News Article: Sens hire DJ Smith as head coach

[Nac Mac Feegle]

The kids will be entertaining ,and go a million miles in both directions...But there is no point in rushing to be a playoff team

....depends how they will be coached.

Will they be allowed to run and gun....and likely lose by some blowouts?

Or will they play a suffocating trap with the idea of trying to grind out as many points as possible?

All depends on how much security Smith thinks he has, and how much pressure there will be from you-know-who to get to the playoffs asap.

 

[Sweatred]

The best move Smith can make next year to extend his career is to make sure he has Laf/Byfield in his line up in 2020.

 

[BatherSeason]

Curious as to whenever there is a coaching hire in the league (ie Tippett yesterday) every NHL insider is all over every detail of the salary that the new coach will receive, except Ottawa. I wonder if its because the don't want to embarrass the coach, or the org? Is it because the Sens are paying him so much more than any other coach (doubtful)? Or are the Sens just that secretive?

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Curious as to whenever there is a coaching hire in the league (ie Tippett yesterday) every NHL insider is all over every detail of the salary that the new coach will receive, except Ottawa. I wonder if its because the don't want to embarrass the coach, or the org? Is it because the Sens are paying him so much more than any other coach (doubtful)? Or are the Sens just that secretive?

It's because not every team or source discloses that. Half the coaches in the league have unknown salaries:

Coaches - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Who really cares at the end of the day. We know a rookie coach wouldn't be making a ton.

 

[Micklebot]

Curious as to whenever there is a coaching hire in the league (ie Tippett yesterday) every NHL insider is all over every detail of the salary that the new coach will receive, except Ottawa. I wonder if its because the don't want to embarrass the coach, or the org? Is it because the Sens are paying him so much more than any other coach (doubtful)? Or are the Sens just that secretive?

Sens haven't released salary for coaches in a while now. I think Mclean might have had his released or maybe it was clouston.

 

[BatherSeason]

Who really cares at the end of the day.

A lot of people actually, it may even surprise you. The team could buy themselves a little bit of goodwill if they actually proved that he isn't the lowest paid coach in the league. Again, honestly and transparency will help people buy back in.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

A lot of people actually, it may even surprise you. The team could buy themselves a little bit of goodwill if they actually proved that he isn't the lowest paid coach in the league. Again, honestly and transparency will help people buy back in.

OK...

 

[stempniaksen]

Wouldn't be overly surprised if Brind'amour made less than Smith because of how the Canes operate.

Beyond that though, there aren't many guys around the league who would be making less than a rookie head coach.

You could argue guys like Colliton or Reirden I suppose, but the Hawks and Caps are teams that have always doled out decent money for hockey ops. I guess Berube could be a candidate, but he's about to get PAID coming off a SCF appearance.

 

[Ser Grogu]

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Damn would have liked him here, ah well. We need a former d-man and a PP guy according to coach DJ

 

[SensHulk]

Sharks screw us over yet again. Sigh....

 

[RAFI BOMB]

Tim Hunter, Derrian Hatcher, Jason Smith and Paul Maclean are few options of formed players that could be good assistants. They also might be affordable

 

[stempniaksen]

Damn would have liked him here, ah well. We need a former d-man and a PP guy according to coach DJ

So Chris Kelly is gonna be SOL?

Wouldn't mind Kelly in Belleville with Mann if he's open to it.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[DrEasy]

All the qualified potential assistant coaches seem to be taken, unavailable or unwilling to come here. Wouldn't be surprised if we went the nostalgia/local/fan-friendly route of retaining Kelly, and maybe bringing on board guys like Neil, Phillips, Bonk or van Allen.

 

[stempniaksen]

All the qualified potential assistant coaches seem to be taken, unavailable or unwilling to come here. Wouldn't be surprised if we went the nostalgia/local/fan-friendly route of retaining Kelly, and maybe bringing on board guys like Neil, Phillips, Bonk or van Allen.

So guys with absolutely nothing in the way of coaching experience?

I'm done giving this franchise the benefit of the doubt, but giving a first time NHL HC two assistants with no/limited coaching experience seems like a recipe for disaster.

Also, and this honestly isn't meant as a slight, but how many potential assistant coaches do casual fans (or even die hards) even know about? I'm willing to bet there are (at the very least) a handful of guys left who wil be able to help Smith out more than some former player with zero experience.

 

[bert]

I want the best chance at picking one of Lafrenierre or Byfield, don't really care where we finish as it's gong to be an awful season statistically regardless.

If we end up picking outside the top 4/5 (Laf/Byfield/Raymond/Holtz/Lundell, and even then only 2 of those guys are absolute sure things at this point IMO) it was an absolute waste of a season.

Getting a guy like Barron or Drysdale or Rossi at 6/7/8/etc. would be great, but these guys are not the type you hope for in a season like that, the Sens need Lafrenierre or Byfield. That is the Ehlers/Nylander/Nurse/Trouba/Kadri area. We need the Heiskanen/Dahlin/Matthews/Eichel area.

W need to win a lottery pick, which odds are against. We should imo be finishing last to ensure we only move down to 4th overall rather than finish 3/4/5/6 and slide down to 6/7/8/9 in the high chance we don't win a lottery pick.

How management doesnt see this is not shocking considering the moves they have made however it should be shocking that they actually cant see this is what needs to be done.

How you see it doesn't invalidate what he said though.

Senators GM Pierre Dorion vows team will be Cup contender soon - Sportsnet.ca

OTTAWA — Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said recently that the hockey operations side needs to “get their act together” in the next six months.

In his post-season address to the media, general manager Pierre Dorion didn’t dispute what his boss was laying down.

“I totally agree with that,” Dorion said, in a relaxed, wide-ranging, 30-minute session with Ottawa media. “I’d even put it – the next year is pivotal to our organization.”

Dorion vowed the 31st-place, rebuilding Senators would contend for a playoff spot next season, make the playoffs the year after that and be a Stanley Cup contender in three seasons. For folks scoring at home.
“And those are words from the GM,” Dorion said. “It has to be like that. Maybe I’m too positive, too blunt, but I really believe in these statements.”

I get he says silly things a lot, like the time he claimed Brannstrom was his new girlfriend (one of my favs), but this is incredibly straight forward, and he doubled down on the statement right after making it.

He sure is a stupid dumb moron

Dorion actually said that no other candidate interviewed has had the level of success that Smith has.. I mean wow. Just wow lol

Of course. Par for the course talk to us like we are idiots and think we are idiots when he is in fact the idiot.

 

[Sens Vader]

Wasnt Playfair the guy Garrioch reported as the potential assistant ?

 

[RAFI BOMB]

All the qualified potential assistant coaches seem to be taken, unavailable or unwilling to come here. Wouldn't be surprised if we went the nostalgia/local/fan-friendly route of retaining Kelly, and maybe bringing on board guys like Neil, Phillips, Bonk or van Allen.

There are plenty of qualified candidates that could be considered for assistant jobs for the Sens.
Paul MaClean (former Senators HC), Dale Hawerchuk (OHL- Barrie Colts HC), Jim Playfair (former Flames and Coyotes AC), Derrian Hatcher (OHL- Sarnia Sting HC), Jason Smith (WHL - Kelowna Rockets HC), Tim Hunter (WHL - Moose Jaw Warriors HC), Marc Habscheid (WHL - Prince Albert Raiders HC), Adam Oates (former Capitals HC and skills coach to top NHL players), Rocky Thompson (AHL - Chicago Wolves HC), Scott Stevens (former Devils AC)

The sens could also benefit from some skills specialist coaches. Adam Oates is well respected. Maybe DJ Smith can convince Darryl Belfry to leave the Leafs. Pavel Barber is starting to gain a reputation so maybe he could be a good target.

 

[Masked]

Wasnt Playfair the guy Garrioch reported as the potential assistant ?

He could teach quite a bit:

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Curious as to whenever there is a coaching hire in the league (ie Tippett yesterday) every NHL insider is all over every detail of the salary that the new coach will receive, except Ottawa. I wonder if its because the don't want to embarrass the coach, or the org? Is it because the Sens are paying him so much more than any other coach (doubtful)? Or are the Sens just that secretive?

They're not required to release the details of anyone in Managament salary.

You can hang your hat on the embarrassment hook if you want to, but DJ wasn't embarrassed to sign on the dotted line, for whatever the terms were.

All that matters is how he does his job.

There are highly paid coaches, that can't seem to adjust their game plans, during a playoff series, to the same team that they've lost t0 multiple times ..........

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

A lot of people actually, it may even surprise you. The team could buy themselves a little bit of goodwill if they actually proved that he isn't the lowest paid coach in the league. Again, honestly and transparency will help people buy back in.

Are you suggesting a higher paid coach would actually drive more ticket sales?

I doubt that very much.

If DJ is a good or bad head coach is not dependent on his salary ...... there is not need to spin his unknown salary into another in a along list of negatives you want to hammer the Sens with.

Why not see how the team performs on the ice, and praise or criticize that, instead of taking gratuitous pot shots, at the Sens, just for the sake of it.

 

[BatherSeason]

Are you suggesting a higher paid coach would actually drive more ticket sales?

I doubt that very much.

If DJ is a good or bad head coach is not dependent on his salary ...... there is not need to spin his unknown salary into another in a along list of negatives you want to hammer the Sens with.

Why not see how the team performs on the ice, and praise or criticize that, instead of taking gratuitous pot shots, at the Sens, just for the sake of it.

Good morning Count, nice to see you nice and cheery this morning.

To be honest, I have no problem hiring a coach on the cheap this time around, maybe use the money saved by hiring a full time analytics guy or maybe a few scouts (will this happen, absolutely not). This team is nowhere anytime soon, so why pay someone big bucks?? As you would probably state, would be a waste of Eugene's hard earn cash, amirite??

I was very much against the hire of DJ Smith, and after hearing him speak, I am proud to say that he has won me over and am actually looking forward to see what he can do. My post actually had nothing to do with DJ Smith and more to do with how the organization goes about its business of hiring on the cheap no matter the circumstance, no matter the hire.

What I was actually saying is that the org can do itself a lot of favors with the fanbase by proving to the fans that they aren't as cheap as everyone suspects by not being so secretive about their hires.

As for you, you seem very concerned about how I and others perceive the organization. Maybe you should stay away from Sens fans all together for awhile then.

 

[BonkTastic]

Are you suggesting a higher paid coach would actually drive more ticket sales?

I doubt that very much.

The team demonstrating to it's drastically hemmhoraging season ticket base that it's willing to compete financially in SOME areas of hockey ops at a level commensurate with the league average, it would be a significant gesture, and might drive some ticket sales, yes.

The fanbase needs SOME sign in order to commit to being something other than a glorified farm team and development system for the rest of the league.

If that spending commitment is on the coaching staff, that's at least a start.

 

[BatherSeason]

there is not need to spin his unknown salary into another in a along list of negatives you want to hammer the Sens with.

Please can stop acting like I am the only one that feels this way.