Coach looks to eliminate team’s sluggish starts
Coach vows to make changes in response to team’s sluggish effort, undisciplined play
A mere eight games into his NHL head coaching career, D.J. Smith is already wearing the frustration of the Ottawa Senators’ rebuilding effort.
A series of slow starts by the team, along with the inconsistent efforts of individual players and a steady parade to the penalty box, has contributed to the Senators residing in the NHL basement with a 1-6-1 record leading into Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings at Canadian Tire Centre.
“You’ve got to be a pro in this league,” Smith said following the team’s listless effort in Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, capping an 0-2-1 western road trip.
“To stay in this league, you’ve got to compete every night. And sometimes if you don’t have it, you’ve got to know just how to not make mistakes. Some guys had a tough time against a really competitive team.”
Don’t be fooled by the score against the Stars. If not for goaltender Anders Nilsson, the Senators would have been dead and buried early in the first period, just like they were in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
Unable to generate anything close to a reasonable forecheck, the ice was chewed up in the Senators’ end and the defence was on its heels against the Stars.
If the Sens hope to have any success, they have to turn at least some of that pressure the other way and start grinding the opposition.
“It’s critical,” said defenceman and alternate captain Ron Hainsey. “The only way to not being on your half (of the ice) is to be on their half. It’s much easier to defend when the other team is tired at the end of a shift and punting.”
It’s no surprise that the Senators don’t have the talent level of most of their opponents.
It could take years for Ottawa to draft and develop young prospects to reach the forward depth and skill witnessed from Vegas, Arizona and Dallas in the past week.
But while few fans expected the Senators to keep pace with the NHL’s elite squads, it’s the effort level — particularly early in games — that’s worrisome.
Smith has moved forwards here, there and everywhere, including extended stays on the bench, aiming to send the message that the determination level isn’t close to good enough.
Anthony Duclair watched and watched some more in the latter half of Monday’s game, finishing with a mere nine minutes nine seconds of ice time.
“If you don’t play hard enough, you can’t play,” Smith said. “We’ll continue to try different guys and eventually we’ll find the fix. There are some good guys in that room that care and try and we’ll get back to work.”
Winger Vladislav Namestnikov, who scored for the Senators late against Dallas, has been a bright light since being acquired from the New York Rangers.
Centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau has pushed his way into a frontline role.
Brady Tkachuk has had a few spotty games, but he was trying to make a difference in the crease and in scrums against the Stars.
Perhaps with a day off Tuesday for rest and reflection, Smith and his players will be refreshed for their meeting with the Wings.
But there also are bigger questions in play in what’s setting up to be a very long season indeed.
If the 2019-20 campaign is about establishing a foundation for tomorrow, isn’t it about time to send rookie defenceman Erik Brannstrom to Belleville of the American Hockey League?
Rather than being overwhelmed by the incessant pressure from the opposition, hemming him into his own zone, would Brannstrom not be better served by restoring his offensive confidence alongside Logan Brown, Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton and Josh Norris in Belleville?
At this point, 10-year pro Cody Goloubef hasn’t played a second of hockey in the regular season. He’s been a healthy scratch for the first eight games.
As it is now, the team’s leaders have to do everything possible to keep the mood upbeat, to stress positives wherever they can find them. That’s easier said than done, of course.
“This is the hard part about the NHL,” said defenceman and alternate captain Mark Borowiecki. “When you get into a rut like this, it’s not just going to go away. Teams aren’t going to give you a chance to get back into it.”
The Red Wings, Borowiecki said, are loaded with speed and have their own point to prove. Resiliency is vital.
“The older guys, the leaders, have got to step up and grab this thing by the horns a little bit and take ownership,” he said.
“It’s not going to be an overnight fix or anything. It’s about learning and growing in this league. You’re going to make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. I make a ton of mistakes. But it’s about flushing them, coming out and trying to make up for them on the next shift.”