News Article: The Ottawa Senators have turned the corner with D.J. Smith's approach

[AchtzehnBaby]

A bit of a fluff piece, but some interesting points.

The biggest shift Smith has brought is the club’s work ethic. His skates are short because he wants everything done at a high speed. No, he didn’t try to reinvent the wheel when he arrived here, but nothing that happened under Boucher has been retained and there are still several players on the roster that needed time for the adjustment.
“We’re starting to do it day-in and day-out now and our practice level has gone up from the beginning of the year,” said defenceman Dylan DeMelo. “Everybody knows what to expect D.J. on a (daily basis).



The Ottawa Senators have turned the corner with D.J. Smith’s approach

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[Chabottawa72]

I honestly was afraid of Smith. Thought he may have been Boucher the 2nd with bring in his old players he’s coached,,but he’s done an incredible job…

 

[JD1]

It's hard to see how Boedker and Ryan will be able to work their way back in given the work hard / play fast agenda. I'm not sure either has it in them to do that at this stage

 

[supsens]

It’s great for a team that’s rebuilding with young kids, try that with the EK’s and the Spezza’s of the world and they would run you out of town.

 

[NyQuil]

It’s not rocket science but he’s shown that he’s committed to it thus far.

If you don’t have talent (see our PP) you have to make up for it with work ethic and speed.

Trotz has shown what a coach can do with a relatively average amount of talent in the league.

I expect both the Sens and the Isles to run out of gas during the winter grind.

 

[BatherSeason]

It’s great for a team that’s rebuilding with young kids, try that with the EK’s and the Spezza’s of the world and they would run you out of town.

Kudos to coach Smith and his staff. The team is infinitely more exciting to watch this season so far.

EK and Spezz are gone, not sure why we keep needing to bring them up? Spezza has been gone for years now. Let's just focus on the players that are here. Isn't that what everyone was saying just a few months ago?

 

[supsens]

Kudos to coach Smith and his staff. The team is infinitely more exciting to watch this season so far.

EK and Spezz are gone, not sure why we keep needing to bring them up? Let's just focus on the players that are here. Isn't that what everyone was saying just a few months ago?

Who’s we? You can talk about what you like, I did not like the culture that was allowed to run wild in the sens locker room for the last few years, I am happy it’s back to hard work.
Do you remember the image of the Alf and everyone hammering those bikes after every game during interviews? Hard work pays off and builds a good culture. “He’s so good he doesn’t need to practice” was a bunch of crap

 

[Sensfan4life]

It’s not rocket science but he’s shown that he’s committed to it thus far.

If you don’t have talent (see our PP) you have to make up for it with work ethic and speed.

Trotz has shown what a coach can do with a relatively average amount of talent in the league.

I expect both the Sens and the Isles to run out of gas during the winter grind.

The major difference is that Trotz has been able to get his team to outperform their talent level on a consistent basis over multiple teams and with different franchises. His success is replicable.

Smith may be able to follow in Barry's footsteps, but the path is strewn with a plethora of coaches who were able to get a team to play above their heads over the short term during the honeymoon period, but couldn't keep the success going as time wore on.

The Sens have been playing at a 67 point pace good for 28th place in the league with teams looking past them on the schedule and facing back up goalies in the majority of their starts. Let's see how Smith handles the rough times that are coming before we assess his impact.

 

[NyQuil]

The Sens have been playing at a 67 point pace good for 28th place in the league with teams looking past them on the schedule and facing back up goalies in the majority of their starts. Let's see how Smith handles the rough times that are coming before we assess his impact.

Well, he was given the keys to one of the worst teams Ottawa has ever assembled so hopefully expectations are muted.

 

[Sensfan4life]

Well, he was given the keys to one of the worst teams Ottawa has ever assembled so hopefully expectations are muted.

Very true.

In my opinion, great coaching is very rare and Trotz is one of the best. I hope Smith has that kind of trajectory, but the honeymoon period is not the time to assess.

 

[NyQuil]

Very true.

In my opinion, great coaching is very rare and Trotz is one of the best. I hope Smith has that kind of trajectory, but the honeymoon period is not the time to assess.

Well I didn't mean to imply that DJ Smith was Barry Trotz.

Only that teams without prodigious talent have to make up for it with effective systems and work ethic.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Very true.

In my opinion, great coaching is very rare and Trotz is one of the best. I hope Smith has that kind of trajectory, but the honeymoon period is not the time to assess.

There was no honeymoon. He is the Wedding DJ

 

[bert]

The major difference is that Trotz has been able to get his team to outperform their talent level on a consistent basis over multiple teams and with different franchises. His success is replicable.

Smith may be able to follow in Barry's footsteps, but the path is strewn with a plethora of coaches who were able to get a team to play above their heads over the short term during the honeymoon period, but couldn't keep the success going as time wore on.

The Sens have been playing at a 67 point pace good for 28th place in the league with teams looking past them on the schedule and facing back up goalies in the majority of their starts. Let's see how Smith handles the rough times that are coming before we assess his impact.

Good post, I have liked what he has done thus far outside of gifting Ennis endless opportunities and ice time. The team plays a fast hard game with modern systems built around puck pressure and a heavy forcheck. Thats how you win in todays NHL. The teams goal differential compared to its talent level is the most telling stat about his coaching thus far. They are the least talented roster in the NHL by a wide margin. But they are in almost every game. You are correct its a small sample size but they have been competitive and their compete has been terrific. I am hoping for a last place finish but if they get there playing this way thats a best case scenario.

Lets see if this level of play is sustainable. I have enjoyed the progression of Paul, Duclair, Chlapik and Tkachuk. Hopefully Brannstrom, L Brown and White all follow suit.

 

[NyQuil]

Personally I think Ennis has improved over the past 5 games or so.

Lets see if this level of play is sustainable.

I kind of hope it isn't because we need some of that talent in the draft.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Good post, I have liked what he has done thus far outside of gifting Ennis endless opportunities and ice time. The team plays a fast hard game with modern systems built around puck pressure and a heavy forcheck. Thats how you win in todays NHL. The teams goal differential compared to its talent level is the most telling stat about his coaching thus far. They are the least talented roster in the NHL by a wide margin. But they are in almost every game. You are correct its a small sample size but they have been competitive and their compete has been terrific. I am hoping for a last place finish but if they get there playing this way thats a best case scenario.

Lets see if this level of play is sustainable. I have enjoyed the progression of Paul, Duclair, Chlapik and Tkachuk. Hopefully Brannstrom, L Brown and White all follow suit.

Bert, if DJ did not play Ennis we would be ahead of Boston in the standings.

He has sidelined Ryan and Boedker. What more can you ask for!?

 

[bert]

Bert, if DJ did not play Ennis we would be ahead of Boston in the standings.

He has sidelined Ryan and Boedker. What more can you ask for!?

Thats what you took from my post? Id rather have Bobby in over Ennis any day of the week. Probably Boedker too, but I dont feel like explaining that again. Id rather focus on the rest of my post thanks.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Thats what you took from my post? Id rather have Bobby in over Ennis any day of the week. Probably Boedker too, but I dont feel like explaining that again. Id rather focus on the rest of my post thanks.

Ennis was having a rough start. He has been a bit better offensively.

 

[Kamina]

It’s great for a team that’s rebuilding with young kids, try that with the EK’s and the Spezza’s of the world and they would run you out of town.

EK and Spezz would carry the team to a bubble spot and 'ruin' the rebuild that way.

The team is watchable so that's something.

 

[Silencio]

Smith may be able to follow in Barry's footsteps, but the path is strewn with a plethora of coaches who were able to get a team to play above their heads over the short term during the honeymoon period, but couldn't keep the success going as time wore on.

It's a fair critique. The difference in my mind (so far) is that at the beginning of the season the Sens looked and played every bit like the dumpster fire we all thought they would be. Since then we've seen slow but steady improvement which to me reads like a team gelling together and gaining in confidence, rather than an unsustainable short term bump.

 

[bert]

Ennis was having a rough start. He has been a bit better offensively.

Turnover machine, irresponsible defensively while making selfish plays all over the ice. 4th line wingers shouldnt make no look passes/passes between the legs. Moves at the blue line etc. Eventually some of these things work when you try them enough but not at the cost of the defense he is not playing. Slap in the face to sit out Bobby over him. Atleast Bobby plays hard and gets the puck in deep.

 

[BatherSeason]

Who’s we? You can talk about what you like, I did not like the culture that was allowed to run wild in the sens locker room for the last few years, I am happy it’s back to hard work.
Do you remember the image of the Alf and everyone hammering those bikes after every game during interviews? Hard work pays off and builds a good culture. “He’s so good he doesn’t need to practice” was a bunch of crap

We have seen a few former rookie Sens coaches have success in small sample sizes. Paul MacLean won the Jack Adams with both Karlsson and Spezz in the lineup. I'm not disputing that Smith has done a bad job. More disputing your claim that EK and Spezz are coach killers as you seem to be stating. Guy Boucher also seemed to push the right buttons in his first season. EK was there for that too.

That being said. DJ has them going right now for sure but let's see and hope that he can keep this up. It's only been 16 games let's not crown him just yet. The rope Ennis has been given when he has played so poorly is definitely a red flag for me so far. However, all coaches have favorites so it's really not the end of the world.

 

[Sensinitis]

Turnover machine, irresponsible defensively while making selfish plays all over the ice. 4th line wingers shouldnt make no look passes/passes between the legs. Moves at the blue line etc. Eventually some of these things work when you try them enough but not at the cost of the defense he is not playing. Slap in the face to sit out Bobby over him. Atleast Bobby plays hard and gets the puck in deep.

I respect your opinion, but did you really just say that Bobby plays hard? I mean...

 

[Xspyrit]

A blue collar approach is great and everything and it should have been done earlier when there was more high end talent on the team but all it could achieve this year is that we miss on the top end talent of the draft we really need. Impossible to make the playoffs with less of that top end talent others teams have and if they make it, they would probably get swept in the first round anyway.

Ownership has painted this team in a corner with all those cost cuts. Best you could do is collect young assets until financial health of the franchise can vastly improve.

Guys like Sabourin, Ennis and Beaudin work hard and skate hard. Great.

 

[BonkTastic]

Do I like DJ Smith so far? Absolutely.
I feel, however, like I wouldn't be doing the subject justice if I didn't point out these articles as well:

a) Sens' Guy Boucher deserves coach of the year consideration
b) Paul Maclean wins Jack Adams award
c) Clouston corrects the situation

Clearly I'm not trying to suggest that Smith will fail because the other three on that list did. I'm just suggesting that maybe "5 weeks into his first season" isn't necessarily the time to title articles about the coach in this way.

That's on the editor for giving this article an unnecessarily leading title.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Do I like DJ Smith so far? Absolutely.
I feel, however, like I wouldn't be doing the subject justice if I didn't point out these articles as well:

a) Sens' Guy Boucher deserves coach of the year consideration
b) Paul Maclean wins Jack Adams award
c) Clouston corrects the situation

Clearly I'm not trying to suggest that Smith will fail because the other three on that list did. I'm just suggesting that maybe "5 weeks into his first season" isn't necessarily the time to title articles about the coach in this way.

That's on the editor for giving this article an unnecessarily leading title.

Really? Why do you follow this team anymore? Does everything have to be negative before it even plays out?

Maybe the writer is trying to show some positive aspects of the future instead of being down in the dumps. Maybe.