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

[Tuna99]

remember 2018 when Pierre Dorion said Guy Boucher would be the coach of the Senators until the end of the season and then he fired him 3 days later.

Things have certainly changed in Ottawa.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Yes.

Do you think it would equal the revenue of a prime time sold out Toronto home game?

No, it won't.

The arena holds 13,850 spectators. Maybe Ottawa agreed to it because we're pessimistic about our own attendance.

Meanwhile, we give up our own home ice advantage aside from the on-ice "last change" type mechanics.

Turns out that for the Sweden games, the NHL “Buys” the games, when a team plays ( in Sweden ) as the Home team….. so Ottawa was paid ( by the NHL) for two sell outs for being the Home team….

 

[Gil Gunderson]

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I hope they bring in some hard ass and start hurting some feelings and egos in the lockerroom.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Obviously both deserve to be gone, but I unironically would prefer to still have Dorion and a different coach than for DJ to still be around.

 

[Xspyrit]

Which is crazy because melnyk is in that conversation too

Eugene Melnyk
Pierre Dorion
DJ Smith

Please name me a WORSE trifecta. It's probably the worst trio in NHL history

Of course we are massively underachieving

 

[Joeffice]

Honestly, its likely a pride thing. Andlauer and his little troop are certain they are smarter than everybody else. Fans want him gone? The shrewd move is clearly to keep him on.

12 game winning streak? Fire Smith.

 

[Sun God Nika]

who updated the title? that baited me hard.

Which is crazy because melnyk is in that conversation too

Melnyk takes this ainec.

 

[Senator Stanley]

Obviously both deserve to be gone, but I unironically would prefer to still have Dorion and a different coach than for DJ to still be around.

Good God, no.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Good God, no.

Our current roster is good, DJ is holding it back.

I'd rather have Dorion around short term than get canned than have DJ ruin another season AND harm our players' development.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Did @swiftwin take a break from HFBoards?

 

[Sun God Nika]

well at least theres this. random twitter insiders been hitting this year With Martian and the guy who broke Tarasenko. ill just believe and have faith

 

[Gil Gunderson]

well at least theres this. random twitter insiders been hitting this year With Martian and the guy who broke Tarasenko. ill just believe and have faith

At this point I’d believe a rumour that says DJ is getting promoted over anything that indicates he’s getting fired.

 

[Bileur]

Tell me again how firing DJ is somehow a bad idea because... stability, or something.

“They haven’t quit on the coach” was another brilliant argument raised around here

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

i went on youtube and this video was on my featured homepage



we need Adrien Brophy

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

“They haven’t quit on the coach” was another brilliant argument raised around here

Every Coach has a "Ceiling" and it clearly looks like DJS has hit his Ceiling with this team and group of players.... this is typical of an assistant being moved up to the head coach position, and thought this would happen, in time, when he was hired from the the leafs.

He seems incapable to tap into his inner "Mr Hyde" and turn up the heat on players who fail to adhere to what is expected of them

It also appears as though a majority of the players are also realizing that this is a far as DJS can take them, but what can they do?
They probably like the man, and are not going to say anything negative about him, so they now need to hold each other accountable (closed door players only meeting?) because the head coach is not holding anyone accountable, at least not that we can see,

Senators (from what I heard on TSN) are now at the exact same point total, after the same number of games, as they were last season...... Our Rookie POHO/GM is now going to see the spotlight being turned towards him.

So what can the fans do to show that something has to be done? Booing at home games? Paper bags on their heads? Throwing Sens merch/sweater on the ice?

How about wearing their Sens Jerseys inside out to games.... that might get some attention if enough people do it?

 

[robsenz]

Everyone knew that DJ had a shelf life here. He was here to develop the young players and bring in some positivity when they were terrible, can't argue against that not having a degree of success outside of this year and as a team last year.
He's hit a wall and now its just time for someone else, nothing surprising, he was never intended to take this team anywhere but from a bottom feeder to a team that should be battling for a playoff spot, which he fell short on doing, this year there's no excuse for this team not to be sitting higher in the standings in a comfortable spot.

 

[Tuna99]

Everyone knew that DJ had a shelf life here. He was here to develop the young players and bring in some positivity when they were terrible, can't argue against that not having a degree of success outside of this year and as a team last year.
He's hit a wall and now its just time for someone else, nothing surprising, he was never intended to take this team anywhere but from a bottom feeder to a team that should be battling for a playoff spot, which he fell short on doing, this year there's no excuse for this team not to be sitting higher in the standings in a comfortable spot.

DJ has value in the NHL - if you want to tank and get top picks and have a coach who the young players like he’s your guy

 

[Dan Patrick]

DJ has value in the NHL - if you want to tank and get top picks and have a coach who the young players like he’s your guy

I think I actually agree. He is a great year 1-2 rebuild guy if you’ve torn it all down. Keeps the room positive, the players happy and generally does well by the young guys. But he absolutely should have been replaced mid way through 2021 when we were obviously spinning our tires. And yet we’ve had two more seasons of mediocrity.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

professionally not sure you can let DJ face the home crowd again.

 

[bert]

Obviously both deserve to be gone, but I unironically would prefer to still have Dorion and a different coach than for DJ to still be around.

What?! Dorion?!!!! This is his mess. Last place team pressed against the cap no prospects. No picks. If people only knew how he treats others. Pay attention.

 

[Tuna99]

I think I actually agree. He is a great year 1-2 rebuild guy if you’ve torn it all down. Keeps the room positive, the players happy and generally does well by the young guys. But he absolutely should have been replaced mid way through 2021 when we were obviously spinning our tires. And yet we’ve had two more seasons of mediocrity.

I know this sounds simple, but losing game 1 last year to Buffalo and game 1 this year to Carolina - he should have been fired last year after game 1. If you have rebuilt your team to win a Cup and after a summer of player, coaching and management prep and big game talking all summer you lose to the Sabers - there is no formula for winnng.

DJ only has a formula for effort without the discipline of winning hockey

 

[OUT HOUSE]

Not spending a dime on this team until something changes. Selling my tickets that I pre-purchased.

 

[HF Reader]

Every Coach has a "Ceiling" and it clearly looks like DJS has hit his Ceiling with this team and group of players.... this is typical of an assistant being moved up to the head coach position, and thought this would happen, in time, when he was hired from the the leafs.

He seems incapable to tap into his inner "Mr Hyde" and turn up the heat on players who fail to adhere to what is expected of them

It also appears as though a majority of the players are also realizing that this is a far as DJS can take them, but what can they do?
They probably like the man, and are not going to say anything negative about him, so they now need to hold each other accountable (closed door players only meeting?) because the head coach is not holding anyone accountable, at least not that we can see,

Senators (from what I heard on TSN) are now at the exact same point total, after the same number of games, as they were last season...... Our Rookie POHO/GM is now going to see the spotlight being turned towards him.

So what can the fans do to show that something has to be done? Booing at home games? Paper bags on their heads? Throwing Sens merch/sweater on the ice?

How about wearing their Sens Jerseys inside out to games.... that might get some attention if enough people do it?

Whatever is going on in the locker room and whatever the players believe, Staios knows the coach has to go. He also must know that some (many?) fans are starting to turn on the team and to some extent on him. I don't know how much SS and MA care about the fans reaction at this point in building the team.

Staios is in a tough position. Does he do what he believes is best and stay the course until they settle the GM position or does he compromise and hire a coach.

To me if an interim coach is available it is a no-brainer. If no interim coach is available then he has a difficult decision whether to deviate (in a big way) from what appears to be thier original plan. Maybe he believes he won't be able to hire the GM he wants if the new coach is more than interim.

If he is unwilling to make a change simply to satisfy (some) fans then he should at least be concerned about player regression or stagnation and the potential for a collapse of what I'd call "team integrity" (players turning on each other, wanting out, etc.).

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I don't suppose there's any way to drop the "update: none" part of the title until something actually changes? Or start a new thread or something?

A bit weird clicking on this thing thinking something has happened when it hasn't.