Kevin Francis: DJ Smith and Pierre Dorion on thin ice?!

Ty Kev

I didn’t know all of this being we don’t hear much on the Sens out here. I cannot see any reason to keep DJ. Also kids need good vets to help them grow. Idk if it’s Dorion or if Melnyk is too cheap.

There is plenty of good young talent that needs a better environment. Cannot drag it out & waste their development years.

thanks

I like DJ , but I agree not the best to teach a structure game. He seem a good dude when the players is like by him. I would like at the time that PD hired Roy.

Now, two names I would like in the organization is Hartley. He s a hell of motivator, he have win in all league. The other one I would like for AGM is Daniel Briere. He s from the aria, intelligent guys and know the game. If his for Dorion or PM , I don’t care . But I m agree that Dorion would not fire DJ.

I m surprise to hear, Melnyk have no patience with DJ. He seems to praise him in a lot of interview

Good points on DJ and PD
Wow I didn’t realize the road record that’s crazy

I say bring back either Cameron
Or do something different

Alfie GM

Luke Richardson HC
Chris Kelly AC
Marc Methot Defence Coach

Yes I know it’s a pipe dream 🤷‍♂️

Ty Kev

I didn’t know all of this being we don’t hear much on the Sens out here. I cannot see any reason to keep DJ. Also kids need good vets to help them grow. Idk if it’s Dorion or if Melnyk is too cheap.

There is plenty of good young talent that needs a better environment. Cannot drag it out & waste their development years.
- Nighthawk

Thanks for the kind words. Exactly, not another game, not another month should be wasted with their development years!!!

Good points on DJ and PD
Wow I didn’t realize the road record that’s crazy

I say bring back either Cameron
Or do something different

Alfie GM

Luke Richardson HC
Chris Kelly AC
Marc Methot Defence Coach

Yes I know it’s a pipe dream 🤷‍♂️
- sens4life1971

I prefer seeing Alfie in part of a ownership and be the president

thanks
- farooge

Hope you enjoyed the blog!

I like DJ , but I agree not the best to teach a structure game. He seem a good dude when the players is like by him. I would like at the time that PD hired Roy.

Now, two names I would like in the organization is Hartley. He s a hell of motivator, he have win in all league. The other one I would like for AGM is Daniel Briere. He s from the aria, intelligent guys and know the game. If his for Dorion or PM , I don’t care . But I m agree that Dorion would not fire DJ.

I m surprise to hear, Melnyk have no patience with DJ. He seems to praise him in a lot of interview
- Crosside

Melnyk never speaks lol anymore so I honestly haven't heard him in the last year say anything great about DJ. Maybe in his first season but nothing has come out of the owners mouth about DJ in over a year, which is telling!

Bob Hartley would be great, but man it seems like forever since he coached.....was Calgary his last job?

Briere needs some experience, but I would love to see him in a role similar to Alfie when he got involved in the front office, learning the ropes, etc....plus like you said he's from the area.

I prefer seeing Alfie in part of a ownership and be the president
- Crosside

Yes on both!

Good points on DJ and PD
Wow I didn’t realize the road record that’s crazy

I say bring back either Cameron
Or do something different

Alfie GM

Luke Richardson HC
Chris Kelly AC
Marc Methot Defence Coach

Yes I know it’s a pipe dream 🤷‍♂️
- sens4life1971

Thanks my friend, glad you enjoy the blog!

I have stated it before, so you are on the same page with me on Luke Richardson on HC......I said it in the summer....and we all know why he left the org, due to Dorion....I wrote about it before.

Not sure Alfie as GM, he needs way more exp. but Alfie back with the team in any capacity is huge for the fan base, bringing some level of trust back. Kelly would be great, he got his start here with coaching. Methot would be great in a role similar to Winchester or Donovan right now.

I will be around tomorrow to discuss the comments all fans post in this blog! I think this blog will generate some great discussion.

Thanks my friend, glad you enjoy the blog!

I have stated it before, so you are on the same page with me on Luke Richardson on HC......I said it in the summer....and we all know why he left the org, due to Dorion....I wrote about it before.

Not sure Alfie as GM, he needs way more exp. but Alfie back with the team in any capacity is huge for the fan base, bringing some level of trust back. Kelly would be great, he got his start here with coaching. Methot would be great in a role similar to Winchester or Donovan right now.
- Kevin Francis

I’d be happy with that 🤙
Can ya imagine Methot teaching these kids his signature move the good ol hip check 😂
I think Kelly is a great pick
Same with Richardson

Melnyk never speaks lol anymore so I honestly haven't heard him in the last year say anything great about DJ. Maybe in his first season but nothing has come out of the owners mouth about DJ in over a year, which is telling!

Bob Hartley would be great, but man it seems like forever since he coached.....was Calgary his last job.
Briere needs some experience, but I would love to see him in a role similar to Alfie when he got involved in the front office, learning the ropes, etc....plus like you said he's from the area.
- Kevin Francis

I think this was early this summer. He said, he never have a good chat with a good head coach like that. Praise DJ , how his team work hard. Said DJ told him we have all the pieces to win the cup eventually

Hartley win the Gagarin cup ( KHL ) last year or the year before. He take a last team with no real star and make the team champion in about 2 or 3 years

Kevin Francis: DJ Smith and Pierre Dorion on thin ice?!
- Kevin Francis

If I look at it objectively - I don't think Pierre Dorion will be on thin ice. Not that the conversation isn't warranted to have - because I think at least it's good to have the conversation.

But Melnyk loves having a GM that he's close with and that will make him look good. He also tends not to move around managers too much.

Sens had 5 different GM's from 1993-2002. Then it was Muckler from 2002-2007. Then of course Bryan Murray took over and he groomed helped them pick Dorion (internally). In fact Muckler was the last person (20 years ago) to be brought in as a GM outside the organization.

Speaking of him, just found out he passed away yesterday. R.i.P John Muckler

Melnyk loves Dorion but Dorion won't sniff his butt. On thin ice say I.

Good Blog, I've thought DJ is out of his depth for a long time and Dorion is only GM because he was cheap as Melnyk did want to spend on a real GM.

I'm really concerned that the young talent on this team will not develop.

I'd like to see Paul Maurice as potential coach he as he has azreputation as a teacher in Carolina and Winnipeg

to think OTT may be more dysfunctional than buffalo or Arizona...

one if not the worst coach in the league a GM who is bad or his badness is do to a horribly horrendous owner telling him not to add to the payroll, which is what adding actual talent players would do..

Dj is going to do some real and probably lasting harm to OTT young D prospects in the next 53 games and next year.

Rebuilding teams generally go through some growing pains with coaches. I am generalizing, but I feel think not a lot of coaches stick around for an entire rebuild from rock bottom to contender. A guy is brought in at the start, a team identity starts to form and a new coach that better fits is brought in. Honestly always thought and felt DJ was a stopgap coach. Cheap option. If it worked out long term, great, if not, no foul.

Ottawa can’t really pay top dollar for coaches but now with more exciting future than they did have 2 years ago when DJ was brought in, maybe they can entice a more established coach. The team keeps trying to bring in unestablished coaches hoping they become a legendary coach and it just isn’t happening.

Thought about this for a long time today.

Which change in the next 6 months would benefit the Sens (as a team, organization, players) the most:

1) a new coach?
2) a new GM?
3) a new owner?

Can choose only one....

Berube's comments on Monday, about L. Brown and why he's on the team. Maybe DJ should tell us why L. Brown is not on the Sens especially a team that's in 30th place with a .345 winning %.

“He’s playing a certain style,” Blues coach Craig Berube said, “which we’ve talked to him about and he needs to play. I think he’s playing a pretty strong game with the puck. He’s hanging on to pucks in the offensive zone, he’s taking pucks to the net and getting some scoring opportunities. And then defensively he’s being fairly responsible overall. I think he understands about the work ethic that’s needed without the puck and being strong with the puck and not turning it over, and making good puck decisions. So that’s really what he’s doing well right now, and he’s got to continue to do that.”
“Listen, he’s got a lot of talent,” Berube said. “I think he’s got good hands. He’s got a good mind for the game. So offensively, I don’t think there’s a limit to him. I think that he got a couple of nice chances (the other) night to score. It didn’t go in, but I think as long as he is getting the scoring opportunities, the goals will come.”

Thought about this for a long time today.

Which change in the next 6 months would benefit the Sens (as a team, organization, players) the most:

1) a new coach?
2) a new GM?
3) a new owner?


Can choose only one....
- GrimmdaGoalie

A new Owner everything else will fall in line later 🤙

A new Owner everything else will fall in line later 🤙
- sens4life1971

Ownership issues have plagued this franchise for almost the entire modern existance.
The most stablity we've scene was with Melynk when he frist came in.

I guess I'm just wondering if there's a billionaire out there that can own this team and provide the consistant stability we've always wanted.

I still day dream about Shopify buying them.

Good write up Kev.
Couldn't say much more than what you covered.


Perhaps another blog or a follow up would be to cover or discuss what (From an Ottawa perspective) may be happening with the Olympics. Quite a bit of talk about that.

Sadly our Sens the way they're being managed and coached are kinda dull.

A new Owner everything else will fall in line later 🤙
- sens4life1971

💯