Speculation: D.J. Smith - Part II

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

He better make the team improve their atrocious puck support and possession time with the puck.

That display against EDM was not indicative of how good EDM was, but of how poorly structured we played. Against VAN we heavily outplayed them but with a bit more structure we woulda blown them out instead of lost in OT. VAN played so poor.

He sure has them working hard though. I've always given him benefit of doubt cause he rewards those who deserve it, is well liked, and doesnt have good personnel to work with. The system lately has been leaking like swiss cheese though.

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[NyQuil]

What is so glaring in terms of our defensive play is:

1. How easily opposing players get from the corners to the front of the net.

2. How often players under pressure behind the net or along the boards just give it away (re: Gudbranson).

3. How often we have trouble just flicking the puck high and straight out out under pressure. Our clearances are brutal.

I thought it was funny how harsh the commentators were about Toronto being unable to clear the puck on Ottawa's goals, because it looked like a usual day at the office for the Senators defensive zone play.

Reilly is too weak, Gudbranson is too slow. Wolanin has zero confidence and is giving me Cody Ceci vibes.

I think Chabot again, is trying to make plays all the time, sometimes passing up the easy play to try and turn defence into offence.

Brannstrom is sort of a combination of Chabot, Reilly and Wolanin.

Zaitsev is hit and miss.

Zub is probably the only really reliable d-man we have.

 

[Wondercarrot]

What is so glaring in terms of our defensive play is:

1. How easily opposing players get from the corners to the front of the net.

2. How often players under pressure behind the net or along the boards just give it away (re: Gudbranson).

3. How often we have trouble just flicking the puck high and straight out out under pressure.

Reilly is too weak, Gudbranson is too slow. Wolanin has zero confidence and is giving me Cody Ceci vibes.

I think Chabot again, is trying to make plays all the time, sometimes passing up the easy play to try and turn defence into offence.

Brannstrom is sort of a combination of Chabot, Reilly and Wolanin.

Zaitsev is hit and miss.

Zub is probably the only really reliable d-man we have.

Realistically we have 3 defencemen who (on a good team should slot like this), with Brannstrom getting significant PP time and sheltered at EV.
Everyone else needs to be upgraded significantly, I would say that if we could find a very good RD to play with Chabot the D could improve very quickly and in huge measure over the next couple years. Sanderson slides perfectly in with Zub, & JBD with Brannstrom.
It would also allow us more flexibility at the draft.

Chabot XXXX
XXXXX Zub
Brannstrom XXXXX

 

[GCK]

It’s funny, when the players execute the simple plays DJs defensive system is obvious. We play a zone with switching with the centre low and the wingers collapse to the middle based on read. Our breakout is structured to give options with a down low centre, winger on the half wall or a reversal. If the pass goes to the winger then the centre moves to provide a short pass option, if the pass goes to the centre down low, the wingers release to drive the opposing D back.

The main issues are poor passing and bad reads by our centres.

 

[aragorn]

Behind Gudbranson they have Coburn & J. Brown who are worse so there is no help on the taxi squad. Zaitsev with that contract is here for a while, nobody is going to want him at that salary. Brannstrom to me is too weak & loses too many board battles & can't push anyone from in front of the net. He's suppose to be a PMD who can add offence & sometimes he does move the puck out, but he doesn't create much offence. Wolanin can look great in one moment & then look terrible the next, he has the size & strength to fight off NHL forwards, but lacks confidence at times to make the smart play. Each of these defencemen have deficiencies & they aren't going to fix that this yr, our only hope is the guys who are coming & hopefully a few of them can improve this defence.

 

[NyQuil]

Everyone else needs to be upgraded significantly, I would say that if we could find a very good RD to play with Chabot the D could improve very quickly and in huge measure over the next couple years. Sanderson slides perfectly in with Zub, & JBD with Brannstrom.
It would also allow us more flexibility at the draft.

Chabot XXXX
XXXXX Zub
Brannstrom XXXXX

I've said this elsewhere but I am a bit concerned around the timelines for defence prospect development compared with our forwards.

Methot has pointed out on the podcast with Wallace that it's going to take awhile for these guys, no matter how good they look now.

I'm thinking 3-5 years from their first game in the NHL.

 

[JimmySpaetzle]

I've said this elsewhere but I am a bit concerned around the timelines for defence prospect development compared with our forwards.

Methot has pointed out on the podcast with Wallace that it's going to take awhile for these guys, no matter how good they look now.

I'm thinking 3-5 years from their first game in the NHL.

3-5 years? No way. JBD could have his first NHL game at the end of this year

 

[NyQuil]

3-5 years? No way. JBD could have his first NHL game at the end of this year

Yeah, so he'll be at the level of a reliable NHL defenceman in 3-5 years.

 

[cudi]

I've said this elsewhere but I am a bit concerned around the timelines for defence prospect development compared with our forwards.

Methot has pointed out on the podcast with Wallace that it's going to take awhile for these guys, no matter how good they look now.

I'm thinking 3-5 years from their first game in the NHL.

Hopefully not the full 5 years, but I agree it'll take longer than some fans probably hope.

NHL fans been spoiled with guys like Quinn Hughes, Makar and Heiskanen stepping in and being great right away (i know Hughes sucks defensively) but those guys arent the norm.

If Sanderson can be a 2nd pair guy in 2-3 years that would be a huge win.

If JDB is even just a really solid bottom pairing guy I'm happy as hell.

Hell, it took Hedman a few seasons before he became the dominant Victor Hedman we see today. Its a process.

 

[Micklebot]

3-5 years? No way. JBD could have his first NHL game at the end of this year

I'm thinking @NyQuil was getting at when guys like JBD and Sanderson will be impact players, so 3 to five years from their respective 1st NHL games (which could be this season) they will be providing a positive impact for the team.

To put it in perspective, we are currently 2 years after Brannstoms first nhl game, using the same timeframes we should expect him to be an impact dman for is in 1 to 3 years from now.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I've said this elsewhere but I am a bit concerned around the timelines for defence prospect development compared with our forwards.

Methot has pointed out on the podcast with Wallace that it's going to take awhile for these guys, no matter how good they look now.

I'm thinking 3-5 years from their first game in the NHL.

Defence for sure is behind the forwards

Since 2015 ; Drafted Lajoie in the 5th in 2016; no D in 2017; JBD and Tychonick in 2018; Thomson and Guenette(R7) 2019
So maybe 1 D that will play out of 3 drafts, Jury out on 2019 so maybe 4

 

[NyQuil]

NHL fans been spoiled with guys like Quinn Hughes, Makar and Heiskanen stepping in and being great right away (i know Hughes sucks defensively) but those guys arent the norm.

What's interesting about the three defencemen you've cited is that they are all on track to be superstars and yet all three have had warts from time to time.

Hughes' defensive struggles are well-known, Heiskanen has had issues this year and Avs fans are fairly adamant that Girard has been their best all-around d-man this year.

Hedman might be the best defenceman of this generation and it took him awhile to get going.

 

[cudi]

What's interesting about the three defencemen you've cited is that they are all on track to be superstars and yet all three have had warts from time to time.

Hughes' defensive struggles are well-known, Heiskanen has had issues this year and Avs fans are fairly adamant that Girard has been their best all-around d-man this year.

Hedman might be the best defenceman of this generation and it took him awhile to get going.

I sneakily added Hedman to my post lol.

 

[NyQuil]

I sneakily added Hedman to my post lol.

 

[JimmySpaetzle]

Yeah, so he'll be at the level of a reliable NHL defenceman in 3-5 years.

Ah fair enough, I thought you meant when they’ll first get a crack at it

 

[NyQuil]

Ah fair enough, I thought you meant when they’ll first get a crack at it

I think we can make the playoffs with an inexperienced defensive corps but I don't think we can make it too far.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[coladin]

Like the fact that he didn't staple White to the bench.

LIke how he mixed up the lines, moved Tierney down, but the roommates together, Paul in the middle. I think he has a good pulse on the guys.

Like how he put White out there as the extra attacker.

Like how he put Chabot and Wolanin on at the same time.

No like when he put Zaitsev and Gudbranson together...don't ever do that again.

No like overtime, leaving Chabot and Tkachuk out there. Bad move and I'm sure he will learn from that, and he has to trust either Wolanin or Reilly at that point

 

[Liver King]

Gotta love that

DJ nailed it

 

[Matsens15]

The complete real version lol

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[HF2002]

Can you pay a NHL coach any less and expect better results?

You get what you pay for.

 

[Fuhrious]

I've said this elsewhere but I am a bit concerned around the timelines for defence prospect development compared with our forwards.

Methot has pointed out on the podcast with Wallace that it's going to take awhile for these guys, no matter how good they look now.

I'm thinking 3-5 years from their first game in the NHL.

I found it interesting that Methot backed up something in their segment on "stopping McDrai" that I tried to bring up earlier in the (now closed) DJ thread...that you cant just try to run and gun with those guys because they will eat you alive. He worded it far more eloquently than I ever could have hoped to (think I called it "parking the bus"), talking about the system they used in Ottawa under Boucher to try to counter teams with that kind of explosive talent, but didnt go so far as to directly call out DJ for not doing likewise. I feel like it's something that has to change if this team is to be successful down the road. You cant just send the team out there without a Plan B if your primary playstyle is directly countered by the other team's tactics or skill...and right now, based purely on eye test, it just doesnt seem like DJ is making those adjustments.

 

[Micklebot]

I found it interesting that Methot backed up something in their segment on "stopping McDrai" that I tried to bring up earlier in the (now closed) DJ thread...that you cant just try to run and gun with those guys because they will eat you alive. He worded it far more eloquently than I ever could have hoped to (think I called it "parking the bus"), talking about the system they used in Ottawa under Boucher to try to counter teams with that kind of explosive talent, but didnt go so far as to directly call out DJ for not doing likewise. I feel like it's something that has to change if this team is to be successful down the road. You cant just send the team out there without a Plan B if your primary playstyle is directly countered by the other team's tactics or skill...and right now, based purely on eye test, it just doesnt seem like DJ is making those adjustments.

What i find weird is how we seem to be far more successful against Toronto who have Matthews, Marner and Tavares, at least in theory we should run into the same problem trying to run and gun with them.

 

[Fuhrious]

What i find weird is how we seem to be far more successful against Toronto who have Matthews, Marner and Tavares, at least in theory we should run into the same problem trying to run and gun with them.

I'm no expert analyst or anything, so proverbial grain of salt...but watching almost every game this season, they seem to go completely off the rails against teams that can effectively aggressively forecheck. Teams that gameplan sending a forward at speed straight at the defenseman behind the net/goal line, perhaps gambling (more often than not successfully) that the Sens will cough up the puck.