Fire DJ Smith and replace him with Luke Richardson! Problem solved.
- Barrykerr1

Mentioned Luke's name back in December when this team was having huge problems. He would be terrific here! But he was passed over years ago by PD when they hired Guy Boucher and he was the Binghamton HC for the Sens AHL team.

Cause Toronto isn’t very smart they would want to get rid of one of the few to play with heart in playoffs lol
No wonder they never make it outta first round 😂😂
- sens4life1971

Very true! I wonder what Leafs would think of that trade proposal though!

I wanna see what this team can do with a complete healthy squad starting next year before I throw the rope around DJ neck lol
One good thing DJ has them doing is playing a strong forechecking game they do lead the league in hits so they not a soft team lol..
Just wanna see this team with a healthy squad with some good players if PD brings any in 🤷‍♂️
Is there any teams out there take Murray if we retain 50% and throw a second in 😂😂😂🤦‍♂️
- sens4life1971

He emphasizes the hitting too much though, which is why this team goes through long stretches of getting outhit and looking like they have nothing in the tank due to the many long game stretches of outhitting a team 55-28 at times. It's not sustainable that style of play in today's NHL. DJ hasn't show any consistency coaching when it comes to handling the players on this team. When DJ went off on Colin White in his presser about the bad stuff in his game in only his first game back, did anyone else notice the next game out, his presser, he went out of his way to praise him?! It's because the players love White in that locker room and when it got back to them, again, they went off to management about DJ! The tables have turned on DJ due to how much he hates certain players and he lets it shine through in his pressers. He did it to the wrong player off a 5 month injury too boot!

Good read. Always appreciate the insider knowledge!

Once players start going to the GM for lineup adjustments, it should scream lack of faith in the entire coaching staff. Assistant coaches are usually the guy’s players go to for concerns and that goes to the head coach for consideration. Having players bypass them shows either DJ doesn’t listen to his assistant coaches or the players have lost faith in the whole coaching staff. This can’t be ignored and should be a red flag. I always felt DJ Smith was a placeholder until this team starts to develop a core and identity. Perhaps it’s time bring in a guy to take them to the next level. However, Dorion still needs to bring in a few more quality bodies.

In terms of buy outs, I can’t remember the specifics, but I saw some posts on Twitter where it made almost no sense not to buy out Colin White. The cap hit penalty wouldn’t be terrible and can use the relieved cash elsewhere. If you buy out Murray, there is more of a cap penalty to my understanding. You can only buyout one guy as well from my understanding since Bobby Ryan is still on the books. You can also add Zaitsev to the buyout conversation. Really frustrating to have 3 buy out candidates in a rebuild. Such short-sighted moves by the GM.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Thanks for the kind words! Personally I wouldn't buy out White, young player who can play RW and Center plus his buyout would extend over 6 years. The bigger problems on this team are Zaitsev and Murray, although with DJ's hate for White, he would probably side with you on White. But like you said, these 3 contracts/moves all fall on the GM! The Bobby buyout is on the books for another 2 years after this ugh!

Lmao 😂 we never had a healthy full group this year
So neat Year I wanna give DJ 15games see what he can do with
Tkachuk Norris Batherson Stutzle Formenton Brown Paul Pinto White chabot Sanderson Zub Holden Zeitsev JBD Thomson
That’s a good squad lol
If ya can’t win atleast minimum 8games in first 15 .. You’re Fired! 😂
- sens4life1971

No coach ever has a full lineup, so who is to say they will be healthy to start next year? Who is to say this team doesn't run into injury issues next year? Every time has run into injury issues, but this coach has demonstrated he is in over his head time and again. Cut your losses. Why risk another slow start under this coach because of the pity card?

With our coaching it's easy to say 'you get what you pay for', but when I look at Montreal with St. Louis, Woodcroft in Edmonton, Brunette in Florida, I am struck that we place far too much emphasis on experience for coaching in this league. It's the same recycled group of 60 something white dudes who are always brought up each time a coaching position opens. We already know this team won't spend the money on those guys, so why not do some real research and take a flyer on a stellar personality coach from the NCAA, CHL, or heck, give Trent Mann a go? This season has shown multiple times that a new generation of coaches is out there, and likely can be had within a Melnyk budget.
- Bartacus

Luke Richardson please or like you said promote Mann from Belleville. Has anyone ever heard him on the road for his weekly hit on Tuesday on TSN1200? This guy beyond gets it, you listen to him and you think to yourself, how on earth is DJ the head coach in Ottawa. They should be flipping the 2 of them!

Who starts in goal for Ottawa tonight? Forsberg or Gustavsson?

And great piece on the Sens. You can tell you put a ton of work into it.

Reading all the coaching change stuff in the comments. If you look at Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver the results are far different as they eliminated the HC and one assistant in each instance. Winnipeg and Philly did the opposite, they promoted from within and look at the results? Completely different. It doesn't work promoting from within. You need someone with a clean, fresh look at things, nobody with an agenda. Anyone that's promoted within works.

Major Murray news leaking out. I will have a piece on Murray later today on what is going on behind the scenes. But wild stuff!

And great piece on the Sens. You can tell you put a ton of work into it.
- PuckPix

Thanks! Yes, I put a lot into my work, love doing it. Appreciate it.

Who starts in goal for Ottawa tonight? Forsberg or Gustavsson?
- PuckPix

They need to get Gustavsson some starts, he needs to play. DJ and PD have said its youth movement time. They need to know what they have in Gus. Seattle in too, great spot to start Gus. He needs games for his development and there are no expectations with this team now, so why not play him tonight?! Am I wrong Sens fans?

Stu’s play this season is really interesting. If we had a dime for every promising chance he had in the first part of the year, we’d be able to fund his next contract. His play the last month or so has not nearly seemed as dangerous and at some points seems like he’s on a slip and slide on the ice.

He doesn’t get the best linemates and his use on the powerplay always makes me scratch my head. His body language just seems different as well like he’s not having as much fun out there. I wonder if there is some resentment building with Stu and the coaching staff. He’s still a raw prospect but would love to see the play from the first part of the year / first little bit when he was input at centre as opposed to what we have seen lately.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

When you take Batherson, Norris, Pinto and White out of the lineup it changes how opposing coaches set up their game plan. For a long time opposing coaches set up for the game by telling their guys to keep Tkachuk and Stutzle off the boards and after that Ottawa has nothing. Simple plan. Entirely true and young players buckle under the added attention they receive.

Im guessing Murray on LTIR for concussion persistent concussion symptoms. He got whiplashed again. He needs to go see Crosby's doctor. His head is made of egg shells. It's a long term fix. Unfortunate. He was playing well for a stretch there.

I believe there is some stinky water under the Luke Richardson bridge. I love the guy, but he's not coming back with this owner\gm in place.

Thanks for the kind words! Personally I wouldn't buy out White, young player who can play RW and Center plus his buyout would extend over 6 years. The bigger problems on this team are Zaitsev and Murray, although with DJ's hate for White, he would probably side with you on White. But like you said, these 3 contracts/moves all fall on the GM! The Bobby buyout is on the books for another 2 years after this ugh!
- Kevin Francis

I’m only on board to buy out White if he struggles down the stretch. He has played adequately since returning. I’m still stuck in the mindset that he’s an injury prone player who only produced with Stone as a winger. If he can play well for 20+ games consistently, then his salary is much easier to swallow than Murray and Zaitsev. I did find the post I saw on Twitter about a White buy out interesting. Especially given who owns this team. It’s cheaper than Murray and Zaitsev but as I’ve learned on the board here, longer, which could pose a problem. However, teams really shouldn’t have to worry about buyouts as regularly as the Sens are seeing it.

Murray and Zaitsev are def more attractive buy out options from purely a “who wastes more roster room” perspective. There are numerous issues with Murray right now as opposed to Zaitsev just not being very good. So, from that perspective, Murray is def the odd man out.

Dorion has pulled deals to get crap contracts out. Dadanov to Vegas and Condon to Tampa, so maybe he can pull it off again for one guy and buying out another.

Incredibly important summer approaching if this team wants to take the next step.

Very true! I wonder what Leafs would think of that trade proposal though!
- Kevin Francis

Well 3/4 of my friends are leaf fans and they love Nylander for playoffs alone 🤙

No coach ever has a full lineup, so who is to say they will be healthy to start next year? Who is to say this team doesn't run into injury issues next year? Every time has run into injury issues, but this coach has demonstrated he is in over his head time and again. Cut your losses. Why risk another slow start under this coach because of the pity card?
- Kevin Francis

Yeah after reading a lot of peeps opinions on that subject I’m with ya , but I really don’t see it happening until after first 15/20 games next year 🤷‍♂️ It’s usually how they do it 🤦‍♂️

Murray for Grubauer make sense to anyone else other than me? Only other option is to send Murray and 2nd to Arizona, and even then that might not be enough.

Unless you are getting a 2nd for Forsberg I say resign him. And he's worth a 2nd because his contract is less than a million, which would give some teams looking a backup cap relief, especially if Ottawa takes a bad goalie contract back (looking at you Edm).

Murray for Grubauer make sense to anyone else other than me? Only other option is to send Murray and 2nd to Arizona, and even then that might not be enough.

Unless you are getting a 2nd for Forsberg I say resign him. And he's worth a 2nd because his contract is less than a million, which would give some teams looking a backup cap relief, especially if Ottawa takes a bad goalie contract back (looking at you Edm).
- GrimmdaGoalie

I would resign Forsberg and try and get a team to take Murray say retain 50% and give away Tampa 2nd and 2023 2nd for a late pick or just simply buy him out and pay him roughly 10million over next 4 yrs 🤷‍♂️

I would resign Forsberg and try and get a team to take Murray say retain 50% and give away Tampa 2nd and 2023 2nd for a late pick or just simply buy him out and pay him roughly 10million over next 4 yrs 🤷‍♂️
- sens4life1971

His contract is owed a LOT of money over the next two years in real cash (way more than His AAV). Going to be really hard to move that contract.

His contract is owed a LOT of money over the next two years in real cash (way more than His AAV). Going to be really hard to move that contract.
- GrimmdaGoalie

Yup that’s why I said ya can pay
7.5mil and 2 2nds picks for someone to take him
Or buy him out and pay 10mil over next 4yrs
Or keep him and pay him 15mil next 2yrs 😬

Murray for Grubauer make sense to anyone else other than me? Only other option is to send Murray and 2nd to Arizona, and even then that might not be enough.
- GrimmdaGoalie

It would be terrible if they turned a 2yr problem with Murray into a 5yr problem with Grubauer... very much like Ceci becoming Zaitsev. Plus, there's absolutely no way a 2nd round pick buys them out of the Murray situation. Marleau cost the Leafs a 1st round pick for 1yr @ $6.5M, and he's a future HHOF candidate... so 2yr of Murray with a career in free-fall would be at least that level of compensation.

Time for Melnyk to suck it up, keep the 1st round pick, and just buy Murray out under the heading of doing whatever it takes to make next year better. Changing the coach would help mitigate the White/Zaitsev issues, because White would get a far better chance to prove himself, and Zaitsev would never see top-4 minutes again. Hold Dorion directly accountable for the Murray situation, and let him know in no uncertain terms that he's now playing with 2 strikes. Then bring the new coach in on Day 1, sit him down beside Dorion, and tell them "play the f%&$ing kids, or you're fired".

It would be terrible if they turned a 2yr problem with Murray into a 5yr problem with Grubauer... very much like Ceci becoming Zaitsev. Plus, there's absolutely no way a 2nd round pick buys them out of the Murray situation. Marleau cost the Leafs a 1st round pick for 1yr @ $6.5M, and he's a future HHOF candidate... so 2yr of Murray with a career in free-fall would be at least that level of compensation.

Time for Melnyk to suck it up, keep the 1st round pick, and just buy Murray out under the heading of doing whatever it takes to make next year better. Changing the coach would help mitigate the White/Zaitsev issues, because White would get a far better chance to prove himself, and Zaitsev would never see top-4 minutes again. Hold Dorion directly accountable for the Murray situation, and let him know in no uncertain terms that he's now playing with 2 strikes. Then bring the new coach in on Day 1, sit him down beside Dorion, and tell them "play the f%&$ing kids, or you're fired".
- khawk

Well stated as always sir. Trading for Grubauer just extends the issue - he's shown he's not great in front of a weaker team. Sure it might work out, but if it doesn't that extra term becomes a bigger headache and isn't worth the gamble. This coach has shown he's accepting of demoting Murray while overplaying Zaitsev, which is why I suggested buying out Zaitsev, but that can be fixed by simply replacing the coach with someone who will play NZ where he belongs, not where his salary suggests he should be slotted. The issue for Dorion is that buying out any of these players looks bad on him as he's the guy who brought all those contracts to bear. He's gotta weigh the gambles and figure it out - not an enviable position to be in, but he does have the head case, injury, and track record excuse for Melnyk in buying out Murray, whereas Zaitsev has been healthy and playing minutes, albeit not to the standard we might hope or expect.

Oh and btw Smith said today that Murray is 'not close' to returning and destined for LTIR. More rationale for buying out MM.

It would be terrible if they turned a 2yr problem with Murray into a 5yr problem with Grubauer... very much like Ceci becoming Zaitsev. Plus, there's absolutely no way a 2nd round pick buys them out of the Murray situation. Marleau cost the Leafs a 1st round pick for 1yr @ $6.5M, and he's a future HHOF candidate... so 2yr of Murray with a career in free-fall would be at least that level of compensation.

Time for Melnyk to suck it up, keep the 1st round pick, and just buy Murray out under the heading of doing whatever it takes to make next year better. Changing the coach would help mitigate the White/Zaitsev issues, because White would get a far better chance to prove himself, and Zaitsev would never see top-4 minutes again. Hold Dorion directly accountable for the Murray situation, and let him know in no uncertain terms that he's now playing with 2 strikes. Then bring the new coach in on Day 1, sit him down beside Dorion, and tell them "play the f%&$ing kids, or you're fired".
- khawk

That would be the rational thing to do but why do I suspect it won't happen? I sometimes wonder if the reason Dorion is there is because he agrees to Melnyk's "suggestions" about how to manage the club, including who to trade for whom and who to sign for what. Otherwise wouldn't he be gone by now?

I could be way off here but as I recall when Melnyk first bought the club the Sens were favoured to win the Cup. How many years did it take that hockey genius to drive them so far into the ground that they missed the playoffs? Was it 5 or 6 years?