Silver Seven How safe is DJ Smith

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Pretty sure if DJ is going to be fired, it'll be done if the Sens are just far enough behind to make catching the pack unrealstic. Too little too late.

I'd have fired him in the offseason and brought in a big name coach who can teach defense. But that's just me.

Better hope DJ figures it out.

 

[swiftwin]

Pretty sure if DJ is going to be fired, it'll be done if the Sens are just far enough behind to make catching the pack unrealstic. Too little too late.

I'd have fired him in the offseason and brought in a big name coach who can teach defense. But that's just me.

Better hope DJ figures it out.

That's why he's safe. He deserves at least a full season with a good lineup.

I could see him get fired in January if we fall way behind, but that's probably not happening. Otherwise, he's getting the full season.

 

[jake1]

Elsewhere I asked about Sanderson's minutes, but I wasn't thinking. Of course they'll be sheltering him, to let him continue to grow and develop. I'm thinking of this as another example of how these are complex decisions. I have zero doubt he'll be logging 25 minutes two years from now, as probably a top 15 D in the league.

 

[JD1]

The year DJ came to town, Chabot's production took a nosedive. His play plateaued, and has slowly deteriorated since 18/19. He rarely shoots, isn't physical, and has little urgency. He's also lost half a step. Troubling, because he can still improve, and he has such a high ceiling.

I understand that DJ's hands were tied with previous rosters. He had to play Chabot a ton. But what didn't inspire me was DJ's all-time take that the more Chabot plays, the better he gets. It was a false statement then, and it sounds even worse in retrospect.

That said, if DJ can deploy Chabot correctly now that he is surrounded by more talent, and motivate him to be more engaged shift by shift, I'll give him more rope.

I honestly think his approach to managing Chabot's performance will dictate his fate.

Right. And a guy on the internet knows the "correct" way to deploy Chabot

Zaitsev was on the top pair with Chabot almost all night, that's not a prominent role now? He had more time paired with Chabot 5v5 than the rest of the D combined, he just wasn't with him 4v4. But sure, deployed like a 4/5, give me a break, if anyone is trying to spin a narrative here it's quite clearly you.

If you wish to keep Sanderson deployed with Hamonic and not expose him too early....what else do you do?

 

[Que]

We’re going to win.

It’s going to be awesome.

End. Of. Discussion.

Also, how is nobody, and I mean nobody, talking about the start of the 2nd period against Florida. That was impressive.

 

[Micklebot]

If you wish to keep Sanderson deployed with Hamonic and not expose him too early....what else do you do?

False dilema fallacy, you're setting a condition that doesn't need to exist, there is no reason Sanderson can only play with Hamonic, especially short term. If the coachig staff is so inflexible that they refuse to play Sanderson with anyone but Hamonic then we have bigger problems.

Some options are Chabot with Holden, Chabot with Brannstrom, Chabot with Hamonic and Sanderson with Holden, all are better that than Zaitsev on the top pair.

 

[LuckyPierre]

Right. And a guy on the internet knows the "correct" way to deploy Chabot.

DJ, for all the positives he brings, has ridden Chabot into the dirt.

The potential to live up to his contract is still there - he's an exceptional player.

Yet Chabot looks like he has PTSD from the last 4 seasons. Coach has to figure out how to make him tick. Tell me where I'm off base?

 

[JD1]

False dilema fallacy, you're setting a condition that doesn't need to exist, there is no reason Sanderson can only play with Hamonic, especially short term. If the coachig staff is so inflexible that they refuse to play Sanderson with anyone but Hamonic then we have bigger problems.

Some options are Chabot with Holden, Chabot with Brannstrom, Chabot with Hamonic and Sanderson with Holden, all are better that than Zaitsev on the top pair.

This is a hockey board. I'm not having philosophy discussions with you.

DJ, for all the positives he brings, has ridden Chabot into the dirt.

The potential to live up to his contract is still there - he's an exceptional player.

Yet Chabot looks like he has PTSD from the last 4 seasons. Coach has to figure out how to make him tick. Tell me where I'm off base?

So you want another guy on the internet to tell you how to deploy Chabot?

 

[Micklebot]

with you.

Oh no, somebody called out your bad argument by name, better not respond to the substance of the response,

 

[JD1]

Oh no, somebody called out your bad argument by name, better not respond to the substance of the response,

Micklebot it doesn't matter how I respond, you will twist turn and turn a thousand different ways and history on this board shows you're not really able to acknowledge the views of others.

Your view seems to be there were lots of pairing options.

I think the pairing options are limited without Zub.

That's it. The end.

 

[LuckyPierre]

So you want another guy on the internet to tell you how to deploy Chabot?

And you believe that thought exercise is reserved exclusively for the head coach.

 

[bert]

Competing hard and competing smart is what coaching is supposed to do. The team has to find a better balance, on the road they are atrocious and that’s coaching and the coach not having answers to road play. 0-3 on the road this year and they wont make the playoffs with a losing road record.

Will have to go 5-2 on the road in November to get themselves to .500% - not looking likely at all and that’s a playoff spot leaving your wish list of you can’t win on the road

Coach can't make players do simple plays well. They're in the NHL that's on them. Blaming DJ because Batherson got too cute at the blueline is quite the spin job. Sorry the coach isn't going to 'bag himself'. Skating players works. Not competing hard isn't the coach's responsibility its a given at this level. Find a logical scape goat if you're going to go in that direction.

 

[bert]

Dorion said if the Zaitsev isn’t a top 6 Dman he won’t play this season - just stick to the real talk issues and get #22 off the ice and get yourself a Dman like JBD who can just skate for 15-17 a night and looks like he understands how a puck moves around the ice and he isn’t sniffing ether on the bench

You think the 'real issue' is a depth d man when the first line gets folded in and looks like theyre playing shinny hockey?... When has JBD ever proven that? I don't want Zaitsev playing but there isn't one example of that happening.... Id love for it to be true but it didnt happen in pre season.

You're grasping at hypothetical situations that you've made up that don't have any proof or substance hehind them. I get that it's easy to blame the coach or the last d man over an 8 million dollar player but thats not why they lost the last two games.

 

[Micklebot]

Micklebot it doesn't matter how I respond, you will twist turn and turn a thousand different ways and history on this board shows you're not really able to acknowledge the views of others.

Your view seems to be there were lots of pairing options.

I think the pairing options are limited without Zub.

That's it. The end.

We had zero issues playing Chabot with the likes of Claesson, Borowiecki, and Ceci his rookie year, have played Brannstrom who Sanderson is already better than with Josh Brown, Zaitsev, Hainsey, Holden and Gudbranson, played Karlsson with Campoli and Sutton his rookie year, but the best D prospect we've had since Karlsson and possibly ever will be ruined or overwhelmed at 20 yrs old if he has to play with anybody other than Hamonic for a few games while Zub is out?

Yeah, we definitely don't see eye to eye on this, no need to go any further.

 

[aragorn]

DJ didn't give the puck away to Minny with the net empty Chabot did & DJ didn't give the puck away to Florida with the net empty Stutzle did. Let's lay the blame where it should be at the players who screwed up when they needed them to be better. Nothing else in the game mattered as much, those two plays cost us the games, we still had a chance up to that point against two very good teams. Can't win them all.

 

[bert]

DJ, for all the positives he brings, has ridden Chabot into the dirt.

The potential to live up to his contract is still there - he's an exceptional player.

Yet Chabot looks like he has PTSD from the last 4 seasons. Coach has to figure out how to make him tick. Tell me where I'm off base?

I think Chabot has developed too many tendencies in his game to try and save his energy because he has been played too much. Its going to take some very good coaching to make him feel as good about himself and learn to play less while playing with more urgency and energy. This is going to be DJ's biggest challenge to get this team to the next level. Chabot is simply too important to play the type of game he is playing now.

He has had some nice moments this year and has got better in some games. Thought he was amazing against Washington. Good against Dallas too. Last two games havent been as great.

I like the idea of him and Brannstrom playing together tonight to try a different look.

When Zub is back I wouldnt mind seeing them try this top 4.

Chabot Sanderson
Brannstrom Zub

Sanderson just seems like he can play the right side because his skating is so incredible. I dunno if he has ever done it but id give it a shot. Could be a dominant pair ala Toews Makar or Doughty Keith. Two elite skaters.

Brannstrom-Zub have always been good together when I watch.

 

[OD99]

DJ didn't give the puck away to Minny with the net empty Chabot did & DJ didn't give the puck away to Florida with the net empty Stutzle did. Let's lay the blame where it should be at the players who screwed up when they needed them to be better. Nothing else in the game mattered as much, those two plays cost us the games, we still had a chance up to that point against two very good teams. Can't win them all.

You are blaming the guys who touched the puck last when we had an empty net as the 2 responsible for losing those games?

We were already losing. I never agree with pulling a goalie when you have a PP already until the very end. No idea if we would have scored on the PP against Minny but we would have had more opportunities for sure - once that empty netter was given up the game was over.

FL was a shit show from the beginning, if anything Jimmy can be blamed for not having brought enough 5V5 yet this season but in general that line is creating a fair bit each game.

DJ needs to find a way for the team to have better and more consistent structure. If he can't, he needs to go.

 

[swiftwin]

DJ didn't give the puck away to Minny with the net empty Chabot did & DJ didn't give the puck away to Florida with the net empty Stutzle did. Let's lay the blame where it should be at the players who screwed up when they needed them to be better. Nothing else in the game mattered as much, those two plays cost us the games, we still had a chance up to that point against two very good teams. Can't win them all.

While we're on the subject of empty net goals, can we stop magnifying and blaming losses on the tiniest mistakes that end up with an empty net goal? The net is f***ing empty. It's a desperate attempt to tie the game. I've seen way too many people say that Chabot is playing poorly because of plays that end up in our empty net. Chabot was terrible against Buffalo, but he's been very solid since then. His whole season should not be judged based on him being on the ice when we're trying to tie the game, there's an entire other 58 minutes of the game that happened before that.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

While we're on the subject of empty net goals, can we stop magnifying and blaming losses on the tiniest mistakes that end up with an empty net goal? The net is f***ing empty. It's a desperate attempt to tie the game. I've seen way too many people say that Chabot is playing poorly because of plays that end up in our empty net. Chabot was terrible against Buffalo, but he's been very solid since then. His whole season should not be judged based on him being on the ice when we're trying to tie the game, there's an entire other 58 minutes of the game that happened before that.

Plus he was put in a real tough spot with that pass from Batherson.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

One thing that's certain is that DJ seems like the most liked coach here since Paul Maclean, maybe even more so

I wonder if the team will just hold off any changes if the team is expected to be sold.

Always a chance that new ownerships does a giant flush of the organization

 

[Micklebot]

While we're on the subject of empty net goals, can we stop magnifying and blaming losses on the tiniest mistakes that end up with an empty net goal? The net is f***ing empty. It's a desperate attempt to tie the game. I've seen way too many people say that Chabot is playing poorly because of plays that end up in our empty net. Chabot was terrible against Buffalo, but he's been very solid since then. His whole season should not be judged based on him being on the ice when we're trying to tie the game, there's an entire other 58 minutes of the game that happened before that.

Let's be honest here, last year, there was two and a half more goals scored into an empty net than there were scored with the extra guy from pulling your goalie, by the time you pull the goalie, you already expect to lose. Nobody should be a lose on a mistake with the net empty resulting in a goal, not only is a goal into the empty net the statistically most likely result (perhaps nobody scoring is more likely, not sure how I'd check that), but you've already assuming you will lose if you don't pull the goalie, or are very likely to, so you aren't actually causing the lose at that point.

It sucks allowing the empty net goal, but that ain't why we lost those games.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Zaitsev was on the top pair with Chabot almost all night, that's not a prominent role now? He had more time paired with Chabot 5v5 than the rest of the D combined, he just wasn't with him 4v4. But sure, deployed like a 4/5, give me a break, if anyone is trying to spin a narrative here it's quite clearly you.

I created a table outlining every shift (start time to end time) that both Zaitsev and Chabot played and then counted the overlap in those shifts. In total, they played 11:25 together. So, of the 29+ minutes that Chabot played, he only played 11:25 with Zaitsev. In which universe is that "Zaitsev on the top pair with Chabot almost all night" or a "prominent role" when Chabot played the majority of his icetime away from Zaitsev?

Chabot	Zaitsev	Overlap
00.36-1.44 3.47-4.56 6.17-7.22 8.41-9.44 11.54-12.59 14-14.35 16.17-17.32 18.35-20	1.34-2.40 4.56-5.22 6.42-7.14 8.28-9.18 10.05-11.03 11.45-11.54 13.53-15.03 15.34-16.18 16.54-17.32 18.35-19.17	0.10 0.32 0.37 0.35 0.38 0.42 Total 1st Period: 3.36
20.37-21.35 23.23-24.54 25.39-26.27 28.32-31.34 32.55-34.18 35.31-37.17 38.15-39.23	20.37-21.12 23.23-24.53 26.39-27.39 28.34-29.14 29.44-30.25 32.22-32.55 35.33-36.46 38.18-39.23	0.35 1.30 0.10 0.40 0.41 1.13 1.05 Total 2nd Period: 4.54
40-42.08 42.38-43.01 44.17-44.34 46.34-46.38 46.58-47.53 49.12-50.37 51.56-52.45 53.58-54.51 55.17-55.43 57.11-59.46	44.05-45.24 46.12-46.56 49.20-49.36 51.56-52.44 53.32-54.51 55.17-55.44	0.17 0.04 0.16 0.48 0.53 0.27 Total 3rd Period: 2.55
		Total All Game: 11.25

 

[Micklebot]

I created a table outlining every shift (start time to end time) that both Zaitsev and Chabot played and then counted the overlap in those shifts. In total, they played 11:25 together. So, of the 29+ minutes that Chabot played, he only played 11:25 with Zaitsev. In which universe is that "Zaitsev on the top pair with Chabot almost all night" or a "prominent role" when Chabot played the majority of his icetime away from Zaitsev?

Chabot	Zaitsev	Overlap
00.36-1.44 3.47-4.56 6.17-7.22 8.41-9.44 11.54-12.59 14-14.35 16.17-17.32 18.35-20	1.34-2.40 4.56-5.22 6.42-7.14 8.28-9.18 10.05-11.03 11.45-11.54 13.53-15.03 15.34-16.18 16.54-17.32 18.35-19.17	0.10 0.32 0.37 0.35 0.38 0.42 Total 1st Period: 3.36
20.37-21.35 23.23-24.54 25.39-26.27 28.32-31.34 32.55-34.18 35.31-37.17 38.15-39.23	20.37-21.12 23.23-24.53 26.39-27.39 28.34-29.14 29.44-30.25 32.22-32.55 35.33-36.46 38.18-39.23	0.35 1.30 0.10 0.40 0.41 1.13 1.05 Total 2nd Period: 4.54
40-42.08 42.38-43.01 44.17-44.34 46.34-46.38 46.58-47.53 49.12-50.37 51.56-52.45 53.58-54.51 55.17-55.43 57.11-59.46	44.05-45.24 46.12-46.56 49.20-49.36 51.56-52.44 53.32-54.51 55.17-55.44	0.17 0.04 0.16 0.48 0.53 0.27 Total 3rd Period: 2.55
		Total All Game: 11.25

No need to create tables, just read what I posted and you could have saved yourself some time, he played more 5v5 with Chabot than all the others combined. You could watch the game too, it was pretty apparent all game. Holden spent about two shifts with him before Zaitsev took over, Brann and Sanderson got some 4v4 time with him

Or you can check one of the many sites that track it already,

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/game.php?season=20222023&game=20128

At 5v5 with Chabot

Zaitsev 10:45
Brannstrom 4:21
Holden 3:19
Sanderson 1:27
Hamonic 1:03

He was on the top pair the majority of the night 5v5

 

[bert]

Plus he was put in a real tough spot with that pass from Batherson.

If were going to blame someone for each of these goals that one was definitely on him. But thats clearly silly to blame a game on that.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

If were going to blame someone for each of these goals that one was definitely on him. But thats clearly silly to blame a game on that.

Yup, not much to be gained from assigning blame, just a couple of questionable decisions and its in the back of your net. On to the next one.