Kevin Francis: Can Ottawa get back in the win column tonight? DJ's job on the line?!

If Florida can absorb the loss of Ekblad to start the season due to injury, plus trading Weegar, how can't Ottawa get their crap together on the blue line with this coach. The one common denominator in all of this is DJ. Look at the Panther's blueline. I stated this in the comment section of either the last blog or the one before. For me, this is very telling. Paul Maurice has brought experience and structure to his defense core. DJ needs to go and it should've happened this summer when so many great coaches were on the market. Our GM is a fool when it comes to thinking this coaching staff is NHL competent.

If Ottawa loses the next few, its curtains on DJ. No discipline with this team either. I hate hearing how the players like playing for DJ, they have looked disinterested the last few games, which says it all.

Firing DJ should be Ottawa's main priority.
No Defensisve system, no in game adjustement, plays the worst D on ottawa roster over more capable D in the organisation. Bad line match up.


I really think some players are starting to quit on DJ

Firing DJ should be Ottawa's main priority.
No Defensisve system, no in game adjustement, plays the worst D on ottawa roster over more capable D in the organisation. Bad line match up.


I really think some players are starting to quit on DJ
- other_spartacat

Agreed with everything. It shows that some players have quit to get the attention of the GM. The eye test doesn't lie.

Kevin when you said the other day , that maybe DJ have lost his room. I can believe it because player they seem to like DJ. But I read somehere else, this is just a rumor but I believe this rumor. Apparantely someone heard Chabot complain about DJ, how stubborn he his. Chabot said Giroux give conseils to DJ and he don t want to listen.

Now who can replace him. I would like Trotz but he goona go to Leafs. RDS said when we see Julien at the CTC is because now he work for St-Louis Blues for adviser. Vigneault , I heard don t like young player. I would like Hartley or Roy


Kevin, how you like the rumor that Reynolds want to be part of the ownership

Roy as head coach of the Sens? Now imagine if they were to be relocated to Québec City!

Kevin when you said the other day , that maybe DJ have lost his room. I can believe it because player they seem to like DJ. But I read somehere else, this is just a rumor but I believe this rumor. Apparantely someone heard Chabot complain about DJ, how stubborn he his. Chabot said Giroux give conseils to DJ and he don t want to listen.

Now who can replace him. I would like Trotz but he goona go to Leafs. RDS said when we see Julien at the CTC is because now he work for St-Louis Blues for adviser. Vigneault , I heard don t like young player. I would like Hartley or Roy


Kevin, how you like the rumor that Reynolds want to be part of the ownership
- Crosside

He’ll go to whomever pays him the most.

In addition to what Keefe is making, Toronto is already paying Babcock 6.25 million this year and next. As such, the ownership group might not want to pay the kinda coin it’d cost to land Trotz.

Other than financials, there’s no reason the Senators can’t hire him instead.

In terms of DJ Smith, he is what he is. The results have not been great so far considering that the goaltending has been very good.

The Ottawa Senators are finally up for sale. Hopefully we get an ownership group with deep pockets that can provide leadership from the top. Dorion has to know that his job is on the line when the ownership change occurs. I just hope that Dorion doesn't do anything stupid like trading our first round pick in a very deep draft just to patch up our defence. Changing the coach is the best way to improve this team.

My #1 issue with DJ is the PP.

This guy is determined to use two units, regardless of how weak the 2nd unit is. It was one thing when Norris was healthy, but there is absolutely no reason why the 2nd unit should start any PP at this point, unless the first line is tired from a previous shift.

Perfect example in the Minny game.

PP in the 3rd period. He starts the 2nd line. Another penalty is called, making it a 5 on 3. He takes a timeout and puts out the big boys. They score in 30secs, leaving 1m30secs left on the PP.

Then he puts the 2nd unit, with Brassard, Pinto, Sanderson back out!!! Why? The 1st unit could NOT have been tired after 30 secs of 5 on 3. And they moved the puck well and JUST scored. Why would you NOT leave them out?

He pulled the same garbage at the end of the 2nd period of that game.

Penalty was drawn by the 3rd line with 1 min 30 secs left in the period. First line was fresh. He starts the 2nd unit. They eat 1min 20 secs of PP time. The 1st unit gets out for the last 10 secs of the period.

I know the PP is only one facet of the game, but it's a microcosm of what's happening right now. He STILL seems to care more about 'developing' than about winning.

Changing the coach should have been done in the off-season when plenty of good coaches were available. I said then, that one of the things that didn't have me very optimistic about their improvement despite the moves was that DJ was still coach and i don't see him as any better than Blashill was for the Wings. If the Sens change coaches now they will have limited options and even though they could get a better coach, they might not get the best coach they could get unlike in the off-season.

I would forget about Trotz at least for this season. Yzerman tried to get him in the summer and he said they had a lot of good conversations but he doesn't want to coach right now. He said he has enough on his plate right now and doesn't want anything more so i don't think even the Leafs could convince him with money.

In terms of DJ Smith, he is what he is. The results have not been great so far considering that the goaltending has been very good.

The Ottawa Senators are finally up for sale. Hopefully we get an ownership group with deep pockets that can provide leadership from the top. Dorion has to know that his job is on the line when the ownership change occurs. I just hope that Dorion doesn't do anything stupid like trading our first round pick in a very deep draft just to patch up our defence. Changing the coach is the best way to improve this team.
- SensFan25

Not only the first in 2023 but the goofs at TSN are also throwing around names to go with the first like Greig, Kastelec and even Pinto. Scary stuff but Dorion is completely capable of it; for some guy to patch the D and a salary dump forward to patch the forward group.

Not only the first in 2023 but the goofs at TSN are also throwing around names to go with the first like Greig, Kastelec and even Pinto. Scary stuff but Dorion is completely capable of it; for some guy to patch the D and a salary dump forward to patch the forward group.
- Whatisavailable

Pinto is the one piece that would be untouchable at this point I think.

All the others, yeah, probably. I hope if any trade goes down that the first is protected in some way. But I think regardless of what happens this year, that this team will be outside serious lottery contention

One of the things that I have noticed this season is anytime they have the man advantage, whether that be the PP or pulled goalie, they are ALWAYS outnumbered in the corners and against the wall. If 2 defenders go into the corner, send 3 guys into the corner with them, especially with the speed they have to get back on the defensive side if the puck pops out. It makes zero sense to send 2 men in against the boards with no support right behind them. It will happen tonite and people will notice it. How the hell do you let your team get outnumbered down low so often when you have more players on the ice, everything seems forced. Players just standing around waiting for the pass, the bumper play shouldn't be the be all to end all play, everyone knows that's what they are setting up for, so it's easy to defend.

One of the things that I have noticed this season is anytime they have the man advantage, whether that be the PP or pulled goalie, they are ALWAYS outnumbered in the corners and against the wall. If 2 defenders go into the corner, send 3 guys into the corner with them, especially with the speed they have to get back on the defensive side if the puck pops out. It makes zero sense to send 2 men in against the boards with no support right behind them. It will happen tonite and people will notice it. How the hell do you let your team get outnumbered down low so often when you have more players on the ice, everything seems forced. Players just standing around waiting for the pass, the bumper play shouldn't be the be all to end all play, everyone knows that's what they are setting up for, so it's easy to defend.
- RyeDog13

The players themselves are better than that but they are being told to play a certain way and that's all there is to it. If that system doesn't work then apparently it's not the fault of the system but rather the fault of the players who can't make it work.

I can't see that going over really well in the dressing room.

For all those people wanting the sens to go 0-3 or 1-4 over the next stretch so DJ gets fired, remember this....teams that are out of a playoff spot on American Thanksgiving hardly ever make the playoffs. If thr sens keep losing it may net them a new coach but it will prevent them from playing "meaningful games" in the spring.

So...what is more important for the sens this year...a new coach or tangible improvement from last year?

For all those people wanting the sens to go 0-3 or 1-4 over the next stretch so DJ gets fired, remember this....teams that are out of a playoff spot on American Thanksgiving hardly ever make the playoffs. If thr sens keep losing it may net them a new coach but it will prevent them from playing "meaningful games" in the spring.

So...what is more important for the sens this year...a new coach or tangible improvement from last year?
- GrimmdaGoalie

Player development and improvement through competitive, meaningful games is what I want to see this year. The goal is for the team to become a perennial playoff team that can compete for a Stanley Cup, starting next year.

If they were to do poorly for the next 3-4 games and there was a coaching change, I'd be fine with that but only if it resulted in a coaching change. What I don't want is a repeat of the past couple of seasons where we play teams that dress the backup goalie and put in half an effort. Been there, done that.

Having Deadpool in the ownership group would be great......he can handle the contract terminations.

J C Tremblay used to do that all the time. Flip the puck on net and see how it bounces. He actually scored quite a few goals that way.

So that's Hamonic and Sanderson.

Sanderson again for all you guys saying he's the Sens best D.

At what point do folks stop blaming Chabot's lack of progression on too much ice time? Major error 1 minute in the game to allow Stone to score. Surely, he can't be tired.

Defensive miscue by Hamonic on the 2nd goal. Not really addressing the defence in the summer seems to be an error in judgement.

At what point do folks stop blaming Chabot's lack of progression on too much ice time? Major error 1 minute in the game to allow Stone to score. Surely, he can't be tired.

Defensive miscue by Hamonic on the 2nd goal. Not really addressing the defence in the summer seems to be an error in judgement.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Sanderson is having a roughnight as well

J C Tremblay used to do that all the time. Flip the puck on net and see how it bounces. He actually scored quite a few goals that way.

So that's Hamonic and Sanderson.
- Whatisavailable

Hamonic and Sanderson again

Sanderson is having a roughnight as well
- david22

Bad period for sure.

well atleast OTT is not outshot by 20+ shots in the first.

yes...lets rail against a rookie in his 10th NHL game for mistakes (Sanderson).. smart