Sportsnet: Maple Leafs grooming D.J. Smith to become an NHL head coach

[LeafsNation75]

Maple Leafs grooming D.J. Smith to become an NHL head coach - Sportsnet.ca

While it would be a great thing for D.J. Smith if he becomes a coach in the NHL if it's with the Islanders since they are the only team currently looking for one or another team in the future, I get the feeling this is Sportsnet doing a similar story when they mentioned how the Leafs risked losing Mark Hunter prior to Kyle Dubas being named the GM. If any team has success and keeps making the playoffs, those who are in assistant roles for them would be considered for promotions from other teams.

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[MR4]

Hopefully he's made a head coach this season so we don't have to have a disaster at running 5v5 D & PK.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Hopefully he's made a head coach this season so we don't have to have a disaster at running 5v5 D & PK.

The Leafs have had the 10th/11th ranked PK in the league over the last two seasons... I wouldn't exactly called it a disaster...

 

[rent free]

The Leafs have had the 10th/11th ranked PK in the league over the last two seasons... I wouldn't exactly called it a disaster...

it tailed off at the end of the season. it was evident in the series against boston for those who didn't know it went from 8th place to 11th in a span of like 3 weeks

 

[htpwn]

The Leafs have had the 10th/11th ranked PK in the league over the last two seasons... I wouldn't exactly called it a disaster...

It was like 22nd in the NHL or something like that in the last third of the season and a complete disaster in the playoffs.

I'm not sure how much blame lies at the feet of Smith (versus Babcock or Zaitsev/Hainsey tiring out or simply not having enough good defensemen) but the weakest parts of our team are the ones he's responsible for.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

Big part of the PK failing at the end was Ron Hainsey's gameplay falling off a cliff too

 

[Menzinger]

I’ve long wondered if it’s him or Babcock who seems so reluctant to change up personnel on the PK - ie maybe try somebody else beyond Hainsey....

 

[Woodman19]

Ah the old blame the coaches game begins. Players win games and coaches lose them...

 

[Buds17]

It's like the management side of things where viable candidates can go elsewhere for bigger roles. Just have to be confident in finding the next wave of replacements. The PK has been good and the D improving, so it's not surprising that Smith might be of interest as an eventual head coach.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Big part of the PK failing at the end was Ron Hainsey's gameplay falling off a cliff too

What I laugh at is how everyone thought Babcock was crazy for playing Zaistev, Polak and Hainsey as much as they did when they were the only PKers we had. How is Carrick going to be able to replace them when he can not play PK?

 

[BertCorbeau]

What I laugh at is how everyone thought Babcock was crazy for playing Zaistev, Polak and Hainsey as much as they did when they were the only PKers we had. How is Carrick going to be able to replace them when he can not play PK?

Really need Dermott to get time on the PK

 

[Kiwi]

What I laugh at is how everyone thought Babcock was crazy for playing Zaistev, Polak and Hainsey as much as they did when they were the only PKers we had. How is Carrick going to be able to replace them when he can not play PK?

Maybe give other guys a go when you've got a playoff spot locked up instead of running a couple of guys into the ground?

It's unbelievable how the coaching staff get a pass for Hainsey's usage when he could have been spelled or had his minutes cut with at least 3 months left in the regular season

 

[Gary Nylund]

Maybe give other guys a go when you've got a playoff spot locked up instead of running a couple of guys into the ground?

It's unbelievable how the coaching staff get a pass for Hainsey's usage when he could have been spelled or had his minutes cut with at least 3 months left in the regular season

Yeah I was sure that some guys would be rested in the weeks leading up to the playoffs. That was the one cool thing about having 3rd locked up, we could go into the playoffs 100% fully rested while TB and BOS were beating each others brains in. But no, we just voluntarily gave up that edge we could have had.

I believe that most of the criticism Babcock gets here is undeserved. But this one thing though ... I have no idea what the hell he was thinking.

 

[Kiwi]

Yeah I was sure that some guys would be rested in the weeks leading up to the playoffs. That was the one cool thing about having 3rd locked up, we could go into the playoffs 100% fully rested while TB and BOS were beating each others brains in. But no, we just voluntarily gave up that edge we could have had.

I believe that most of the criticism Babcock gets here is undeserved. But this one thing though ... I have no idea what the hell he was thinking.

I think Babcock is pretty solid the only issues I've had with him have been the odd personnel issue and not resting guys this year

Pretty small fry in the grand scheme of things I just hope he learnt from this season and uses those lessons going forward

 

[Duke Silver]

I'd be okay with Smith leaving. I've had issues with our defensive deployment strategies.

Who does the defensive side of things for the Marlies? Love the fluidity and aggressiveness with which they play.

 

[Menzinger]

What I laugh at is how everyone thought Babcock was crazy for playing Zaistev, Polak and Hainsey as much as they did when they were the only PKers we had. How is Carrick going to be able to replace them when he can not play PK?

I think the issue is, some of these younger guys like him or maybe even Dermott should be given more of a chance to play on the PK. The problem was the Leafs kept turning back again and again to some of these vets who really were not delivering good results

 

[MR4]

Maybe give other guys a go when you've got a playoff spot locked up instead of running a couple of guys into the ground?

It's unbelievable how the coaching staff get a pass for Hainsey's usage when he could have been spelled or had his minutes cut with at least 3 months left in the regular season

This. It doesn't f***ing matter if our PK is a bit less efficient playing guys like Gardiner and Carrick on it when there's no affect in the standings. It's a goddamn fact that Dermott should've been getting major minutes on the PK considering he'll be a key PK cog in the future and already was playing PK in the AHL, yet he gets 0 PK minutes..

What a f***ing terrible (lack of a) plan of resting our players that was.

But no surprise, DJ Smith is the type that says 'what's the Corsi on that' to praise Polak so it's not a far stretch to believe that he probably thinks like Polak that you don't have to rest players or use sports science

 

[Mickey Marner]

I liked him in Oshawa, but I haven't been super impressed with him as an assistant.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

The Leafs have had the 10th/11th ranked PK in the league over the last two seasons... I wouldn't exactly called it a disaster...

Let's put it another way. And I know it's subjective. Babcock is not a good game manager. His foolish line matchups costs the Leafs game. It's like he's trying to the smartest kid in the room with all his moves, which have backfired. So maybe have Uncle Mike coach during the day, but on game night, let's have Keefe.

 

[MR4]

Let's put it another way. And I know it's subjective. Babcock is not a good game manager. His foolish line matchups costs the Leafs game. It's like he's trying to the smartest kid in the room with all his moves, which have backfired. So maybe have Uncle Mike coach during the day, but on game night, let's have Keefe.

And let's not forget his complete opposition to ever stacking up lines in the 3rd to give us a better chance to win.. nah we gotta roll out Komarov to be the 'net front presence' to tie it up!

 

[Notsince67]

Really need Dermott to get time on the PK

We might have a good enough shot with Dermott to clear the zone off the boards

 

[7even]

it tailed off at the end of the season. it was evident in the series against boston for those who didn't know it went from 8th place to 11th in a span of like 3 weeks

Is that a systems failure or bad luck? I'm inclined to take the bigger sample.

 

[stickty111]

Let's put it another way. And I know it's subjective. Babcock is not a good game manager. His foolish line matchups costs the Leafs game. It's like he's trying to the smartest kid in the room with all his moves, which have backfired. So maybe have Uncle Mike coach during the day, but on game night, let's have Keefe.

There is a good chance we are a worse team if Keefe is the coach over Babcock.
So having uncle Mike coach during the day, but on game night have Keefe, is a bad idea.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Is that a systems failure or bad luck? I'm inclined to take the bigger sample.

I'm not sure it's necessarily a systems failure, like his garbage transition system or 5v5 coverage. I think our aggressive PK is pretty effective for the most part. I do think it was a gross misuse of personnel, as Hainsey was clearly driven into the ground over the season and had nothing left down the stretch + in the playoffs. That did sort of make our PK fall apart, given how relied upon he was

 

[Mikeyg]

Hes a friend of my mothers if you can believe it, my mom went to school with his wife. Despite this, I am not a big fan of his tbh.

 

[JEI]

DJ to the Island, Keefe to replace.