News Article: It's Time For DJ Smith To Go

[L'Aveuglette]

It is NOT time to let go of DJ Smith!! I can't agree with that premise at all.






The time to let go of DJ Smith was November 2021.

Agreed!

At the very least a new coach should have been brought in this summer to guide the newly "boosted" lineup and to give the kids a fresh start from all the losing.

 

[bert]

Fire Dorion, DJ and the entire staff.

Mann as interim GM.

Mann as interim coach.

This but Bowness as GM Mann as assistant he has more experience at the pro level. Mann as coach with his own staff.

 

[GCK]

bring up Mann as interim if Trotz does not want the job. Lets see what Mann has and at the end of the season interview better candidates

Trotz would be a disaster here and there is zero chance he would be offered the job.

 

[HSF]

Trotz would be a disaster here and there is zero chance he would be offered the job.

why would Trotz be a disaster?

he wants a job where he can transition into a GM role. Bring him in as a coach and promote him to GM after the sale of the team

 

[swiftwin]

I kind of wonder if it's possible that some of the prospective owners would have talked to Trotz. Our team is built like a Trotz team. I don't see why he wouldn't want to come here if new owners give him the $$$.

 

[bicboi64]

Trotz can stifle offense like he did with Barzal, but he can also allows players to flourish like Ovie did. I think Stu will benefit from Trotz

 

[GCK]

why would Trotz be a disaster?

he wants a job where he can transition into a GM role. Bring him in as a coach and promote him to GM after the sale of the team

Trotz likes to use a big, heavy D which is the complete opposite of ours. His system stifles offence. We would need to completely reshape the roster.

 

[HSF]

Trotz likes to use a big, heavy D which is the complete opposite of ours. His system stifles offence. We would need to completely reshape the roster.

He provides a ton of structure

exactly what we need

I would lose a bit of offense if we stop blowing our defensive game

 

[DaveMatthew]

Trotz likes to use a big, heavy D which is the complete opposite of ours. His system stifles offence. We would need to completely reshape the roster.

Good coaches adapt. The way Nashville played under Trotz was different than the way Washington played which was different than the way New York played.

Does Trotz require his players to focus on the defensive details game in and game out? Yes, so I guess that'd be the big change from DJ.

I'm sure he'd want better defensemen, though. That part you're right about.

 

[swiftwin]

Trotz can stifle offense like he did with Barzal, but he can also allows players to flourish like Ovie did. I think Stu will benefit from Trotz

Trotz is not very different from DJ when it comes to generating offense though.

Systems Explained: The Barry Trotz Islanders - Architecte Hockey

A look into how New York Islanders coach, Barry Trotz reinvented the Islanders and how his coaching style exposed his old team in Washington

architecte-hockey.com

The way the Islanders build-up is very structured. The key principle being puck management, the goal is to enter the zone in areas with a strong probability of recovering the puck and continuing possession. This means that in order to prevent being caught by a counter-attack, preventing neutral zone turnovers by dumping the puck more than usual is encouraged.

Trotz wouldn’t appreciate me using the term dump and chase as in his words it’s far more of a place and chase. This is an important distinction as the placement of the puck is dependent on space and support, and never caused by panic.

This is 100% similar to the way we play under DJ. Which works with our personnel. Guys like Brady, Bath, etc have the size and speed to retrieve pucks deep in the o-zone. That's why I'm not entirely convinced our problems with DJ are systems based. It's more about interpersonal relationships, accountability and ice time management.

That being said, I honestly think our team fits Barry Trotz hockey like a glove.

 

[GCK]

Good coaches adapt. The way Nashville played under Trotz was different than the way Washington played which was different than the way New York played.

Does Trotz require his players to focus on the defensive details game in and game out? Yes, so I guess that'd be the big change from DJ.

I'm sure he'd want better defensemen, though. That part you're right about.

Trotz can stifle offense like he did with Barzal, but he can also allows players to flourish like Ovie did. I think Stu will benefit from Trotz

All those teams played similar styles. Big heavy forecheck on offence and collapse to the crease on D.

 

[swiftwin]

All those teams played similar styles. Big heavy forecheck on offence and collapse to the crease on D.

...which is exactly what we're doing right now with DJ Smith

 

[DaveMatthew]

All those teams played similar styles. Big heavy forecheck on offence and collapse to the crease on D.

I see no reason why a team with Tkachuk, Batherson, Norris, Pinto, etc can't have a big heavy forecheck.

Defense is a bigger conversation, for any coach or GM. The personnel needs a revamp regardless of our desired style.

 

[GCK]

...which is exactly what we're doing right now with DJ Smith

And how is that working

 

[GCK]

I see no reason why a team with Tkachuk, Batherson, Norris, Pinto, etc can't have a big heavy forecheck.

Defense is a bigger conversation, for any coach or GM. The personnel needs a revamp regardless of our desired style.

I’m not spending money to watch 15 minutes of Matt Martin, Clutterbuck, Cizikas with Andy Green on the back end.

 

[swiftwin]

And how is that working

All I'm saying is our systems is not the problem. It's painfully obvious that it's not the problem. The problem is repeated gaffes and boneheaded plays in the d-zone. From the neutral zone to the o-zone, our system is identical to Trotz's system.

It likely has more to do It's more about interpersonal relationships, accountability and ice time management.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I’m not spending money to watch 15 minutes of Matt Martin, Clutterbuck, Cizikas with Andy Green on the back end.

I'd spend money to see wins and playoff games. Much better than 40 shots and 6-4 losses to Vancouver. But hey that's just me.

I went to way more games when Jacques Martin and his system were putting up 95+ point seasons, even when Shaun Van Allen, Jody Hull and Shane Hnidy were getting regular shifts. From what I remember, Alfredsson and Hossa still got their goals and points.

I don't know where the idea that this roster is all that skilled came from. We should not be playing run and gun. Tkachuk, Stützle, Batherson, Chabot, etc need to get back to some basics.

 

[tucson83]

flyers fan coming in peace, you guys could have had torts, i mean he's the type of coach you guys need, accountability, leadership for this type of young squad. no one had us playing this well, it really shows how much great coaching does to a team.

it's very hard to find young guys like cooper, sometimes you have to have a bigger name that has great track record of winning in the nhl.

 

[Flamingo]

flyers fan coming in peace, you guys could have had torts, i mean he's the type of coach you guys need, accountability, leadership for this type of young squad. no one had us playing this well, it really shows how much great coaching does to a team.

it's very hard to find young guys like cooper, sometimes you have to have a bigger name that has great track record of winning in the nhl.

Hmmm, Scotty Bowman stepped down from his associate coach responsibilities in Chicago, didn't he?

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

flyers fan coming in peace, you guys could have had torts, i mean he's the type of coach you guys need, accountability, leadership for this type of young squad. no one had us playing this well, it really shows how much great coaching does to a team.

it's very hard to find young guys like cooper, sometimes you have to have a bigger name that has great track record of winning in the nhl.

It's tough when the main requirement for any coaching hire has been a low salary under the previous ownership. A guy like Torts was never an option because of his pay.

 

[HSF]

I’m not spending money to watch 15 minutes of Matt Martin, Clutterbuck, Cizikas with Andy Green on the back end.

Yet you rather pay to watch 15 mins of zaitsev ?

 

[Bileur]

Yet you rather pay to watch 15 mins of zaitsev ?

Not to mention that Kelly-Kastelic-Watson is not dissimilar to a poor man’s Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

why would Trotz be a disaster?

he wants a job where he can transition into a GM role. Bring him in as a coach and promote him to GM after the sale of the team

So Dorion is going to hire someone who has aspirations for his job, and after a few seasons can fire himself, and recommend Trotz?

maybe he can rent him a room in his house, as Trotz has indicated he likes his wife

 

[JD1]

If you put yourself in Dorion's shoes, it should be a no brainer. He has to move into self-preservation mode.

New ownership is coming. They're going to spend anywhere from $750M-$1B to buy this team. With that sticker price, this will no longer be a mom-and-pop operation. They will have one primary priority when they take over:

1. Win back the fanbase and sell tickets

To do that, they're going to have to show that "somethings different".

You can bet that there'll be a very expensive market research agency doing a ton of research into fan sentiment. And when they put together that powerpoint for the new executives, it won't be kind to Dorion or DJ if the season continues like this.

His only chance to survive is to make DJ the fall guy and bring in someone who can lead this team to a respectable finish and change the conversation.

"See it wasn't me it was him. We just needed a better coach. The roster was good."

That's his only shot, and to be honest, it's still a long shot.

How many games you been to?

 

[Big Muddy]

I've read suggestions to hire Trotz, sign Parayko, etc.

It reminds me of that Steve Martin skit.

Other guy: Steve, how do I become a millionaire?

Steve: Easy. First, get a million dollars.

LOL.