Speculation: D.J. Smith

[Micklebot]

Intro is funny.

Really good interview. Highly recommend a listen

Seemed like it was just a chat between the boys, no sugar coating or PR spin.

I like DJ. Not sure if he's the best coach for us long term, but i think much like our prospect players have room to grow, so does DJ.

 

[coladin]

I quite enjoyed this interview from yesterday. Talks about the White benching, says something along the lines of he's not sure if the benching is why he's playing much better, or whether he messed up on that one. Refreshing interview imo.

And I think it reveals that he really, really cares about the young players. Like a dad, worried about their mental health and it is a different game now. The days of Mike Keenan and Scotty Bowman are done. I hope that DJ can get the guys to win because he is the type of guy who would really be proud of it, not just the success but to see his players happy.

When I was at the Sens gala last year before the End of Times, he had his jacket off, tie off, and honestly looked like one of the boys, and the players would be hanging with him, and he would be part of the groups jokes and such. The year before, Guy Boucher wad clearly on an island, and no one went near him. Anecdotal, certainly, but I remarked at the stark contrast in perception of the two coaches by the players

 

[Ice-Tray]

The voice of reason has graced us with his presence.
Fans are allowed to voice their complaints no matter if they come to fruition or not. That's why we're on this board.

My rights!!!!

Help help I’m being repressed!!!

 

[supsens]

Seemed like it was just a chat between the boys, no sugar coating or PR spin.

I like DJ. Not sure if he's the best coach for us long term, but i think much like our prospect players have room to grow, so does DJ.

Well he figured out how to get white working and he gets a super weak team to hang in there. I won’t judge his work until he has an actual decent team.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

.

 

[BatherSeason]

Well he figured out how to get white working and he gets a super weak team to hang in there. I won’t judge his work until he has an actual decent team.

Counter point. White was working from the beginning. The players the coach picked over White were not.

 

[supsens]

Counter point. White was working from the beginning. The players the coach picked over White were not.

Did you see what White brought last year? I’m sure he showed up with the same effort and drive so they said fine your not playing
And now he feels like the big contract does not mean he has a job no matter what.
That’s my opinion on what happened. He was given some tough love and is back to working hard

 

[Icelevel]

Like what i see and hear for the most part but as long as he's putting anisimov and stepan out together for pp1, then....fire him.

 

[Yourkeyparka]

Like what i see and hear for the most part but as long as he's putting anisimov and stepan out together for pp1, then....fire him.

The most stupid coaching decision in Sens long history of coaching decisions...what in the heck is he seeing that makes him put those 2 out there. Cause for immediate dismissal. DUH

 

[Liver King]

The coaching staff needs a wake up call

Like if the team sucks just let us watch it suck - don't actively put our worst players in key spots

He's got a love affair with the strangest group of players

And the pp coach needs to go, like how does this guys still have a job.

 

[h2]

This actually concerns me and I'll continue to question DJ as a coach when I read comments like this and watch Stepan utilized in the last minutes of a game. It's bizzare.

 

[robsenz]

This actually concerns me and I'll continue to question DJ as a coach when I read comments like this and watch Stepan utilized in the last minutes of a game. It's bizzare.

Reilly is a superstar, watch him, he overdoes every play. He actually has some really good traits, but my god, makes too many dumb plays and struggles with little pressure on him.

 

[Hale The Villain]

This actually concerns me and I'll continue to question DJ as a coach when I read comments like this and watch Stepan utilized in the last minutes of a game. It's bizzare.

What a sentence.

Weird way to say that DJ thinks Reilly has perhaps been our 3rd best D the last couple weeks behind Chabot and Zaitsev.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Analysts praise our x's and o's and our work ethic. Maybe DJ isn't making the most of our talent with his player choices, but that becomes a lot less of an issue when you actually have talent to deploy. He's far from a perfect coach, but he's far from the disaster some make him out to be. And that's ignoring the fact that the guys all seem to really like him.

I also find he's humble, and very open to learning and admitting he is wrong. All important qualities in a coach, especially a young one.

 

[coladin]

Did a heck of a job last night. Sure, like everyone else not sure why he want that route with the PP there. I can only imagine , when a coach does that, is to show his displeasure with the young guys on the PP. Sens were the better team last night, and Andersen made some big saves

 

[Liver King]

Analysts praise our x's and o's and our work ethic. Maybe DJ isn't making the most of our talent with his player choices, but that becomes a lot less of an issue when you actually have talent to deploy. He's far from a perfect coach, but he's far from the disaster some make him out to be. And that's ignoring the fact that the guys all seem to really like him.

I also find he's humble, and very open to learning and admitting he is wrong. All important qualities in a coach, especially a young one.

DJ has pissed me off this year with certain decisions but I genuinely like his personality and thinks he has potential.

A lot of the Stepan thing is on Dorion as well.

However the poweprlay coach needs to go, its just a horrible system he runs

 

[lancepitlick]

The coaching staff needs a wake up call

Like if the team sucks just let us watch it suck - don't actively put our worst players in key spots

He's got a love affair with the strangest group of players

And the pp coach needs to go, like how does this guys still have a job.

Why do all of our coaches seem to do this? And our GM? If you are an old dude that "plays the right way", does everything right in practice etc...in 2021 that doesnt matter you cant skate.

It'd be like rolling out Greg Ostertag as a starter in the modern NBA.

 

[cudi]

He might be the hardest coach in Sens history for me to decide if I like him or not lol. It fluctuates period to period or game to game. Maybe I'm just moody.

If we traded Stepan out so he is no longer at DJ's disposal that would be best for everyone. Except Stepan maybe.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

DJ has pissed me off this year with certain decisions but I genuinely like his personality and thinks he has potential.

A lot of the Stepan thing is on Dorion as well.

However the poweprlay coach needs to go, its just a horrible system he runs

Stepan has been so much worse than last year, to be fair to DJ. He's 2 full seasons removed from a 56pt season (just under his career high), he's 30, he's been relied on a lot defensively in the past... I am so sick of Stepan, he may be my least favourite Sen ever, but its not easy to just sit him (especially when Anisimov is your next option and we have no one in the organization who can win a faceoff). I look at it this way: he was playing 17.5mins a game last year on a much better team; he's playing 15.5mins a game this year, and he averaged close to 17mins a game in his first 5 games. His ice time is diminishing despite the fact that a lot of his competition - i.e Norris, Tierney - have been playing pretty badly.

PP needs to change for sure. While we don't have a lot of talent, there are just so many calls that don't make sense to. I get having Stepan on to win a faceoff, and maybe you dont feel like you can tell him to take the faceoff and jet to the bench only for Chris Tierney to jump on... but him and Anisimov on the same unit, refusing to play guys on their off-wings, the frequent entries only to pass to open space... the x's and o's are puzzling and the execution is bad.

 

[Micklebot]

we have no one in the organization who can win a faceoff)

Both Norris and Paul (who takes faceoffs half the time on the White line) have better faceoff numbers this year than Stepan, and Tierney is well within what can be attributed to random variance. Stepan being out only reliable guy at the dot is a bit of a myth imo now that Norris has found his way and Paul is taking draws

 

[otown]

This powerplay setup"the slingshot" has to go! If time is of the essence and you want to take advantage of the pp, wasting 20 seconds to try to get in the zone and set up is to the oppositions advantage.
The Sens are basically killing the penalty for them. Not efficient in the least as witnessed on numerous occassions.
Too predictable now!

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Both Norris and Paul (who takes faceoffs half the time on the White line) have better faceoff numbers this year than Stepan, and Tierney is well within what can be attributed to random variance. Stepan being out only reliable guy at the dot is a bit of a myth imo now that Norris has found his way and Paul is taking draws

Stepan is the only one who is solid on the right side. Also, I'm referring to replacing him with someone who doesnt already take significant faceoffs/isnt already in the lineup. Apparently, guys are 5-15% better on their strong side than their average (which stands to reason that they are probably that much worse on their weak side). Approx. 65% of faceoffs are taken by lefties, so having a right shooting guy on his strong side offers an advantage.

 

[Tuna99]

DJ has done a great job settling the team down and sticking with the goalies when they weren’t making saves. Hanging there with Toronto has been the first series the team has played where their game is in a position to win a series and hang with best team in the division. Team is improving every game.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

DJ has done a great job settling the team down and sticking with the goalies when they weren’t making saves. Hanging there with Toronto has been the first series the team has played where their game is in a position to win a series and hang with best team in the division. Team is improving every game.

Amen, Brother. Amen.

People focusing too much on the little mistakes and not on the fact that we played one of the leagues top teams.

DJ is working his lines effectively, IMO, but they do not have the level of cohesion that a team like Toronto have. I have said it a million times: These games show flashes of good and bad, by all. Some of those bad ones obviously relate to goals against.

(Yes, the PP still sucks.)

 

[Burrowsaurus]

He’s doing himself some favors here with how he’s changed his tune. Now just to get those two dudes off the PP