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

[Gil Gunderson]

You are so right, I'm don't a new coach will solve all of our problems, some fans think that the second we have a new coach that this team will transform into a beautiful butterfly. It is wishful thinking.

No, but it can’t get worse than it is now so what do we lose by trying? One thing is clear and it’s that DJ isn’t good at accountability.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

You are so right, I'm don't a new coach will solve all of our problems, some fans think that the second we have a new coach that this team will transform into a beautiful butterfly. It is wishful thinking.

I think most are pretty forward that it may not change anything, but they don't have much else they can try, so it's always the one that gets the most attention.

There has been talk of moving a core player or something to that effect next summer as another alternative, but that seems unwise without trying them under a different coach than they've had their entire NHL careers. And it's not like DJ is being brought back next year either way unless they blow the lid off from here on out.

 

[KingAlfie11]

Fans, if alienated, can have real serious impacts on the team.

As fans we have to at least try to understand where the players are coming from, we always say that players are soft because they cant handle some boos, we can say the same thing about some fans that they're soft because they can't take a little heat from the players right? I'm a fan and what Brady and G said didn't bother me one bit, I was happy to see them stick together.

I think most are pretty forward that it may not change anything, but they don't have much else they can try, so it's always the one that gets the most attention.

There has been talk of moving a core player or something to that effect next summer as another alternative, but that seems unwise without trying them under a different coach than they've had their entire NHL careers. And it's not like DJ is being brought back next year either way unless they blow the lid off from here on out.

Or I agree there will be a new coach in the not to distant future in Ottawa, you can't fire 23 players, it's always the coach that takes it on the chin. It will be interesting to see how the players react to a new coach.

 

[GCK]

Agreed, but at the same time, neither is what DJ did to Simmer. None of us here would appreciate someone snitching to our boss. In Simmer's mind perhaps he thinks it was part of the reason he was let go by TSN1200 so he's very touchy about it. (Not saying he's right, but still).

Simmer is just marketing his podcast.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

You are so right, I'm don't a new coach will solve all of our problems, some fans think that the second we have a new coach that this team will transform into a beautiful butterfly. It is wishful thinking.

I'm not sure about that. Look at Vancouver. They were awful last year. 18-25-3 under Boudreau. Tocchet takes over and they are 29-14-5 since. That is quite the turnaround.

 

[KingAlfie11]

I would really like to see a new coach honestly, going on 5 years of this is enough time.

This very telling to me, I think it's human nature to want some changes, it doesn't matter if it's sports, politics or anything else, people at one point get tired of having the same people at the top, they just want change for the sake of change.

I'm not sure about that. Look at Vancouver. They were awful last year. 18-25-3 under Boudreau. Tocchet takes over and they are 29-14-5 since. That is quite the turnaround.

Yes but then again will it last, because it's not the first time that Canucks plays well for half the season and then everything collapse. And also how many coaches did Vancouver go through since they went to Stanley Cup Final in 2011?

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Yes but then again will it last, because it's not the first time that Canucks plays well for half the season and then everything collapse. And also how many coaches did Vancouver go through since they went to Stanley Cup Final in 2011?

Yeah it may not last but our bad record HAS lasted. The point is that the same lineup performed terribly under one coach and has since played very well under another. Should they have just stuck with Boudreau? I think that's an obvious no.

Not sure what your point is about the Canucks since 2011. So they've struggled since then? OK. Now they are playing very well.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Our November record since 2021 is 5-21-2. That’s not acceptable in any other organization that’s actively trying to win. Everyone here knows it.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

That's the thing about systems that bugs me on here.

Every team has a system. Does every system have the same results? Of course not.

The only similarity that is common in every single system in hockey, is that they are very, very easy to f*** up. The teams who are not f***ing up, look to have a great system. The teams where players are not playing the system the way they are supposed to, make them look non-existent. We have been playing that way for the better part of 7 years.

A system is only worthwhile when it's being done properly. When you have 3/4-5 players on the ice operating the system, zoning schemes, tempo and gameplan, the one who doesn't breaks the entire system.

We could be playing a Box+1, and 4/5 of the guys are making the correct plays flawlessly. But then 1 guy is playing a strong-side overload, and then the system is completely broken because we have one of the players completely out of position. All it takes is 1 guy taking a wrong position or making a wrong coverage read and it opens the team up to mental lapse, or what may look like a mental lapse, when it's just an incorrect job playing the system

Do I think our system is among the best in the league? Nope

Do I think that the system, or lack there of is you ask many on media and message boards, is the reason for how poorly they are playing? Not in the least.

We are not playing our own system, and in doing that, makes it seem as though there is none.

The team needs a new voice, but they also need to bare down on it's game.

How many times as a winger do you get the puck rimmed around on the side of the boards in the D zone. You know you can either chip it off the boards or swing it towards the center of the ice because you know you have your center swinging through to pick up the puck. That's practiced from the time you are 8 though to the time in the NHL. That's just a system, a very simple swing drill. When your center doesn't swing through, and the winger chips it back to the other teams D and or throws it to the middle of the ice to nobody, is that a system problem? Is the winger an idiot carelessly throwing the puck away?

The amount of times I see the winger and or system get blamed for that type of situation rather than the Center is mindboggling. Those are the mistakes I'm seeing, constantly, with this team.

Don't let it bug you brother. I think basically everyone agrees with this. The blame on a non-existent or garbage system or players not buying into the system (even if we had the most theoretical structure in the league) is all headed in the same direction though.

It's an easy answer to say that there's no system because it's simple and concise mid game. DJs responsibility is devising, implementing, and enforcing adherence to the system. Even if he nails #1 and #2, him not punishing players for #3 is costing us games.

The DJ homers here who say "oh well I'd like to see you try, herp deep" are worse. I'm not getting paid to do it, I don't know enough about it, but we've all watched hockey long enough where we can see something is wrong, even if we are not smart enough to know how to fix it.

 

[DrEasy]

Winger is supposed to blow the zone upon possession to occupy a defender and open up the center of the ice for the breakout.

The problem is that our guys blow the zone on 50/50 pucks rather than only when we have have 100% possession.

Again, not a systems issue but an execution and judgement issue.

There is also a skill disparity between, say, Chabot and Hamonic. So if Hamonic is in possession of the puck, maybe the winger shouldn't blow the zone blindly assume the stretch pass/dump in/whatever is going to reach its intended destination. If it's Chabot, the winger should give him 5 minutes to make his stretch pass. If it's Brannstrom, watch out the stretch pass has already been made and is pinpoint accurate !

And if the system is overly dependent on perfect execution, maybe it isn't a resilient system.

 

[LevelingSolo]

I really don't think you are supposed to like your coach has much as this group of players like DJ

 

[Cosmix]

While i hated the fact the NHL took away our 1st, a part of me kind of wants them to just take our 2024 first just so it could maybe add more pressure to management to just f***ing bite the bullet already and fire Smith.

I think the team will not give up its first round pick until 2026, meaning until the last possible moment which reduces the present value of the loss. By then the team should be playing better, getting into the playoffs and having a pick at the bottom end of the draft order.

 

[LeProspector]

If the players love DJ so much. Go out there and save his f***ing job.

This buisness Is about results, and the coach and players have failed to get those results.

 

[Cosmix]

The Senators Captain is not quite at the level of respect that Stevens had back then…. Right now he should lead by example, and withstand to temptation/bait opposing players dangle in front of him, knowing how easy it is to put him off his game….. and when the captain deviates from the game plans, others will follow.

In some ways I agree with you; however, Tkachuk kept his composure on the ice and refused to fight Jeannot, who he goaded into dropping his gloves to gain a PP, during which he scored.

 

[ottawagm]

Effectively the fans booing and wanting to fire DJ is the fans holding them accountable for their play, which doesn't seem to be happening behind the scenes.

It's clear to me that they aren't used to being held accountable otherwise they wouldn't be complaining to the media about being boo'd. If anything getting boo'd by some fans should be easier to deal with than what the coaching staff is telling them behind the scenes.

But this group doesn't seem to like being told that it isn't the puck's fault, or the ice, or luck, or the refs or the fans... it's your fault that you suck. That's what booing means... and they don't like it.

 

[Cosmix]

I don't disagree but even on clear possessions we use that option way too often.

Look at how well coached teams move up the ice as a unit.

Then watch us. Night and day if the other team has any inclination to defend.

I think the problem (losing) is a combination of causes including a 5 on 5 system that does work well (including D zone positioning too close to the front of the net) and coaching that does not hold players accountable for strong tactical level defensive play. We need a coaching staff that emphasizes defensive tactical play by all players. We also need system changes.

 

[Sens Vader]

This very telling to me, I think it's human nature to want some changes, it doesn't matter if it's sports, politics or anything else, people at one point get tired of having the same people at the top, they just want change for the sake of change.


Yes but then again will it last, because it's not the first time that Canucks plays well for half the season and then everything collapse. And also how many coaches did Vancouver go through since they went to Stanley Cup Final in 2011?

Well I want change because I think DJ is not a good coach at this stage. Going on 5 seasons is way more time than I needed to come to that conclusion.

I want change for the sake of changing how we play.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

 

[Golden_Jet]

Claude was pretty definitive DJ wasn’t going anywhere, sounds like SS might have told the team that. Would make sense if he did, as he said after PD gone, Sens need some stability now.

 

[Oduyanow]

Claude was pretty definitive DJ wasn’t going anywhere, sounds like SS might have told the team that. Would make sense if he did, as he said after PD gone, Sens need some stability now.

Fair enough. Better start winning soon then.

 

[Micklebot]

I guess, but we lost our 1b in a 1a, 1b situation when Talbot went down in training camp, and that was held up as an excuse by many.

I think you're creating a bit of a false equivalence here, we signed Talbot to be our number 1, Forsberg was here to be a good back up, imo of course. He missed a few games, sure, but we went 4-2 with him out, few if any was using him as the reason we struggled in Nov, most of which he was back for anyway, it was when Zub and Norris went down that we struggled and it was our lack of depth on D and at center that people pointed to as the issue. Perhaps Talbot added to it, but he maybe missed two games he otherwise would have played during the skid?

Adversity is when you don't have an equivalent to step in, or guys need to up there game to fill a void, even if we call Talbot and Vanecek 1b guys, it's not really facing adversity when you have someone right there that's just about as good.

 

[ottawagm]

Claude was pretty definitive DJ wasn’t going anywhere, sounds like SS might have told the team that. Would make sense if he did, as he said after PD gone, Sens need some stability now.

So basically, no coach is going to take the job unless the GM got to choose them and has their back. The GM we want probably isn't available until summer, so we can't replace the coach right now even if we wanted to.

I'm sure if the players hated DJ they would drop him and let one of the assistant coaches take over, but they don't, so may as well stop booing DJ and see how things go because there's nothing we can do this year.

I think it's ridiculous that we are here, but probably the way it's going to go. Fans should just stop showing up.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

A bit shorter

PATATES FRITS

 

[Cosmix]

Effectively the fans booing and wanting to fire DJ is the fans holding them accountable for their play, which doesn't seem to be happening behind the scenes.

It's clear to me that they aren't used to being held accountable otherwise they wouldn't be complaining to the media about being boo'd. If anything getting boo'd by some fans should be easier to deal with than what the coaching staff is telling them behind the scenes.

But this group doesn't seem to like being told that it isn't the puck's fault, or the ice, or luck, or the refs or the fans... it's your fault that you suck. That's what booing means... and they don't like it.

You have made an excellent point in my view. The players aren't used to being held accountable by the coaching staff. They dislike the booing which is the fans method of explaining their unhappiness with the team's performance. The coaching staff's job is to get the best performances out of the players on the roster; they are not doing that and have not been doing it for a few years now.

 

[Bileur]

If Gino Reda wants me to take him seriously he should bring back the moustache.

Now that’s a guy you can trust.