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

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Not sure how sustainable our play is under DJ, but we're actually enjoyable to watch despite having the worst team we've had in forever.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I have a feeling that DJ wouldnt be here at all if this wasn't a rebuilding team that was going to be focused entirely on development these next few years. I could have easily seen them going with Roy or someone like that had things gone differently with the UFAs.

I dont disagree that Karlsson probably earned every bit of special treatment that he got. But its also not easy to send a consistent message to the rest of your team if your captain (and sometimes worst offender) is given a free pass to play and practice on his own terms.

Fair but its also easier to fire a coach than to trade a team when there is a rift between him and the star player. They get preferential treatment. Just the nature of the beast

Either way I like where the coach is directing this team, for now..

 

[Cosmix]

Completely agree with you. Give me Chlapik, Davidsson, Beaudoin all day everyday over Ryan, Boedker, Ennis, Sabs. You can even play them more than 5 minutes.

I thought Davidsson looked energized and involved in the game play last game; far more so than previous games. I think he was uncertain about what to do or perhaps getting told to take care of D first. Whatever it was, he was playing more aggressively in the O-Zone last game. My assessment of him has changed and I hope he keeps playing more aggressively with more energy than before.

I have also liked Beaudoin as well who seems to have very good speed and hustle. Even Chlapik seems to have got the message.

 

[Sensfan4life]

“This is the first time in my time here that we’ve had foundation of individual accountability and work ethic,” alternate captain Mark Borowiecki told this newspaper.

You have to wonder if this comment comes in part from Erik Karlsson no longer being on the team... Rightfully or wrongfully he was unquestionably given special rules and treatment by his coaches, and a preferred practice schedule (ie totally optional) .

This is going to rub some people the wrong way no matter what. And with EK as the captain of the team, its not ridiculous to suggest that his laissez-faire approach to practice and overall team defense had a negative trickle down effect in the dressing room. Especially when the entire team is struggling badly at defence and keeping shots down (which was always the case while EK was here).

Its pretty clear to me at least that this team has been in need of a culture change for a while now.

What happened last year? Was EK to blame for last season as well?

I'm just wondering how far you will twist this quote to suit your agenda.

 

[Samsquanch]

What happened last year? Was EK to blame for last season as well?

I'm just wondering how far you will twist this quote to suit your agenda.

Lol what happened last year? Is this a serious question or am I missing the sarcasm?

We are in a thread about DJ Smith. He wasnt our coach last year, and we are talking about how the team is playing under him. And your asking me why the team wasnt playing the same way last year with Guy Boucher as our coach? Really?

Should I keep going, or no you've had enough? FWIW I never blamed EK for getting special treatment - thats on our last coaches imo.

 

[Sensfan4life]

Lol what happened last year? Is this a serious question or am I missing the sarcasm?

We are in a thread about DJ Smith. He wasnt our coach last year, and we are talking about how the team is playing under him. And your asking me why the team wasnt playing the same way last year with Guy Boucher as our coach? Really?

Should I keep going, or no you've had enough? FWIW I never blamed EK for getting special treatment - thats on our last coaches.

The quote from Boro included last year's team. Were Stone and Duchene to blame for the problems last season?

 

[Samsquanch]

The quote from Boro included last year's team. Were Stone and Duchene to blame for the problems last season?

Boro's quote was simple, and hes saying the team is working harder now that it ever has before in his time here. It doesnt need to get complicated from there.

I would say that having the same coach, same system, same level of intensity at practices, was more to blame for last season than the personnel on the roster. I never suggested that everyone started working a bit harder the day EK left....

And for some reason your seem to be really put off by two very well known facts; Karlsson was given optional practices (because he was leaned on so heavily and played big minutes), and in the name of trying to create offense he was also given far more leeway to break from the system and make more turnovers than every other player on the team. Stone and Duchene were never given optional practices, or given the option to play differently than the rest of the team, so its really, really not the same at all.

My point is that unless your team is elite and getting elite results (we were not), those sort of inconsistent messages from the coaching staff are going to eventually result in players tuning the coaches out and/or not playing as hard as they can be playing (which we are seeing has been the case with DJ getting more out of the same players).

 

[supsens]

The quote from Boro included last year's team. Were Stone and Duchene to blame for the problems last season?

Ok I will play, did you see the Uber video, Duchene’s attitude towards what the coach has to say was yet another prime example of player knows best and does what he wants. But who cares cause he got points right?

 

[Stylizer1]

The true test will be how this team performs next season. New coach, new system is always amazing the first season.

 

[Stylizer1]

Ok I will play, did you see the Uber video, Duchene’s attitude towards what the coach has to say was yet another prime example of player knows best and does what he wants. But who cares cause he got points right?

If you where talking about an army regiment sure, fall in line, but in most lines of work if you team doesn't has confidence in your ability to lead you end up with substandard results. Some coaches feel it and coaches know it, the way that message gets across to the players is the issue.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

The contrast between his coaching and Boucher's is shocking to say the least. He's doing good work despite being handed a losing roster. Gotta give him props.

 

[supsens]

If you where talking about an army regiment sure, fall in line, but in most lines of work if you team doesn't has confidence in your ability to lead you end up with substandard results. Some coaches feel it and coaches know it, the way that message gets across to the players is the issue.

In all lines of work jackasses be jackasses, he was being leaned on to be a leader and older experienced player. You can’t blame others for his mattitude

 

[TheDebater]

You are one of my few references on this site when it comes to “understand” the game. It’s clear that you played. Aragorn is another guy that I can rely too. Even if I don’t always agree with you both; I know I can take some valuable opinions from you on this.

Ryan even if he is aging and went through many injuries, he is still better than several forwards on this team; easily top-9. Problem is his skating and stamina/endurance. He can play a powerfoward style occasionally which has confused people during all his career. He just physically cannot go like this all the time; you can’t have 25 seconds shifts, he just wouldn’t have the puck enough to be effective. Let’s be realistic.

He doesn’t fit the DJ Smith blue collar approach but at some point you need high end skill; and guys that are fast, hard working and also highly talented are either very expensive to acquire or hard to get (high in the draft? Luck out in the first round?). Think of how much it would cost to acquire Brad Marchand or Mark Schefeile; if they were available

Edit : just adding a note but sometimes I feel like if a player skates fast, can shoot a puck and can make/receive a pass then they're good. There's plenty of guys who can do that but don't necessarily end up with an impressive career. See Curtis Lazar for example.

If you claim that "playing the game" somehow makes one opinion more correct than other, well you are wrong. It is brutally obvious that success in the NHL is not synonymous with simply throwing the most skilled players out on the ice and expecting them to win simply because they have talent. Teams that win games consistently in the NHL, and have for years, are the teams that find a balance of raw skill/talent, structure, speed, intensity, defensive awareness and truculence (ok I am kidding about the last one). Just because Bobby Ryan is a better player and is more skilled than Ennis, does not mean that the team will play better automatically. You need skill to win consistently, but Ryan is not providing that consistently this season, and the team has proven to play better without him in the line up. This whole argument that just because Ryan is more skilled than Ennis, therefore he should play, is completely flawed when you take the bigger picture of actually winning games into consideration.

We could literally go on to make a miracle run to the Stanley Cup finals with this exact roster and the same people will come in and argue "well Ryan is better than Ennis, I don't get why he isn't playing".

 

[Stylizer1]

In all lines of work jackasses be jackasses, he was being leaned on to be a leader and older experienced player. You can’t blame others for his mattitude

Does he act like that if Quenneville is his coach? I think not. If the other players on the team where on boared with the coaching staff the Uber video never happens.

 

[supsens]

Does he act like that if Quenneville is his coach? I think not. If the other players on the team where on boared with the coaching staff the Uber video never happens.

It’s not up to Matt who the coach is and it’s his job to listen to the coach. Your showing the exact attitude that needed to be removed from the locker room.
“I only listen to my boss when I feel like it because it’s up to me” If people like Matt are not sitting around undermining the boss it’s not an issue and it never happens.

 

[Sensfan4life]

Karlsson is responsible for tonight's poor effort, as the Sens back up around the corner.

 

[Xspyrit]

If you claim that "playing the game" somehow makes one opinion more correct than other, well you are wrong. It is brutally obvious that success in the NHL is not synonymous with simply throwing the most skilled players out on the ice and expecting them to win simply because they have talent. Teams that win games consistently in the NHL, and have for years, are the teams that find a balance of raw skill/talent, structure, speed, intensity, defensive awareness and truculence (ok I am kidding about the last one). Just because Bobby Ryan is a better player and is more skilled than Ennis, does not mean that the team will play better automatically. You need skill to win consistently, but Ryan is not providing that consistently this season, and the team has proven to play better without him in the line up. This whole argument that just because Ryan is more skilled than Ennis, therefore he should play, is completely flawed when you take the bigger picture of actually winning games into consideration.

We could literally go on to make a miracle run to the Stanley Cup finals with this exact roster and the same people will come in and argue "well Ryan is better than Ennis, I don't get why he isn't playing".

Ok but not sure I have claimed any of that. Obviously, it's well known that it's not only about skill, but in my long time opinion, it's a mix of several factors, starting with skill yes, but also coaching, goaltending, team chemistry, leadership, overall speed, toughness, etc. So many factors are needed to make up a good hockey team. But at some point, even if several factors are top notch, if you don't have enough skill, you are still going to lose more often than not. This is the NHL, the parity is through the roof.

Bobby Ryan is just one player out of a starting 19, he needs to do his part like the 18 other guys. Same goes for Ennis. Except a few game changers around the league, no player has the power to win games on their own. That being said, strictly from a professional hockey standpoint, Ryan brings much more than Ennis, at least for me and the other poster Bert. Yes we could be wrong but I think it's a position that we are going to stand by. There's a reason Ryan was picked 2nd OA and will have a much much better career than Ennis in the end. The only thing he does better than Ryan is skate and it looks like he works harder because he has such tiny little feet that he needs to move as fast as possible if he wants to stay in the NHL. JC Beaudin also does those 2 things better, doesn't mean he'll have more than a Cup of coffee in the NHL.

And this argument "the team has proven to play better without him in the line up" makes me laugh, don't really need to comment. If you think he's the reason why the team got owned 8-2 last night, I don't know what to say, he was easily one of the best Ottawa players last night, but like Chabot, he's a guy that needs to play with skill and there's just not enough on this team.

 

[TheDebater]

And this argument "the team has proven to play better without him in the line up" makes me laugh, don't really need to comment. If you think he's the reason why the team got owned 8-2 last night, I don't know what to say, he was easily one of the best Ottawa players last night, but like Chabot, he's a guy that needs to play with skill and there's just not enough on this team.

He was not "the" reason, come on, I would never make such an absurd claim. But when you factor in everything you mentioned at the beginning of your post, you have to admit that sometimes the "more skilled" player is not the right fit on every team. It happens alot in the NHL where a team will make a huge splash for a star player only to find that although said player is really talented, he just does not make the team "better". Remember when Toronto or the Rangers used to stock up on star players at the deadline only to get beaten by lesser skilled teams in the playoffs? There is a reason for that. Did Matt Duchene make this team "better" than we were with Turris? Duchene is twice the player Turris is skill-wise yet he made absolutely no difference in the outcome of our season, arguably worse than had we stuck with Turris.

We are in total agreement that Ryan has more skill in his often broken pinky finger than Ennis has in his entire body, but are you really in disagreement that the team---for whatever reason--- has played a more complete game without Ryan in the line-up than with him in the lineup? I stopped believing in coincidence years ago, and have fully accepted that every action has a reaction and that everything happens for a reason. Ryan might not be the reason why the team lost badly last night, but something is off when he plays and that is just the reality.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Ennis is much more of a positive player for this team right now than Ryan is.

Ennis lacks finish, but man does he ever get chances every game, and almost all of them are of his own doing.

Ryan can’t seem to create quality chances, and also doesn’t have the finish anymore to capitalize when he does.

Neither are in the long term plans of the team, but Ennis has the speed, the drive, and the motor to play basic Sens hockey right now.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Ennis is much more of a positive player for this team right now than Ryan is.

Ennis lacks finish, but man does he ever get chances every game, and almost all of them are of his own doing.

Ryan can’t seem to create quality chances, and also doesn’t have the finish anymore to capitalize when he does.

Neither are in the long term plans of the team, but Ennis has the speed, the drive, and the motor to play basic Sens hockey right now.

The biggest difference is one has the possibility of being traded if they play well and one does not. Keep giving Ennis all the play time and hope he catches fire and we can get a positive return on him hopefully. Ryan can play lights out and no one is taking that contract.

 

[Ice-Tray]

The biggest difference is one has the possibility of being traded if they play well and one does not. Keep giving Ennis all the play time and hope he catches fire and we can get a positive return on him hopefully. Ryan can play lights out and no one is taking that contract.

Agreed.

 

[BatherSeason]

Crisis? What crisis? No changes on defence for Senators despite Monday mess against Hurricanes

Why are NHL coaches so bloody scared to mix up their d pairings? Why is it so taboo? Happens to the forward lines all the time.

(Also, I hope this headline doesn't have the same effect as the other two we are now discussing)

 

[Larionov]

Let's see how the boys react to the beatdown they got in Carolina. If they come out hard tonight and play a solid defensive game, then we'll know that DJ's work is starting to sink in...

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Let's see how the boys react to the beatdown they got in Carolina. If they come out hard tonight and play a solid defensive game, then we'll know that DJ's work is starting to sink in...

And .. on the other side of the coin what ? DJ Great. Team bad?

DJ's doing well so far... too early for report cards.

 

[Sensfan4life]

And .. on the other side of the coin what ? DJ Great. Team bad?

DJ's doing well so far... too early for report cards.

I really don't understand the rush to judgment for the optimists or the pessimists.

You'd think McLean and Boucher experience would have clearly demonstrated that the honeymoon period is not the best time to pronounce judgment, but I guess some people never learn.