I was watching a different game, I cant remember which, and they were commenting on the exact same issue, but implying that DJ likes and "trusts" his 4th line so much that it was perhaps deliberate.
- david22

it's like he thinks they're Czisikas, Martin and Clutterbuck.
They aint.

AND
Because I'm an isles fan, when that line is out it's always a quick strike - get off - and Pullock and Pellech are out there.

matchups, deployments, systems....the guy is lost.

Frustration with Smith's coaching has been an issue for some of us for a while. More people are piling on right now even though the talking head echo chamber is relatively silent on the matter.

Just to clarify the talking head echo chamber is composed of your professional sports hockey broadcasters and commentators. They like to keep a good relationship with a team's management and so sing their praises to the heavens whenever they can and refrain from direct criticism when things aren't going well. They prefer softer targets.

So the talking head echo chamber is loving Brannstrom and Sanderson while completely dumping on Chabot. I watch the games. I see how many times Brannstrom and Sanderson screw up and the puck ends up in the net or the team ends up scrambling around in their own zone for a while. The talking head echo chamber ignores all of that and looks for any good move they make and sings their praises ad nauseum.

Now I like Sanderson and think he will be a great top D for a long time but he is a 20 year old rookie with 11 total games under his belt. To suggest that he has been the Sens best D is idiotic but that's exactly what the talking head echo chamber does and so it gets repeated everywhere.

I've never liked Brannstrom and don't think he is an NHL defenseman. There was one game somewhere back when he made a few nice rushes with the puck and showed a little of the offensive flare he was supposed to bring to the game and I came on here and complimented him and said I hoped he continued in that way so as not to be the complete disaster he usually is, but no such luck. The talking head echo chamber thinks he should be quarterbacking the number one PP unit instead of Chabot. I hope Smith does that for a few games just so they will be forced to STFUP.

They think Sanderson is preferable to Chabot on that number one PP unit. Maybe one day that will be true but right now I don't see it. He made that one nice pass to Giroux for a goal but other than that nothing. No great setups or blasts from the point. I hope Smith tries him on that number one PP unit for a while so that talking head echo chamber will be forced to STFUP.

I also see when Chabot makes a mistake. No matter how many good and sometimes great plays he makes in a game the talking head echo chamber ignores all of that and completely focuses on the mistake and that's what gets repeated at nauseum. I hope Chabot never listens to any of those mor_ns but I have to think a lot of that negativity is getting through to him. I can't imagine how that makes him feel. He has played huge minutes for years stuck with partners like Zaitsev for most of that time and has been one of the main reasons the team has won as many games as they have. That's why Smith played him so much when all it accomplished was getting to pick lower down in the draft. Now he finds himself being singled out as one of the main reasons for the team's poor showing so far. The talking head echo chamber has settled on a target and it gets repeated everywhere ad nauseum.

The talking head echo chamber thinks DeBrincat is fantastic. Look at all the goals he's scored in the past. Keep playing him on the number one PP unit they say. The goals will come. Stutzle is terrible on the left half wall. DeBrincat is great. He hasn't scored even though he's been set up with numerous grade A chances and the PP is struggling immensely but the talking head echo chamber says put DeBrincat out there for the whole two minutes because even if he's not scoring he's going into the dirty areas. LMFAO on that one but this nonsense gets repeated everywhere ad nauseum. Sign him up for 9 million and somebody on here just said trade away Norris!!! YIKES!!! I wouldn't be surprised to see Dorion do something like that.

Personally I think the team was one lucky bounce away from a win or at the very least a loser point in a lot of these games not in Florida and don't bring up that fluky Giroux goal as proof that I'm way off base. I think the effort has been there but they just can't buy a break in any of those scrambles around the net and when they get their chances the opposing goalies are making fantastic saves.

Unfortunately the talking head echo chamber invested themselves heavily in the summer of Pierre and they really hate to be wrong. They are getting paid for their expertise after all and so they will make lots and lots of noise. Hopefully they don't cause too much damage taking care of their jobs and their egos just like Dorion and Smith have been doing for some time now.

Bo Horvat would be a good fit for this team.

I think one of the biggest factors contributing to the Sens poor showing so far has been trying to fix DeBrincat. They've tried Stutzle and when that didn't work it was Norris and that didn't work and when Norris got injured they tried Brassard and when that didn't work they broke up the third and fourth lines that had been doing really well so they could try Pinto with DeBrincat and surprise surprise the rookie couldn't fix DeBrincat either.

I'm happy to see they've moved Pinto and Kastelec back to their respective lines and will have Brassard center DeBrincat and Giroux and I hope they just cut back their minutes for the sake of both Brassard and Giroux. Maybe DeBrincat can use his physical game and go into the dirty areas to get the puck for those old guys. Is it just me or is this line an obvious no go? Especially doing dump and chase. Make sure you have Zaitsev and Brannstrom out there with them.

I hope they give Chabot a break and play JBD on his right side. So unlucky that Zub got hurt but if JBD works out then when Zub gets back they can pair him with Sanderson and give that rookie a break away from Hamonic. If things work out we may even get to see Thomson in the lineup some time this year. If that happens I will consider it a great year because it will mean Smith is gone.

Don't know what they're going to do about that number 2 C position. Giroux can be the C and they just need a RW. Maybe they can use that 2024 second round pick they got for Connor Brown to fill that spot. Or maybe they can move Joseph up to the number 2 RW position. Personally I would have preferred Nick Paul. This is exactly why that disaster of a GM should have held onto both Connor Brown and Nick Paul.

Dorion traded away Connor Brown and Nick Paul for Matthew "zero hockey IQ" Joseph and a 2024 second round pick creating a hole that put the team in a position where one key injury would leave them in an extremely vulnerable position. Dorion created a hole out of nothing and now will most likely overpay on a stupid move to fix the problem that he created.

PD has to save the move of firing DJ for exactly the right time. Ie. When it not only saves his own job but maybe extends it. Too soon or too late, he is also out the door.

Let's say he fires DJ mid season. Natural replacement (and one we would all applaud) is Trent Mann. PD at that point says we will see how team does under Mann before committing to a coach for next year. Then...new ownership maybe comes in...and they could put their stamp on the team by getting a new coach. But they may want to keep some consistency by keeping PD around, maybe as GM, maybe as POHO.

But the next 6 games are key. They have to win 4 of 6. And the can't lost the next two and somebody not be fired.

PD has to save the move of firing DJ for exactly the right time. Ie. When it not only saves his own job but maybe extends it. Too soon or too late, he is also out the door.

Let's say he fires DJ mid season. Natural replacement (and one we would all applaud) is Trent Mann. PD at that point says we will see how team does under Mann before committing to a coach for next year. Then...new ownership maybe comes in...and they could put their stamp on the team by getting a new coach. But they may want to keep some consistency by keeping PD around, maybe as GM, maybe as POHO.

But the next 6 games are key. They have to win 4 of 6. And the can't lost the next two and somebody not be fired.
- GrimmdaGoalie

I doubt Dorion will fire him even if he lost the next 3 games as Dorion won't want to upstage anything with Alfie for the Hall of Fame. If he does it, it would be after the Hall of Fame on Monday night.

Unreal, Zaitsev is dressing and playing with Branny. After he was the 7th Dman at the skate this morning and DJ said Holden with Branny. This coach needs to go.

If the new ownership group is going to take a leadership role in the negotiations for the LeBreton rebuild, they will need to emerge from the pack very early in the new year and possibly sooner.

Any noise around DJ and Dorion at this time is merely a distraction. Clearly it is important to fans. But, I doubt that either side of the negations including the Board or Melnyk family as well as any prospective buyers are interested in having this distract from the central issues of negotiation on the sale/purchase of the team.

Unreal, Zaitsev is dressing and playing with Branny. After he was the 7th Dman at the skate this morning and DJ said Holden with Branny. This coach needs to go.
- LawyerSens4Life

dj is spiting in the face of Dorion, if dorion was pissed dj did not play JBD before that he is not after a 2nd call up must infuriate dorion, hopefully this is djs last game

Bruce Garrioch

@SunGarrioch
Have been told "the phones are ringing off the hook" at Galatioto Sports Partners in New York since it was confirmed the #Sens have been put up "For Sale'. There's a lot more than four serious interested parties and one person suggested to me the number is "countless."

I know it is frustrating for some fans but everyone on the hockey side as opposed to the business side are being told to keep their head down and do not do anything to distract from an impending monster financial transaction. The very last thing the business side, including both buyers or sellers, want is for the hockey side to cause a disruption in the process. This is one case where no news is good news.

For that second line how about they move Giroux to center and try Kastelec on the right side. He's big and fast and not afraid to bang around and maybe create some space for Giroux and DeBrincat along with being a realistic option for retrieving the puck. Move Brassard to the fourth line.

The number one PP should be Batherson on the left wall, Stutzle on the right wall, Pinto in the bumper spot, Tkachuk in front of the net with Chabot on the point. I don't care who you put on your imaginary second PP unit but if we must play the game then I'd go with Sanderson, Giroux, DeBrincat, Brassard and Motte.

OTT playing VS Van back up, even the Canucks dont think OTT is worthy of their #1

what a disorganized mess that PP is....

OTT playing VS Van back up, even the Canucks dont think OTT is worthy of their #1
- Mithos

Hey, Van is playing in a back to back, ... agaisnt the habs tomorrow...

possible future sens owner Ryan Reynolds is at the game

How is this a tie game? The hockey gods are not playing fair.

JBD playing well and Chabot's helping him out a lot covering on JBD's side a lot.

Unreal, Zaitsev is dressing and playing with Branny. After he was the 7th Dman at the skate this morning and DJ said Holden with Branny. This coach needs to go.
- LawyerSens4Life

The only ONLY thing that allows that move to make sense is if Holden is injured.
The annoying Ottawa media jizzing all over themselves to put a movie star on tv. The guy tilts side ways to fart and he’s on TV. AND Garrioch is barely readable and ffs he’s unwatchable on TV.

The only ONLY thing that allows that move to make sense is if Holden is injured.
The annoying Ottawa media jizzing all over themselves to put a movie star on tv. The guy tilts side ways to fart and he’s on TV. AND Garrioch is barely readable and ffs he’s unwatchable on TV.
- Octavarium

Like a bunch of pre teen schoolgirls.

Garrioch is a m_ron.

and just like that 3-2 VAN

The first one was Brannstrom and Zaitsev. The second was all Hamonic and the third was Hamonic and Sanderson. The fourth one was on a Vancover power play but both Sanderson and Hamonic were right there and still allowed Boeser to redirect.

ooof 4-2 now

ooof 4-2 now
- Mithos

Coach couldn’t possibly be fired after such a ringing endorsement could he ?

Zaitsev -2
Can we get Josh Brown back ?
0-7 with him in the lineup

The first one was Brannstrom and Zaitsev. The second was all Hamonic and the third was Hamonic and Sanderson. The fourth one was on a Vancover power play but both Sanderson and Hamonic were right there and still allowed Boeser to redirect.
- Whatisavailable

How is Zaitsev -2 in the game if he's only been on the ice for 1 goal from what you say? Not watching the game (watching the Wings game) but it seems you have mixed up someone else for Zaitsev.

Finally Stutzle puts one past the hockey gods!

How is Zaitsev -2 in the game if he's only been on the ice for 1 goal from what you say? Not watching the game (watching the Wings game) but it seems you have mixed up someone else for Zaitsev.
- dcz28

I went by the stats on the Score website.

Why is Brannstrom now out with Chabbot. Such a brutal giveaway.