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

[Cosmix]

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.

NO! Dorion was the major problem with this team.

 

[bert]

What dumb moves are they making?

Firing Dorion - Good move.

Hiring new analytics and conditioning staff - Good move

Hiring Jacque Martin as a consultant - Good move

That pretty much it for moves.

It may be frustrating as a fan to see them take the their time with things but that may be good sign long term.

I would rather have a patient owner who waits a reasonable amount of time to get "his guys" and builds a positive culture slowly and deliberately than someone who just reacts.

They have bolstered the organization in every way possible without rocking the current boat of players and coachs. Spent alot of money, but some posters are saying they are going to cut spending like its fact. So strange. Personally I have liked the approach given the circumstances.

They took the team over in pre season. I dont think they wanted to fire anyone until they had time to do proper evaluations but Dorions incompetence has forced their hand in more ways than one. First with him and now with DJ. An interim coach is the only real decision right now. I want stablility not like its been since Brian Murray moved on. No more knee jerk reactions please.

Keeping Sexton around promoting Martin to HC and finding a D and special teams coach should be the priority. I hope right now Martin is actively looking with Staios and Bowness.

Could Alfie be special teams? Who could run the D? Maybe the staff is Martin, Julien and Alfie? A new goalie coach would also be my priority. Someone needs to help these two guys get it together.

 

[swiftwin]

Tocchet was hired mid-season last year, on January 22nd.

They didn't use an interim after Boudreau. They found their guy.

Craig Berube is available. He's Tocchet with a better resume.

If Berube is the guy we want, then sure, let's hire him. All I'm saying is I don't want an interim.

Personally, I'm a bit leery of choosing a permanent coach when the incoming GM isn't the one choosing, which is what happened with Boudreau in Vancouver, which burned off another season.

 

[HF Reader]

Most of us thought this team would be fighting for a playoff spot this year. In a losing streak to some top teams isnt that unexpected then. But strategy wise, do we want to take Dorions team and tweak it with a coach change? Is there reason to believe that would work? Other teams may have had reason to believe that. An interim coach, i guess on one of those 5 month contracts, isnt expected to achieve results as much as placate angry fans with a short term stop gap. I like the idea of patience and long term planning.

Depends what you mean by "Believe it would work". A new coach probably won't save the season in terms of playoffs.

A change has the strong probability of teaching the players how to play better individually and within a system. It would certainly provide a better opportunity to evaluate the players.

Dorion did a very bad job of rebuilding imho.

 

[DaveMatthew]

If Berube is the guy we want, then sure, let's hire him. All I'm saying is I don't want an interim.

Personally, I'm a bit leery of choosing a permanent coach when the incoming GM isn't the one choosing, which is what happened with Boudreau in Vancouver, which burned off another season.

The new GM won't choose the next coach in the summer, regardless.

Coaches are hired and fired in June, before the draft and free agency. It's highly likely our new GM is coming from another organization (see Mathieu Darche), which means they won't be able to start in Ottawa until after the draft.

So Staios is hiring the next guy unless we're picking up DJ's option and letting the new GM go into next season with him.

And if there is an interim, it will most likely be Jacques Martin, who's already here and will be moving forward.

There is zero reason to keep DJ Smith beyond this road trip. The toxicity that exists right now is reason enough to make a change. These players need to be put on notice. The playoffs are no longer an achievable goal, but everyone needs to be evaluated with a fresh set of eyes.

If they really wanted to play for DJ, they should have played better.

 

[2CHAINZ]

If Berube is the guy we want, then sure, let's hire him. All I'm saying is I don't want an interim.

Personally, I'm a bit leery of choosing a permanent coach when the incoming GM isn't the one choosing, which is what happened with Boudreau in Vancouver, which burned off another season.

Why don't you want an interim? You want to watch this trash system that hasn't worked for 6 years? You hated and cried when every thread was filled with fire Dorion talk, you enjoy every thread with fire DJ talk? Are you just ok with finishing at the bottom again and being the laughing stock of the league? Do you think DJ is going to finally turn this thing around if we give him more time?

 

[L'Aveuglette]

We are in game 26 of the Andaluer regime.

The Melnyk organisations last f*** you to this team was delaying the sale until a point that the new owner was limited in what he could do pre-season.

Andaluer has done nothing that would indicate he isn't going to be a save operator and good owner. Doing things right takes and in a couple years I bet we are all happy with his leadership.

I don't give a shit how long Andlauer has been owner. He didn't magically reset the clock with the team on the ice and certainly not with the fanbase. He had plenty of time before officially taking over to analyze the state of things. and if he didn't do any of that before coming on then that's a bad look now and going forward. There was nothing whatsoever to indicate DJ could suddenly get this group to play the right way based on his 5 previous seasons so what the hell was he waiting for? We're long past any talk of patience regardless of who owns the Senators.

 

[HSF]

Not wanting an interim is kinda dumb. Its a great opportunity to give a test run to someone while teaching these guys how to play.

If you want to bring in someone long term like Berube then go for it.

I think the whole not having a GM is overblown. We have a POHO and acting GM. He will be here when the new GM gets hired. You can make it work...especially if they are bringing in a rookie GM like Darche. At the end of the day decisions will be made by both the POHO and GM

 

[Cosmix]

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.

Dorion has not been known as a "truth sayer"!

 

[swiftwin]

Why don't you want an interim? You want to watch this trash system that hasn't worked for 6 years? You hated and cried when every thread was filled with fire Dorion talk, you enjoy every thread with fire DJ talk? Are you just ok with finishing at the bottom again and being the laughing stock of the league? Do you think DJ is going to finally turn this thing around if we give him more time?

I want DJ to be replaced. But I want us to do it right. No half-measures. No jeopardizing next season to salvage this season.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Just throw Capuano in there if you have to. Just take this poor guy off the screen, please. It feels sad to watch DJ going through the motions at this point and it doesn't seem like the team is there with the required effort, beyond the chaos. He gives new meaning to lame duck coach.

 

[HSF]

I want DJ to be replaced. But I want us to do it right. No half-measures. No jeopardizing next season to salvage this season.

So you rather the players keep regressing under this staff for the next 60 games instead of bringing someone in to change things? Edm, Minny and St Louis all understood that a change now is better than waiting till the offseason

Weird take tbh

 

[2CHAINZ]

I want DJ to be replaced. But I want us to do it right. No half-measures. No jeopardizing next season to salvage this season.

How are you jeopardizing next season? Continuing to allow these players to lose while making no effort to stop the bleeding will do far more damage than hiring an interim coach.

 

[DaveMatthew]

How are you jeopardizing next season? Continuing to allow these players to lose while making no effort to stop the bleeding will do far more damage than hiring an interim coach.

Maybe he's afraid that if a new coach comes in and benches Tkachuk and Stutzle for a period after they half-ass it on the back-check, the players will throw a temper tantrum and ask out?

 

[HF Reader]

The new GM won't choose the next coach in the summer, regardless.

Coaches are hired and fired in June, before the draft and free agency. It's highly likely our new GM is coming from another organization (see Mathieu Darche), which means they won't be able to start in Ottawa until after the draft.

So Staios is hiring the next guy unless we're picking up DJ's option and letting the new GM go into next season with him.

And if there is an interim, it will most likely be Jacques Martin, who's already here and will be moving forward.

There is zero reason to keep DJ Smith beyond this road trip. The toxicity that exists right now is reason enough to make a change. These players need to be put on notice. The playoffs are no longer an achievable goal, but everyone needs to be evaluated with a fresh set of eyes.

If they really wanted to play for DJ, they should have played better.

I agree with your comment about toxicity and my guess is that the road trip will finish DJ.

I think you are right about the new GM being currently unavailable and thus the hiring delay. SS can run the draft without the new GM, although less than ideal. I don't know the scouting organization. SS might have to make trade decisions also.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Maybe he's afraid that if a new coach comes in and benches Tkachuk and Stutzle for a period after they half-ass it on the back-check, the players will throw a temper tantrum and ask out?

These players signed 8-year contracts. Why is everyone all of a sudden obsessed and scared they will ask out? Isn't it more likely they will ask out if we keep losing and make no effort to stop the losing?

 

[Cosmix]

No doubt in my mind had Dorion not been a total idiot and offered him the job he would have chosen Ottawa over Philly last summer. Imagine how much better we'd be under him right now. It's depressing af, especially as current management continues to force the status quo down our throats.

Dorion would not hire a competent coach who had more experience and success than Dorion.

 

[swiftwin]

Just throw Capuano in there if you have to. Just take this poor guy off the screen, please. It feels sad to watch DJ going through the motions at this point and it doesn't seem like the team is there with the required effort, beyond the chaos. He gives new meaning to lame duck coach.

Yeah, I think this is the best option at this point. It's pretty clear we'll have a new coach next summer. Right now, the team is playing like they're waiting for something to happen.

 

[HSF]

Would be sweet if Sully is fired in Pitts

 

[Cosmix]

Most of us thought this team would be fighting for a playoff spot this year. In a losing streak to some top teams isnt that unexpected then. But strategy wise, do we want to take Dorions team and tweak it with a coach change? Is there reason to believe that would work? Other teams may have had reason to believe that. An interim coach, i guess on one of those 5 month contracts, isnt expected to achieve results as much as placate angry fans with a short term stop gap. I like the idea of patience and long term planning.

I like long term planning too; however, we have been living with a toxic owner, poor GM, and worse coaching staff for quite a few years now. There is no value in retaining any of them going forward. If there is a person that Andlauer & Staios want as GM who is under contract with another team until the season ends, then I can see Staios being interim GM. As Interim GM, Staios can replace the HC and staff with interim staff or a new contract staff if available. Letting this coaching staff remain is not a wise move.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Yeah, I think this is the best option at this point. It's pretty clear we'll have a new coach next summer. Right now, the team is playing like they're waiting for something to happen.

I think they have to do something. You can't just leave DJ in there all year, certainly not with the effort we're seeing out there. He himself just looks sad and defeated.

Who's our AHL guy? maybe that's another option since everyone seems to despise Capuano.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Its about a dysfunctional situation on this board as what Dorion/Melnyk have left Andlauer and Staios to clean up.

Probably the same family on here.

 

[bert]

I think they have to do something. You can't just leave DJ in there all year, certainly not with the effort we're seeing out there. He himself just looks sad and defeated.

Who's our AHL guy? maybe that's another option since everyone seems to despise Capuano.

Its gotta change now. The habits are getting worse, Stutzle is regressing. At worst move in Jaques in the D coaching spot and get rid of Capuano.

 

[Billy Bridges]

Firing DJ and replacing him with Capuano is like washing your butt with a bucket of piss after you've pooped your pants, so maybe the candidate they want isn't available or willing to sign at terms being offered?

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Its gotta change now. The habits are getting worse, Stutzle is regressing. At worst move in Jaques in the D coaching spot and get rid of Capuano.

That sounds like a half measure. I think it's most important that DJ himself be the one to go. Replace Capuano, sure, but that's not the significant dilemma here imo.