Well, it's pretty simple - the NHL is about getting results. When you go 2-10-1 during the first quarter of a season where you have clear playoff expectations, you have to consider the possibility that the team isn't playing for their coach. Now, the little 4-1-0 run they're on in the past 5 games has been encouraging, and hopefully will set a new expectation in the dressing room. However, you also have to consider that Tkachuk has been winning games by himself, Chabot has been far better than he was earlier in the season, and they've also had some uncharacteristic luck... including actually winning two games in OT. How far that takes them remains to be seen.

Regardless, if the team wants the chants about DJ to go away, they need to keep proving it in the standings. Right now, they're still just 26th in the NHL in points, which is just not an acceptable outcome for the team at this point in the rebuild. And DJ is going to be on the knife's edge until they deliver on the promise to be in a position to make a run at a wildcard spot.
- khawk

A post that any realistic fan in pro sports would understand. The problem is too many fans of any team are too fast to dismiss a horrible stretch by their home town team for a small sample size. Those are the fans that think short term rather than long term.

the problem with getting another top 10 pick is the burning of another year on OTTs players contract, Brady is at over a PPG, he could command 9-10m+ on his next contract if he continues/get even better, Giroux is not getting younger, Norris and Stu still have fresh contract so they are currently not a concern contract wise, Chabot may ask for a trade within the next 1-1.5 years if things do not change and Sanderson and Pinto will need new deals if they want to stay in OTT.

Nothing like putting down a human being. Like other bloggers on here, he has kids and a family. Enough of putting down another being. You would think you’d stop in this day and age when people get vilified for being hateful towards others
- PuckPix

Interesting take. I would have thought 10+ consecutive blogs in a row on how terrible someone is at their job and needs to be fired immediately would have triggered this kind of response from you.

Kevin's twitter feed is still pretty active but indicates he has been under the weather. I am sure it will only be a few more days until the "Fire DJ" blog is back up and running.

Interesting take. I would have thought 10+ consecutive blogs in a row on how terrible someone is at their job and needs to be fired immediately would have triggered this kind of response from you.

Kevin's twitter feed is still pretty active but indicates he has been under the weather. I am sure it will only be a few more days until the "Fire DJ" blog is back up and running.
- HoweHatrick

In the first game against the Rangers, the Rangers came into Ottawa and outplayed the Sens. More specific to the point, they shut down Brady, Timmy and Giroux.

Two nights later, led by Brady, Sens put on a clinic on how teams rebound on the road after a home loss. One of the best games of the last five years. Even the the NY Post writers were raving about the spunk of this young Ottawa team and its talented young stars.

And, what can we say about Saturday night against the Sharks? Was it not the most fun home game of this hockey season so far? Brady, Timmy, Giroux, Chabot, Forsburg and Sanderson put on a fabulous show.

Sometimes it can be discouraging to listen to the negative chatter. It helps to try and keep it in context. If the Sens can play like they did in Madison Square we will see them going deep into the playoffs soon enough.

When that comes to pass, I doubt DJ is the coach or Dorion is the GM.

Coaches that place winning above all else can destroy young talent when they make winning the only thing that matters.

Right now the priority of the Sens is the development of a team around these precious, elite pieces. DJ gets an A+ from me for taking all the crap and never, ever blaming the kids for not measuring up. The kids know it and that is why they love him.

But Spatso.

he gets a colossal F for me with the kids.
Over the past 3 seasons he has steadfastly refused to play any of the young prospects he needed to play. The average and paying fan were prepared to lose - a lot. We understood what was going on. Instead we got nearly 30 minutes a night of chabot, Josh Brown and Nikita Zaitsev. Very little prospect time or development. He has no systems. He simply throws them out and hopes the talent caries them. Beyond "peewee" dump n chase there's little to no coaching. Beyond "routinely" OFTEN he puts out players in situations even the weakest hockey minded folks are wondering about. Poor skaters and poor defensive people on penalty kills. Weird line match ups, even when he has last change. It simply defies logic...and common sense. It's not about wanting a man to lose his job, and worrying about his kids and his feelings. As Jack Armstrong would say "get that garbage outta here". This is a results oriented business. We are paying MONEY to see what we expect to see. I expected a better than .500 hockey team out of the gate. I expected progress. He was given shiny new toys to play with in the form of DeBrincat/Giroux. He is completely unsure on how to deploy them, especially on the power play which should be lethal and isn't. I would argue that removing Norris from the equation probably helped or should have helped his line up combinations. It didn't.

I think any other known NHL coach would get much better results with this group. That's it.

But Spatso.

he gets a colossal F for me with the kids.
Over the past 3 seasons he has steadfastly refused to play any of the young prospects he needed to play. The average and paying fan were prepared to lose - a lot. We understood what was going on. Instead we got nearly 30 minutes a night of chabot, Josh Brown and Nikita Zaitsev. Very little prospect time or development. He has no systems. He simply throws them out and hopes the talent caries them. Beyond "peewee" dump n chase there's little to no coaching. Beyond "routinely" OFTEN he puts out players in situations even the weakest hockey minded folks are wondering about. Poor skaters and poor defensive people on penalty kills. Weird line match ups, even when he has last change. It simply defies logic...and common sense. It's not about wanting a man to lose his job, and worrying about his kids and his feelings. As Jack Armstrong would say "get that garbage outta here". This is a results oriented business. We are paying MONEY to see what we expect to see. I expected a better than .500 hockey team out of the gate. I expected progress. He was given shiny new toys to play with in the form of DeBrincat/Giroux. He is completely unsure on how to deploy them, especially on the power play which should be lethal and isn't. I would argue that removing Norris from the equation probably helped or should have helped his line up combinations. It didn't.

I think any other known NHL coach would get much better results with this group. That's it.
- Octavarium

Not saying DJ is a good coach or anything but Giroux seems to respect him. He actually claimed the quality of the coaching was one of the many reasons he wanted to come to Ottawa in his signing interview.

DJ is bound to get fired one day soon because hardly any Coach lasts 4 or more years in this league without being fired.

I just wouldn't expect a new full time head coach to take over until the new ownership take over.

Tkachuk, Stutzle, Giroux, Chabot and Sanderson have all been excellent over the past while and have really carried the team.

I only wish that Dorion would sign Zub to a contract ASAP.

Zub out 3-4 weeks with fractured jaw

Zub out 3-4 weeks with fractured jaw
- Mithos

Perfect time to sign Zub. Nothing like an injury to drive home the value of contract security to a player.

It’s nice to see the squad go on a little run. Does it negate the poor October/November play? Not yet. If the team can be around .700 or so for 10 to 15 games, then that tune may change.

Was DJ the only problem during the slump play? Not in the slightest. There were other issues at play. However, when your team struggles out of the gate after a very positive offseason and the results are virtually the same as the year before, coaching deserves to be looked at. Coaches have been fired for less in the NHL. It would be ill advised to not evaluate the coaching. He’s made questionable moves with mainly failed results pretty much his entire tenure with Ottawa. Again, if the team can sustain positive play long term, pretty easy to change the tune of the “haters”.

With the Zub injury and still no active move to solidify the top-4 D, I am skeptical this team can get on a big role to a point where folks don’t request a coaching change, but you never know.

"DJ - great move by Talbot to award the postage goggles to Zaitsev. He knew Nikita need a lift and needed to know his teammates were with him."

More often than not most commentators do not grasp what is going in a dressing room and talking heads often just fill in the space with ideas and words that are forever distant from the reality of what is going on with the players.

Not sure what the players and coaches are saying through this gesture. I don't pretend to understand it. However it does appear that these guys are beginning to push back against the bench jockeys.

Man these guys can't catch a break. Zub out on a freak accident leaves Chabot all set up for his critics who I'm sure will be waiting with bated breath for any misstep to unload on him.

Anyway JBD is still out so who do they bring up? I'd go with Thomson but I'm guessing it will be Zaitsev, Hamonic and Holden on the right side with Chabot at 28 minutes, Sanderson and Brannstrom on the left side.

The boys on TSN are finally starting to admit that getting rid of Paul and Brown left them with an abysmal bottom six. Take Dorion out behind the barn and shoot him because it was completely unnecessary.

If they would have kept those two guys then maybe a few of those one goal losses would have gone the other way and they would still be realistically speaking about playing meaningful games in March. You don't win with guys like Joseph, Motte, Gambrell and Kelly. Kastelec looks promising and I still like Watson but he's not going to be around for much longer.

Perfect time to sign Zub. Nothing like an injury to drive home the value of contract security to a player.
- SensFan25

Man these guys can't catch a break. Zub out on a freak accident leaves Chabot all set up for his critics who I'm sure will be waiting with bated breath for any misstep to unload on him.

Anyway JBD is still out so who do they bring up? I'd go with Thomson but I'm guessing it will be Zaitsev, Hamonic and Holden on the right side with Chabot at 28 minutes, Sanderson and Brannstrom on the left side.

The boys on TSN are finally starting to admit that getting rid of Paul and Brown left them with an abysmal bottom six. Take Dorion out behind the barn and shoot him because it was completely unnecessary.

If they would have kept those two guys then maybe a few of those one goal losses would have gone the other way and they would still be realistically speaking about playing meaningful games in March. You don't win with guys like Joseph, Motte, Gambrell and Kelly. Kastelec looks promising and I still like Watson but he's not going to be around for much longer.
- Whatisavailable

Sanderson is going to be tested in a huge way. I don't see the Sens doing anything really significant to acquire a veteran Dman. The one failed experiment I regret is Gudbranson. I was sorry to see him go. Still think he had the size and physical presence that made a difference for the younger Dmen.

JAKOB CHYCHRUN in 7 games 3G 3A 6P +3

JAKOB CHYCHRUN in 7 games 3G 3A 6P +3
- Mithos

Yeah he isn't helping reduce his own price tag heh. Arizona should keep him.

Yeah he isn't helping reduce his own price tag heh. Arizona should keep him.
- Bartacus

many say he is injured often, well guess what so is Chabot and yet no calls from them to trade him for a not often injured D

JAKOB CHYCHRUN in 7 games 3G 3A 6P +3
- Mithos

Is Chychrun the right guy if you are thinking about next year?

Big body. Big shot. Maybe?

I keep thinking you need a Marc Methot type body/player to fill out the top 4 with Chabot, Sanderson and Zub.

Not opposed to trading for a great player looking towards next year. But, it needs to be someone that you can keep in the fold for 5 years...and a Cup run.

Is Chychrun the right guy if you are thinking about next year?

Big body. Big shot. Maybe?

I keep thinking you need a Marc Methot type body/player to fill out the top 4 with Chabot, Sanderson and Zub.

Not opposed to trading for a great player looking towards next year. But, it needs to be someone that you can keep in the fold for 5 years...and a Cup run.
- spatso

Agree we don’t need an offensive D man
We need a true stay at home D man one to help keep the puck outta our nets not rushing up ice trying to score goals 🤦‍♂️

Is Chychrun the right guy if you are thinking about next year?

Big body. Big shot. Maybe?

I keep thinking you need a Marc Methot type body/player to fill out the top 4 with Chabot, Sanderson and Zub.

Not opposed to trading for a great player looking towards next year. But, it needs to be someone that you can keep in the fold for 5 years...and a Cup run.
- spatso

no, just posting his stats since his return, we have chabot and Sanderson to move the puck up ice, we need Zub 2.0 to play with Sanderson

no, just posting his stats since his return, we have chabot and Sanderson to move the puck up ice, we need Zub 2.0 to play with Sanderson
- Mithos

A Demelo type. Affordable, right shot, responsible. Wonder with the Flames kinda treading water if it makes sense to circle back there. Tanev, Weegar, Andersson, Stone, Meloche are all RH rearguards on one way deals. I wonder if Brannstrom could be swapped one for one with Tanev.

A Demelo type. Affordable, right shot, responsible. Wonder with the Flames kinda treading water if it makes sense to circle back there. Tanev, Weegar, Andersson, Stone, Meloche are all RH rearguards on one way deals. I wonder if Brannstrom could be swapped one for one with Tanev.
- Bartacus

DId we ever hear why they traded demelo? RHD, not great, but much better than most of what they have now, and I heard he liked being in Ottawa.

Because keeping him made too much sense at the time.
And he wanted to be paid his worth.
Ohhh look at that he went to Winnipeg and played to the value of the contract he asked for. A stunning development. You'd think Pierre from Orleans, having watched the guy would realise with a little pro-level scouting that YUP I should keep him.

Now, a case could be made a certain individual now on the wrong side of the grass might have had something to do with -- not signing him --

I touted Michael Stone before the season began as a cheap option. Heck he came in on a PTO with the Flames. Whooops. Terrible idea.

I think tonight will be a good test. Team is on a bit of a high with a decent streak and playing an opponent who is similar in their developmental curve. It’s easy to have a few good games. It’s much harder to stretch that over weeks or months.

Would love to see a big game by Batherson. Of all the top level forwards, I think he has underwhelmed me the most this season.

JAKOB CHYCHRUN in 7 games 3G 3A 6P +3
- Mithos

Ya saw last night. Great D. Injuries and potential $ demands later are things I'm considering too