Too much space between the really bad teams and this one to catch a top 5 pick.
Are we still at the point where we want to see this team make some gains and finish around 10th in the conference, and is that still even a realistic possibility?
- david22

I don't think so. Look at New Jersey. Teams appear to struggle on the outside until it comes together for them.

Norris done for the year.

F**k! This is annoying. This season is done man. We should develop the young players but look to get a top 7-8 pick!

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/ot...done-for-season-1.1909874
- AlfieisKing

Yes!

Funny how folks are looking for somebody to blame on how the Norris situation has been handled. A busted shoulder is a busted shoulder. Not even the doctors can agree on what is the best solution. They gave the player and his agent a chance to try and avoid surgery. It did not work.

Does anybody think a team should have the exclusive power to order or compel a player to go under the knife?

By way of Bob MacKenzie

"7. Brayden Yager. The Moose Jaw Warrior heady sub 6-footer is arguably the most proficient two-way centre in the draft. He generates notable offence, especially on the power play, but plays a committed and mature defensive game and can also kill penalties. Scouts are not saying he’s Patrice Bergeron 2.0 but they are saying he approaches the game with the same mindset as the NHL’s premier two-way centre."

Unless it's another coach with no experience, who would take the job knowing they'd be fired as soon as the team sells? That's the issue. The coaching quality won't be much better and potential coaches wouldn't want their first/comeback run to be with a perennial losing team like the Sens.

The current coaches that we have are the Sens only option at this point and even if Mann would be great, he'll get fired when the team sells.
- PogBoi

Interim coaches have been hired in the NHL before. Sure the veteran coaches may pass due to the situation, but there are likely loads of guys just wanting an opportunity to get their foot in the NHL door. Heck, the interim coach may work out and sticks around.

Anything is better than what is happening now. Put Spartacat behind the bench for all I care. This team looks flat playing in front of sellout crowds at home. I wouldn’t want the team to keep mailing it in for another 3 months. The longer it goes on, the harder it is to get out of.

A shakeup has never been more required. This is the same team that fired coaches shortly after decently successful seasons (Guy Boucher a goal away from the Stanley Cup final and Paul Maclean who won coach of the year). Why does DJ Smith have this gigantic leash? The rebuild argument has no weight. There are plenty of rebuilding teams that show progression even when losing.

- Gord_Wilson_2.0

If Dorion is to make a move, changing the coach would be the most likely to improve results. At a minimum, it would be most interesting to see what results are possible.

Another lost season due to poor roster construction and poor coaching.

By way of Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet

"7. Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL): Has built his reputation on being a shooter. He moves around the ice well and is even showing a willingness to be a distributor."

By way of Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet

"7. Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL): Has built his reputation on being a shooter. He moves around the ice well and is even showing a willingness to be a distributor."
- spatso

Take a shot of Yager has a nice ring to it, and he does seem like the player the Sens gravitate towards.

I really like the soundn of Fantilli, but doubt Ottawa would drop that far.

Take a shot of Yager has a nice ring to it, and he does seem like the player the Sens gravitate towards.

I really like the soundn of Fantilli, but doubt Ottawa would drop that far.
- david22

draft lottery!

No more 3rd and 4th line players.
Draft a D man you can believe in. If it's not Lassi and JBD figure it out in the draft.

When top lines do not play good team defense it shows up dramatically in the results.

Contrary to some commentary...this is not a coaching issue. It is primarily a development concern. Most of the kids have played their entire careers dominating puck possession because they were the best player on the ice.

It is very different when puck possession no longer works just because you can dominate as the best player. The good news is all these guys can be better defensive players.

When they improve their +/- on a shift by shift basis they will begin to win more often than not.
- spatso

The way this team plays is totally a coaching issue. Their gap control and defensive zone coverage is one of the worst in the league. If you say that is execution by the players than where is the coach holding players accountable?

The only players held accountable are the rookie callups who are scared to play hockey for fear of making a mistake, that is how players learn. let them know and throw them back out there.

Batherson is a minus 32, either correct the behavior or sit him. That is DJ's responsibility.

Both DJ and Dorion deserve to be fired but I doubt it will happen until the team is sold. Reason being is there is no money, the Melnyk daughters won't sign of on committing the funds to bring in replacements and besides whoever they would bring in would be caretakers as new owners would want their own GM who in turn will want their own coach..

What you see now is what we will likely have to tolerate until the end of the season.

No more 3rd and 4th line players.
Draft a D man you can believe in. If it's not Lassi and JBD figure it out in the draft.
- Octavarium

Unfortunately, any D-man they draft in 2023 is going to take at least 3yrs to become the kind of player they're looking for. Plus, it's not really the best draft for high-end D-men, as there isn't a consensus D-man anywhere in the top-10 of most rankings. That said, you could see them reach down into the mid-late 1st round rankings if they were hell-bent on adding a RHD. Prime candidates would include Lukas Dragicevic, David Reinbacher, and Oliver Bonk (who just happens to be Radek Bonk's son).

If they go with the flow of the draft, though, it should almost certainly be a top-6 quality forward that they select. Any of Brayden Yager, Matthew Wood, or Eduard Sale would be high-quality additions to the forward ranks.

The way this team plays is totally a coaching issue. Their gap control and defensive zone coverage is one of the worst in the league. If you say that is execution by the players than where is the coach holding players accountable?

The only players held accountable are the rookie callups who are scared to play hockey for fear of making a mistake, that is how players learn. let them know and throw them back out there.

Batherson is a minus 32, either correct the behavior or sit him. That is DJ's responsibility.

Both DJ and Dorion deserve to be fired but I doubt it will happen until the team is sold. Reason being is there is no money, the Melnyk daughters won't sign of on committing the funds to bring in replacements and besides whoever they would bring in would be caretakers as new owners would want their own GM who in turn will want their own coach..

What you see now is what we will likely have to tolerate until the end of the season.
- Nimm

This team has many problems, but most can be traced back to coaching in some way.

- Forward backcheck is brutal
- No in game adjustments to strategy, hell, there doesn't seem to be adjustments from game-to-game
- The defence is certainly lacking pieces, but Chabot has gotten waaaay too many minutes the last two seasons and now it's showing.
- Some players are given endless leash, some are given none; particularly young players. This leads some guys to having no idea what they're allowed to do.
- worst five on five in the league, that's a systems problem
- 4th line is not NHL caliber
- Coaches current solution is to put a 'worker' on each line, so more grinders?

Some of these issues are team makeup for sure (and Dorion should be gone), some of these issues need the players to step up; but all of these issues are created or perpetrated/made worse by the coaching.

Fire the coach bring in someone interm for the season and if they do a good job, they have the inside track on the job next year. The last thing they need to do is tank and reinforce a losing culture.

This team has many problems, but most can be traced back to coaching in some way.

- Forward backcheck is brutal
- No in game adjustments to strategy, hell, there doesn't seem to be adjustments from game-to-game
- The defence is certainly lacking pieces, but Chabot has gotten waaaay too many minutes the last two seasons and now it's showing.
- Some players are given endless leash, some are given none; particularly young players. This leads some guys to having no idea what they're allowed to do.
- worst five on five in the league, that's a systems problem
- 4th line is not NHL caliber
- Coaches current solution is to put a 'worker' on each line, so more grinders?

Some of these issues are team makeup for sure (and Dorion should be gone), some of these issues need the players to step up; but all of these issues are created or perpetrated/made worse by the coaching.

Fire the coach bring in someone interm for the season and if they do a good job, they have the inside track on the job next year. The last thing they need to do is tank and reinforce a losing culture.
- CooCooKaChoo

Batherson, Tkachuk and Steutzal combine for a -57.

How will a change in coach fix that? It is fixable. It takes time and some maturing in order for it to happen.

If the Sens change coaches they might get a short term improvement in performance. It usually works that way. But, first, kids need to learn how to play defensive hockey.

It will come.

Batherson, Tkachuk and Steutzal combine for a -57.

How will a change in coach fix that? It is fixable. It takes time and some maturing in order for it to happen.

If the Sens change coaches they might get a short term improvement in performance. It usually works that way. But, first, kids need to learn how to play defensive hockey.

It will come.
- spatso

This is just one of many issues on this team.

What has DJ Smith brought to this team that is positive? It's fine to say don't make a coaching change, but what has this guy done positive for this team? Legitimate question.

He's a place holder coach. A lot of rebuilding teams don't end up with the same coach as they did when they become competitive. The teams identity was starting to take shape but I fear DJ has stayed too long and if he rides out the season, some team habits will be hard to break. Hope I am wrong.

Batherson, Tkachuk and Steutzal combine for a -57.

How will a change in coach fix that? It is fixable. It takes time and some maturing in order for it to happen.

If the Sens change coaches they might get a short term improvement in performance. It usually works that way. But, first, kids need to learn how to play defensive hockey.

It will come.
- spatso

Give them structure and teach them. It's not that they are not back in their own end. They don't know what to do and how to identify where the threats are and will appear.

If we had Trotz , Babcock or Claude Julien who are all available , I guarantee those three would not be minus 57 as they teach, which is part of coaching.

Give them structure and teach them. It's not that they are not back in their own end. They don't know what to do and how to identify where the threats are and will appear.

If we had Trotz , Babcock or Claude Julien who are all available , I guarantee those three would not be minus 57 as they teach, which is part of coaching.
- Nimm

If the Sens fire DJ, the fan backlash in Ottawa (at this time) will not be as strong as it has been in Vancouver on the firing of Boudreau. But the response in fan attitude will be very similar. They will wonder if there is any order or structure in the ownership transition?

Most important, the kids love DJ. It will be very hard for them to take on the emotional hit of knowing they are responsible for the failure of a very popular dressing room coach.

It is a fairly safe assumption that new ownership will change the GM. And, the new GM will be naming a new head coach. So, what would be the purpose of releasing DJ from his contract for the sake of a few months? It would be a seriously immature response. Is the goal simply a desire to punish DJ for the sins of a -57 first line?

Obviously, it is entirely understandable, if the new ownership group signals they want the head coaching position vacated as part of the transition. We all expect it as part of the process. New ownership will be given a free hand to place their own people in key roles. The change of ownership is at the centre of the stage over the next few weeks. Let's not turn this into a soap opera by making the coaching position the story.

The negative fan reactions to DJ are pretty tepid compared to what Lindy Ruff endured during the second half of last season from the Devil's fans. This year they think he should be named coach of the year.

Dorion and Smith will not survive the ownership change. But, come on Ottawa. Let's get this right. Enough with all this premature speculation. First is new ownership. Next we see the naming of a new GM. This how the fresh start begins. Don't pour trash in the front yard of the new guys coming in before they even get to town. Keep it simple. Do it right. I said it at the beginning of the season and I repeat, when all is said and done, the guy I would like to see behind the bench in Ottawa is Chris Kelly.

The biggest danger to the team right now is Dorion if he has not been forbidden to make any significant moves to try and spruce up his resume.

The one exception I would make is if Dorion can find anyone willing to take DeBrincat for some picks before the deadline; and nobody like Dumba. Try and find anyone to take guys like Talbot or Gambrell or Holden or Hamonic etc. for as many picks as you can get.

Once the new GM is in place he needs a coach.

If DeBrincat is still here get rid of him. You badly need that money elsewhere.

If Talbot is still here get rid of him. Finding a goalie is the number one priority way above anything else. This team has played well enough to win quite a few times and have lost a lot of points because of lousy goaltending and now the whole team is starting to play lousy. Fix it or it will kill your hopes next year again.

If they can find a good top 4 RD for a realistic price then fine otherwise concentrate on filling some of the holes in the forward group, hopefully through UFA signings but if there's a good hockey trade to be made go for it.

If they have moved on from Holden and Hamonic they might want to find somebody better than those guys to add.

Hopefully Smith will play guys like Joseph on the top line for the rest of the year or maybe kelly in the top six or maybe a line of Greig, Giroux and DeBrincat to play that hard hitting, physical game Smith likes so much. Maybe he can move Batherson down to play on the third line.

Maybe he will grind things out for the rest of the season and for once the team can win the friggin lottery. They might find they really need a top six center next year.

Oh yeah! I forgot. All you summer of Pierre guys need to keep it in your pants and just admit you were wrong rather than clamour for changes that will hurt the team badly just because you need a scapegoat to scrape some of the egg off your faces. I'm starting to hear it from the talking head guys trying to save some credibility and that nonsense can spread pretty quickly.

Batherson, Tkachuk and Steutzal combine for a -57.

How will a change in coach fix that? It is fixable. It takes time and some maturing in order for it to happen.

If the Sens change coaches they might get a short term improvement in performance. It usually works that way. But, first, kids need to learn how to play defensive hockey.

It will come.
- spatso

If only there was some way to teach them how to play better defensive hockey, like through a coach or something.

I'm not absolving the players for their part, they need to do better, but the team is not where it was supposed to be this year and a lot of that falls on coaching.

If the Sens fire DJ, the fan backlash in Ottawa (at this time) will not be as strong as it has been in Vancouver on the firing of Boudreau. But the response in fan attitude will be very similar. They will wonder if there is any order or structure in the ownership transition?

Most important, the kids love DJ. It will be very hard for them to take on the emotional hit of knowing they are responsible for the failure of a very popular dressing room coach.

It is a fairly safe assumption that new ownership will change the GM. And, the new GM will be naming a new head coach. So, what would be the purpose of releasing DJ from his contract for the sake of a few months? It would be a seriously immature response. Is the goal simply a desire to punish DJ for the sins of a -57 first line?

Obviously, it is entirely understandable, if the new ownership group signals they want the head coaching position vacated as part of the transition. We all expect it as part of the process. New ownership will be given a free hand to place their own people in key roles. The change of ownership is at the centre of the stage over the next few weeks. Let's not turn this into a soap opera by making the coaching position the story.

The negative fan reactions to DJ are pretty tepid compared to what Lindy Ruff endured during the second half of last season from the Devil's fans. This year they think he should be named coach of the year.

Dorion and Smith will not survive the ownership change. But, come on Ottawa. Let's get this right. Enough with all this premature speculation. First is new ownership. Next we see the naming of a new GM. This how the fresh start begins. Don't pour trash in the front yard of the new guys coming in before they even get to town. Keep it simple. Do it right. I said it at the beginning of the season and I repeat, when all is said and done, the guy I would like to see behind the bench in Ottawa is Chris Kelly.
- spatso

I disagree with everything you've said here.
- firing DJ would be quite different from the way Boudreau got fired
- if the 'kids' love DJ so much, they should start playing for him, since there's clearly no coaching issues
- The purpose of getting rid of DJ would be to improve the team in the short term, and have an interm option for the new ownership
- We don't know how long it will be until new ownership will be set, sitting in limbo and losing games doesn't seem like a solution
- If you think there's a chance in hell that DJ could turn around and be coach of the year next year, you've lost it.
- Let's bring in a rookie head coach? Because he played here for a while?

Bruce Bodro, Rick Tookit, Gary Batman and best of all the Vancouver Kanooks.

Hour 2 of the morning show on TSN 1200. Very funny.

Only one more blog untill the Sens link is pushed completely off the page...

Norris, yes you can blame bad management,staff. I also do believe Murray was hinting at the bad medical staff in Ottawa. Theres a trend now. But thats what happens when you have bad coaching,gm and questionable big contracts. You force things to try and make it work.

Bruce Bodro, Rick Tookit, Gary Batman and best of all the Vancouver Kanooks.

Hour 2 of the morning show on TSN 1200. Very funny.
- Whatisavailable

That was hilarious! I heard this

Bruce Bodro, Rick Tookit, Gary Batman and best of all the Vancouver Kanooks.

Hour 2 of the morning show on TSN 1200. Very funny.
- Whatisavailable

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/...mornings-hour-2-1.1910265

6:30 into the video

Norris, yes you can blame bad management,staff. I also do believe Murray was hinting at the bad medical staff in Ottawa. Theres a trend now. But thats what happens when you have bad coaching,gm and questionable big contracts. You force things to try and make it work.
- spazzbot

It’s an area of concern when you look at the big picture. Pinto, White, and Norris all of had shoulder injuries where recovery was more debated than you’d think it would be. Nilson and Murray have both had negative comments about the medical staff/recovery methods. Gutvasson reportedly improved their conditioning immensely arriving in Minnesota.

Dating back even further, Spezza had constant back issues in Ottawa that disappeared in Dallas/Toronto. Back in the Alfie, Fisher, Redden days there was rumblings that the teams were quite lazy in comparison to other teams in the league.

Don’t forget being cheap with players, probably meant being cheap with staff that works behinds closed doors. The low number of scouts in the team is well documented. Have to wonder if other areas of the team are affected similarly.

New owner can't come soon enough.