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

[Flamingo]

People need to get it though their heads that Staios, and Andlauer did/do not expect anything from the Sens this season. This team is Dorion's. I highly, highly doubt that their position in the league is surprising to them. It's not that surprising to me.

They were pumping the breaks as soon as they got here. All we heard is that we have lots of work to do, there were still lots of moves and additions that need to be made.

It sucks, because the prior management team and ownership proclaimed this was a team that was destined for greatness, and playoff bound "this year" (or next, or the year after....) for the better part of 4 years.

This is not a very good team. It needs a serious revamp, and will likely get that this summer when a new GM comes into town.

We lost a year essentially by the sale being pushed until September. We couldn't get new managemtn in, and we had Dorion running things. Does our new GM see things the same way Dorion did? Very, very doubtful.

I'd look at this years draft as a very large turning point. I think we see some movement of guys we are surprised and upset to see moved, and see us poach 3/4 members of management, coaching and scouting teams around the league.

I agree with their attitude, but I also think that they realize that letting the team bleed this season would have a negative impact on player development, FA attitudes and inclinations to stay. We'll see if any of those concerns spur them to take action ahead of their original plans. It did with Dorion's trade malfeasance and his firing.

 

[King Karlsson]

This organization as a whole has frustrated me for years in that they are always the nice guys. Dorion loved to give out contracts to nice guys that didn't deserve it because they're nice guys. Keep bad players around well past their welcome because they're "good for the room". Not fire the worst coach in the NHL because he's a nice guy. Draft friends over skilled players. Our f***ing captain tells us not to boo the team.. Those good vibes and friendships don't seem to be doing us much good right now. Team is unraveling and nothing is being done.

This franchise is f***ing pathetic. I can't imagine this scenario going down on any other team. Andlauer wants to run a professional organization, start acting like one instead of being the laughing stock of the league. If we didn't have that run in 2017 this would be the saddest organization in the NHL. Cupboards are bare, another year wasted of our young guns, Giroux getting older, it's f***ing bleak. Fire DJ and start the process of becoming a legit franchise.

 

[Loach]

How many huge summers does this team need

This is different. If we have to wait until the offseason to get the GM we want, it seems fair to say that this applies to filling out scouting, asst. GM etc as well. Throw in coaching change, core roster changes. Big summer. We're putting a 2JZ-GTE in a Miata here folks...it takes a little work.

 

[HF Reader]

Practice is at 10:30 today. If DJ was getting fired would you not think it would have been done by now ?

Who better to run the practice? They are focusing on perfecting their bounces.

This is different. If we have to wait until the offseason to get the GM we want, it seems fair to say that this applies to filling out scouting, asst. GM etc as well. Throw in coaching change, core roster changes. Big summer. We're putting a 2JZ-GTE in a Miata here folks...it takes a little work.

I understand the rationale of waiting for the correct GM. Does this mean all GM duties, such as trades, are on hold?

 

[King Karlsson]

This team messed up soooo bad by not firing DJ the second Bruce Cassidy was available

 

[Xspyrit]

Sunk cost. Those mistakes are made, have to look forward at how to improve. New management does not need to worry about the optics or attachments to players brought in by Dorion.

Yeah, when we'll have a new management in place who bring a new coaching staff, maybe we'll be able to look forward but damn that's a lot of SUNK COST and we even have that forfeited 1st that will come back to haunt us eventually

Until then, we're still spinning our wheels

 

[Wondercarrot]

Must be awesome to have a coach that knows what the F he’s doing.

 

[h2]

Nah. They weren't owners until the season already started. Can't blame them for waiting.

Andlauer is playing the long game. I would guess he has no problem with this being a dead year. He'll wait until summer to bring in the person for GM that he wants to stick with for the next decade or so.

It sucks for us, because we've been waiting to compete for a few years now...after dismantling a damned good core. But...it is what it is.

If he’s accepted the year as a dead year then I completely agree.

 

[PatrickEaves]

People need to get it though their heads that Staios, and Andlauer did/do not expect anything from the Sens this season. This team is Dorion's. I highly, highly doubt that their position in the league is surprising to them. It's not that surprising to me.

They were pumping the breaks as soon as they got here. All we heard is that we have lots of work to do, there were still lots of moves and additions that need to be made.

It sucks, because the prior management team and ownership proclaimed this was a team that was destined for greatness, and playoff bound "this year" (or next, or the year after....) for the better part of 4 years.

This is not a very good team. It needs a serious revamp, and will likely get that this summer when a new GM comes into town.

We lost a year essentially by the sale being pushed until September. We couldn't get new managemtn in, and we had Dorion running things. Does our new GM see things the same way Dorion did? Very, very doubtful.

I'd look at this years draft as a very large turning point. I think we see some movement of guys we are surprised and upset to see moved, and see us poach 3/4 members of management, coaching and scouting teams around the league.

Yeah. Another lame duck year is going to do permanent damage to the fanbase. You want to lose the season ticket holders that came back with new ownership? That's how you do it.

 

[Loach]

Who better to run the practice? They are focusing on perfecting their bounces.


I understand the rationale of waiting for the correct GM. Does this mean all GM duties, such as trades, are on hold?

Not sure what the plan is. It just seems like there are mountains of work to do in all areas. Andlauer and Staios just got here. They don't feel the same frustration that we do, after so many years, I bet.

 

[DaveMatthew]

People need to get it though their heads that Staios, and Andlauer did/do not expect anything from the Sens this season. This team is Dorion's. I highly, highly doubt that their position in the league is surprising to them. It's not that surprising to me.

They were pumping the breaks as soon as they got here. All we heard is that we have lots of work to do, there were still lots of moves and additions that need to be made.

It sucks, because the prior management team and ownership proclaimed this was a team that was destined for greatness, and playoff bound "this year" (or next, or the year after....) for the better part of 4 years.

This is not a very good team. It needs a serious revamp, and will likely get that this summer when a new GM comes into town.

We lost a year essentially by the sale being pushed until September. We couldn't get new managemtn in, and we had Dorion running things. Does our new GM see things the same way Dorion did? Very, very doubtful.

I'd look at this years draft as a very large turning point. I think we see some movement of guys we are surprised and upset to see moved, and see us poach 3/4 members of management, coaching and scouting teams around the league.

This is true, but you can still thread the needle. You don't need to bring the coach who will be the long-term answer tomorrow, but you also don't need to keep DJ.

Coaches get fired all the time, and interim guys get brought in. It's not this earth-shattering move. It's pretty common when teams are bad.

Just do it to put the guy out of his misery and change the narrative. Maybe you get a new coach bump and play "meaningful games" in March, maybe you don't, but there's really no downside.

 

[Dionysus]

Yeah, when we'll have a new management in place who bring a new coaching staff, maybe we'll be able to look forward but damn that's a lot of SUNK COST and we even have that forfeited 1st that will come back to haunt us eventually

Until then, we're still spinning our wheels

It's a ton of sunk cost and wasted assets that is for sure. Will have to be creative to work out of this hole.

 

[ColinM]

An embarrassing game really gets the fans tearing up their programs in disgust, but Staios doesn't have to scratch that itch immediately. Cassie Campbell said she's heard a change will come, but it's not the right time. The depth of our embarrassment and frustration doesn't quicken the pace.

What exactly would be the right time then? It's not like they benefit from tanking this year.

 

[BondraTime]

Yeah. Another lame duck year is going to do permanent damage to the fanbase. You want to lose the season ticket holders that came back with new ownership? That's how you do it.

It’s a lame duck team, that’s all you can do

Part of the reason the sale not happening in before the summer was so bad. It stalled the real progression by a year.

Smith can't stay after last night, too much negativity surrounding it. Bring in an interim guy, and let the new GM pick his guy this June.

 

[OmniSens]

I guess lets wait and see what happens once Columbus smokes us 5-0 too.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Find a good coach to be interim. Anybody is better than the status quo. Give him a 2 year contract to make it more attractive to prospective hires. If the new GM wants a different guy then you can re-assign the guy you signed this year.

This is so painful to watch. No winning record. Regression from core players in lieu of development. DJ has done nothing for this team except let the players become friends. I could not care less is these guys like to go pound Bud Lights together. I want a team that plays well. They don't, despite a reasonable amount of talent on the roster.

 

[BondraTime]

Find a good coach to be interim. Anybody is better than the status quo. Give him a 2 year contract to make it more attractive to prospective hires. If the new GM wants a different guy then you can re-assign the guy you signed this year.

This is so painful to watch. No winning record. Regression from core players in lieu of development. DJ has done nothing for this team except let the players become friends. I could not care less is these guys like to go pound Bud Lights together. I want a team that plays well. They don't, despite a reasonable amount of talent on the roster.

You can't do that, you can give him a 1 year interim deal. Can't give out a multi-year deal, that means he's no longer interim

 

[HF Reader]

Not sure what the plan is. It just seems like there are mountains of work to do in all areas. Andlauer and Staios just got here. They don't feel the same frustration that we do, after so many years, I bet.

I don't know the plan either, and I agree the two just got here and likely don't feel the frustration the way fans do.

I applaud a circumspect, reasoned approach to a reset. I don't want a knee-jerk reaction to losing. From a fan's perspective it wouldn't be "knee jerk" but I can see how it would be for Staios and MA.

My concerns are the potential damage in player development with yet another year of bad habits, etc.

At some point someone is going to have to make major decisions. On personnel alone there are growing questions about the makeup of the team. Names that come up on this site include Chabot, Batherson, Norris and goalies.

Are these decisions on hold until a new GM is in place? No trade or personnel decisions until a new GM arrives?

I share the opinion of others on this site that I'd like to evaluate the players under a different coach.
Perhaps we have to wonder if Staios is capable of making such player evaluations and maybe he doesn't trust his own judgement in that area.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Dj Smith coming into work this morning like

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

They were pumping the breaks as soon as they got here. All we heard is that we have lots of work to do, there were still lots of moves and additions that need to be made.

what breaks have the Senators had recently?

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

As much as DJ needs to be let out of his misery, It is becoming pretty clear it's not as simple as coaching either. The roster clearly is not as good as many expected, myself included. Not the right mix? Not enough talent? Too young? Who knows, but they're clearly not there yet.

 

[Beech]

Atlantic
Team	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Att.	Coach
Boston Bruins	21	14	4	3	0	31	71	55		17850	Jim Montgomery
Florida Panthers	21	13	7	1	0	27	63	55		18126	Paul Maurice
Detroit Red Wings	20	11	6	3	0	25	74	60		18018	Derek Lalonde
Tampa Bay Lightning	22	10	7	5	0	25	79	78		19092	Jon Cooper
Toronto Maple Leafs	19	10	6	2	1	23	67	66		18805	Sheldon Keefe
Buffalo Sabres	22	10	10	2	0	22	64	71		15765	Don Granato
Montreal Canadiens	21	9	10	0	2	20	59	75		21105	Martin St. Louis
Ottawa Senators	17	8	9	0	0	16	60	59		16296	D.J. Smith

take a good look at Att.

A team that was just recently sold.. Fan euphoria!!!.. We love Andlauer.. A year to compete.

500 fans more than Buffalo... A team that holds the dubious distinction of being out of the playoffs the longest in NHL history (12 seasons and counting.. next worse: 10 seasons)

If this ship does not turn around soon, it can be christened; The Titanic.

Michael A.. paid 950 M.. he is gonna need his money back.....

 

[Very Stable Genius]

He'll get his money from the real estate/new arena, not fan attendance.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I still think they either want to wait till they have a GM or perhaps have some guys in mind that they are waiting on till the offseason to become available.

Staois does need to make a move to keep his job, he's not on the hot seat so he'll be patient imo, that might be bad for this season but could be good long term.

I really want them to make a change, but the plan may be to ride it out for better or worse.

we all know DJS is going to be let go, sooner or later. The new GM will not be picking up the Club option on hi, should he remain Head Coach until the end of the season.

so the question is whether pulling off the bandage quickly (sooner) or slowly (later) is going to be more painful to the team and the fan base.

The perennial debate in every playground has finally been solved - ripping a Band-Aid off quickly causes less pain than pulling it away from the skin in a slow two-second tug.
For the study, published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, each student had two plasters applied to their upper arm, hand and ankle. The plasters were then removed using both fast and slow methods, with a randomisation process used to decide which was used first on each student. Subjects were asked to rate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the "worst pain imaginable".​

​

Fast removal achieved an average pain score of 0.92, while slow removal was significantly more painful at 1.58​

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I’m worried about that. I’m getting close to checking out on the season. I’m not mad anymore, I just expect crap hockey.

the rebuild, combined with the Covid cancellation has made watching Sens games less of a priority over the past three years… and was getting pretty used to not watching games from beginning to end, but just flipping in to check on the score once in a while…. So yes, I’ve watched more of some Sens games this season, but not from beginning to end… and it will be very easy now, to fall back into the habit of watching something else and flipping over during commercials to see what the Sens are doing.

Higher an interim coach, and then possibly in the worst case, hire a GM who then replaces the interim coach with another coach of his choice.

Cannabis is legal now, but don’t think this would be a good idea.