim blew a 2-0 series lead to Chicago and the criticism was that Quenneville adapted throughout and Boudreau didn’t make changes. I’d still love him as a coach.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Bunch of stuff when he left Washington about never being able to get it done there all that talent.

Not a great showing in Minny or Vancouver either.

A big no thanks to retread coaching. New young team, new young coach. I’m happy to ride the train for a bit.

The best current coaches all started as new coaches at some point, and DJ was highly touted when he made the jump.

Patience as usual

 

[LatteLarrys]

I keep reading "rope" as "dope" in the subject line (tho too much of that might explain DJ's rocky starts to the season). Expecting some growing pains as these new lines try to find the right chemistry, but yeah we can't head into Nov/Dec with the season feeling already unsalvageable. Really hope we can shore up the backend before October.

 

[IpsoPostFacto]

21 games to end of Nov.
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i'm calling 7 guarantee win nights and then a few others. there's 21 games there, so four more to be a game over 500.

to answer the question, if we are falling out of the fight be end of November then DJ is toast (unless we pick up that top 4 D, and then I want 21 wins!)

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Bunch of stuff when he left Washington about never being able to get it done there all that talent.

Not a great showing in Minny or Vancouver either.

A big no thanks to retread coaching. New young team, new young coach. I’m happy to ride the train for a bit.

The best current coaches all started as new coaches at some point, and DJ was highly touted when he made the jump.

Patience as usual

You’re acting like Bruce is Jacques Lemaire.

DJ was really only touted by players themselves but he was never known to be a good X’s and O’s guy. He was in charge of Toronto’s defence before coming here.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

With have the team as up as is now, his rope has to be very short. Even if the the defense isn't fixed, there's no reason we aren't steamrolling teams, our top 6 is as good as anyone's.