D.J. Smith will not lose his job in Ottawa (for now)

D.J. Smith is in his fifth season behind the bench for the Ottawa Senators.

Under his watch, the club has never made the playoffs… And the club continues to disappoint year after year, even though there are so many talented players in the Ottawa lineup.

He arrived when the team was rebuilding, but there’s been no excuse for the past two years.

Before the start of this season, many saw the Sens as a playoff team. But after 17 games (8-9-0 record), the same question still comes up when talking about the team:

“D.J. Smith deserves to lose his job.”

Our colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois explained in a recent text that, for the sake of the principal and the club, the Sens should fire him.

That said, it seems that this is not the organization’s plan. Frank Seravalli told the Real Kyper and Bourne show (Sportsnet) that the team wants to wait before making that decision:

Frank Seravalli on Real Kyler & Bourne on SN: “Every piece of intel that I can gather is the Sens don’t have any interest in making a coaching change, that they’re trying to stabilize their situation with all the drama that has existed this season”

– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) November 29, 2023

It must be frustrating for the team’s fans.

Because basically, what’s happening is that we’re wasting the talent and potential of young players.

Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot… These guys never had a chance to taste the playoffs.

And that’s a problem.

The organization has a new owner AND a new president of hockey operations. At some point, someone somewhere is going to have to pull up their socks and fix this situation, because it can’t go on.

A major change is needed.

Breaking news

– Interesting.

Expect the @TheWHL to make a major announcement tomorrow. Industry sources suggest, Dan Near, a Global Executive with @adidas, and a familiar name in all hockey circles, will be named as longtime commissioner, Ron Robison’s successor.

– Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 29, 2023

– I wish him well.

“I’m really optimistic about where I can go from here and how long I can play.”

Here’s @StapeAthletic on Rangers legend Patrick Kane, as the Red Wings star restarts his NHL career:https://t.co/IPthIkFJBD

– Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 29, 2023

– Speaking of Patrick Kane.

In an interview on Le Retour des sportifs with Martin Lemay, Patrick Kane’s former teammate Corey Crawford commented on the American’s signing with the Detroit Red Wings, but also on the reunion with Alex DeBrincat!

To listenhttps://t.co/ZUwbeOUDIW pic.twitter.com/c7vaDyd1pc

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) November 29, 2023