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

[LevelingSolo]

Keefe, Sheldon.

Not really a fan of Keefe but he at least makes the playoffs and even won a round

 

[slamigo]

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

What a slap in the face to the paying fans. Here comes another wasted season. The time to do something is now before it's too late. Another 2-3 weeks and the hole is insurmountable and there will be zero chance at play-offs and nothing to look forward to.
I'm not renewing my season tickets. I had such high hopes and then it's the same f***ing gong show. Same stupidity from DJ. Same results. No thank you.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Zub playing Wednesday. What will the excuse be now, our season is derailed because we lost Greig for a few weeks?

 

[GCK]

When Jacques Martin wa where there was a culture more then a system - score first, win the special teams battle, play 2 way hockey, discipline low penalties I can still remember it years later

What’s the culture or system for D.J.? go hard? get bounces? Never quit? He’s been here for years and I still don’t know what his system is because I’ve never seen it work properly

Alfie said it himself, when Jacques Martin came in they were good defensively but needed to work on their offensive game. This team is the opposite.

You don’t think #3 is the staff telling them to do that?

I’m sure it’s the staff saying don’t turn it over at the oppositions blue line. Again, dumb team that needs a new coach and some turnover within the core.

At least he can get his teams in to the playoffs though. But yes they're equally tenured.

Stanley Cup contenders who have won 5 playoff games once during his tenure.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Stanley Cup contenders who have won 5 playoff games once during his tenure.

Just saying. At least he can get there. He's got a leg up on DJ is all.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Alfie said it himself, when Jacques Martin came in they were good defensively but needed to work on their offensive game. This team is the opposite.

The numbers don't support Alfie's memory.

JM was hired midway through 95/96.

The year before the hire, in 94/95, the Senators ranked 4th last in GA/GP (3.63) and 4th last in SA/GP (32.5).

The year after the hire, in 96/97, the Senators ranked 12th in GA/GP (2.85) and 4th best in SA/GP (25.8).

JM took over a team that was terrible at both ends. They were certainly not good defensively at the time of his hiring.

Even look at the Sparky Allison games in 95/96 and compare them to the Jacques Martin games in the second half of the season... it's wild.

Offensively, there were also improvements, but not as drastic. 25th in GF/GP in 94/95, 26th in 95/96, 19th in 96/97.

The work he did, on the defensive side, in a short amount of time, was amazing.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

It’s actually hilairious how enamoured Chychurn was with LA’s structure in his post-game interview. Seemed a little jealous.

 

[NyQuil]

 

[GCK]

Apples to Oranges

 

[HSF]

I would love to hear what guys who have actually had other coaches in the NHL think about DJs style

It’s actually hilairious how enamoured Chychurn was with LA’s structure in his post-game interview. Seemed a little jealous.

Apples to Oranges

You would keep playing Hamonic in the top 4?

Curious because I would say its worth trying someone who can skate a bit better

 

[NyQuil]

Apples to Oranges

Well, they are both defencemen.

It's more like Clementines to Oranges.

 

[HSF]

Keefe, Sheldon.

The fact that the only name you could come up with is Keefe just shows how low the standards are around these parts.

Any other organization would have fired DJ last year

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Let's assume that we'll need 94 points to make the playoff spot (although it could very well be 96 or 98 this season).

To get to 94 points, this team has to play at a .597 pt% pace for the rest of the year.

DJ Smith has now coached 26 months with this team.

In how many of those months do you think he's had a pt% at or above .597?

Spoiler alert: 5.

5 out of 26.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Pack it up, season’s over.

Nah. Take that with a few grains of salt.

They've been casually looking at both coaching and GM change since late summer. Lets not kid ourselves here.

I wouldn't be surprised if both positions are filled by the end of the month, give or take. We've all watched this league long enough to know a vote of confidence by the grand poobahs in charge is the kiss of death for any coach and/or GM.

 

[KingAlfie11]

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

What a slap in the face to the paying fans. Here comes another wasted season. The time to do something is now before it's too late. Another 2-3 weeks and the hole is insurmountable and there will be zero chance at play-offs and nothing to look forward to.
I'm not renewing my season tickets. I had such high hopes and then it's the same f***ing gong show. Same stupidity from DJ. Same results. No thank you.

There you go that's how you force the owner to make changes, when they don't sell season tickets, and the CTC is empty, I can guarantee you that that will wake them up, chanting Fire DJ doesn't absolutely nothing, because as long the owner gets your money they don't care what you chant during the game. The real power of the fans is not spending money on the team.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

There you go that's how you force the owner to make changes, when they don't sell season tickets, and the CTC is empty, I can guarantee you that that will wake them up, chanting Fire DJ doesn't absolutely nothing, because as long the owner gets your money they don't care what you chant during the game. The real power of the fans is not spending money on the team.

It does plenty. Andlauer is a bright enough guy to understand what happens next from the fans' side of things. Fan discontent doesn't happen in a vacuum.

 

[Speatleysson]

So basically we are tanking.

Awesome

When you know you have to forfeit a first round pick in the next couple years, better make this one worth it

 

[KingAlfie11]

Season's over by the 2nd week of November, Thanks DJ!

It's not just DJ's fault, players also needs to be held accountable. These players need to grow up and play with some composure, they're like little kids that needs the coach to held their hands all the time.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

It's not just DJ's fault, players also needs to be held accountable. These players need to grow up and play with some composure, they're like little kids that needs the coach to held their hands all the time.

Probably because the only coach the core has had any significant time playing for is pretty much a pushover and has never shown the ability to hold anybody accountable. Garbage hockey usually gets rewarded here.

 

[Beech]

Let's assume that we'll need 94 points to make the playoff spot (although it could very well be 96 or 98 this season).

To get to 94 points, this team has to play at a .597 pt% pace for the rest of the year.

DJ Smith has now coached 26 months with this team.

In how many of those months do you think he's had a pt% at or above .597?

Spoiler alert: 5.

5 out of 26.

Jody,

Andlauer took control on the 20th of September. about 2 weeks into the 202/2023 season.. pre-season had started, rookie camp had ended. Contracts and cap issues had already been done.

Andlauer's hands were tied. it is insane that the handover was not in July at the absolute latest.


how do you make a change in training camp? How do you make a change in the first 5-10 games?

it is easier to can a GM. From late September to early December, he does little to touch the team. Very few trades occur, no FA, No contracts.. very little scouting. Junior hockey and USA sources are still in their early part.

But a coach.. He must be in place and left alone from late August to early December.

Once August 20th or so passed and Andlauer was not at the helm.. DJ was safe for a minimum 20 games.

You know a new coach needs weeks to implement his system. His verbiage. His structure... and so on.

this club got hurt by a sale process that took 3-4 months too long.

 

[Ghost of Jody Hull]

Jody,

Andlauer took control on the 20th of September. about 2 weeks into the 202/2023 season.. pre-season had started, rookie camp had ended. Contracts and cap issues had already been done.

Andlauer's hands were tied. it is insane that the handover was not in July at the absolute latest.


how do you make a change in training camp? How do you make a change in the first 5-10 games?

it is easier to can a GM. From late September to early December, he does little to touch the team. Very few trades occur, no FA, No contracts.. very little scouting. Junior hockey and USA sources are still in their early part.

But a coach.. He must be in place and left alone from late August to early December.

Once August 20th or so passed and Andlauer was not at the helm.. DJ was safe for a minimum 20 games.

You know a new coach needs weeks to implement his system. His verbiage. His structure... and so on.

this club got hurt by a sale process that took 3-4 months too long.

In 2013, the Flyers fired Peter Laviolette 3 games into the season.
Craig Berube took over and went 42-27-0-10 the rest of the way and made the playoffs.

In 2008, the Blackhawks fired Denis Savard 4 games into the season.
Joel Quenneville took over and went 45-22-0-11 the rest of the way and made the playoffs.

Other early firings:
In 2007, the Thrashers fired Bob Hartley 6 games into the season.
In 2015, the Blue Jackets fired Todd Richards 7 games into the season.
In 2006, the Flyers fired Ken Hitchcock 8 games into the season.
In 2000, the Bruins fired Pat Burns 8 games into the season.

It happens. It should have happened here last week.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

It's not just DJ's fault, players also needs to be held accountable. These players need to grow up and play with some composure, they're like little kids that needs the coach to held their hands all the time.

The only person that can hold them accountable is their coach. But he doesn't.

 

[GCK]

I would love to hear what guys who have actually had other coaches in the NHL think about DJs style



You would keep playing Hamonic in the top 4?

Curious because I would say its worth trying someone who can skate a bit better

I’m saying with Zub and Chabot out there is going to be a drop off with whoever gets the Zub assignment.

 

[HSF]

I’m saying with Zub and Chabot out there is going to be a drop off with whoever gets the Zub assignment.

Ya but who would be better to try at this point?

Hamonic is clearly one of the worst defensemen in the NHL when playing in the top 4. The numbers show that. The eye test also confirms that he can't keep up with the speed.

Why wouldn't you have someone else a shot there? It seems like common sense to me tbh

 

[GCK]

The fact that the only name you could come up with is Keefe just shows how low the standards are around these parts.

Any other organization would have fired DJ last year

We know why DJ wasn’t fired $$$$

I’m convinced if Andlauer had gotten the team in May/June he would have overhauled Hockey Ops and we’d have a GM and new coaching staff.

Ya but who would be better to try at this point?

Hamonic is clearly one of the worst defensemen in the NHL when playing in the top 4. The numbers show that. The eye test also confirms that he can't keep up with the speed.

Why wouldn't you have someone else a shot there? It seems like common sense to me tbh

The options will all be slaughtered, Hamonic can take the abuse, some others might be destroyed by it.