'Meaningful games' have arrived for Senators — and D.J. Smith is a big reason why

When the Ottawa Senators signed Claude Giroux and traded for Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, the excitement around town was palpable. 

This was back during the ‘Summer of Pierre’ when general manager Pierre Dorion made aggressive off-season upgrades for the first time in his tenure. And then Dorion made a very wise comment, when he was asked about expectations for his team. 

Despite a history of being overly exuberant at times with his proclamations (who could forget his “proudest day” comment after the Mark Stone trade), Dorion declined to say anything close to – “this is a playoff team.” 

The expression he used was “meaningful games.” He expected the 2022-23 Senators to be playing “meaningful games” all season. 

News flash: The Senators are playing meaningful games already. Would anyone dare suggest last week’s victories over Boston, Washington and Buffalo lacked meaning? Those wins vaulted Ottawa past two division rivals and pulled them within reach of the Wild Card teams. 

Not that there is a lot of margin for error. But if they continue to play as well as they have for the past seven weeks, the Sens will be playing meaningful games in the weeks and months to come. I think we can agree that by ‘meaningful’ we mean – in legitimate pursuit of, or possession of, a playoff berth. 

There is a lot of credit to go around for the turnaround, but it starts behind the bench. 

Smith has coached his tail off 

During a horrid stretch from late October to late November, head coach D.J. Smith was on the hot seat, big time. Here we go again, it seemed. Another poor start to doom a Senators season. That stretch may still prove to have been too big a hole from which to contend. 

And yet, when you look at the job Smith has done with this group since Nov. 23, I think you have to tip the cap to him. 

What was plaguing the Senators early on? The same old issues, giving up too many chances, too many goals against. Smith responded in a way that has shown his growth as a coach, since taking on his first NHL gig in Ottawa nearly four years ago. He took the most offensively talented group of players he has had since becoming head coach of a rebuilding team in 2019 and he asked that group to play better defence. 

And they have. Consider the goals-against numbers early in the season, compared to the past several weeks. Keep in mind that veteran goaltender Cam Talbot, injured in pre-season, wasn’t available until Nov. 3 and took a couple of weeks to round into form. That put a lot of pressure on Anton Forsberg. 

What a difference it makes having two dependable goaltenders now, with both Talbot and Forsberg displaying save percentages better than .910 and goals-against well under 3.00 (Talbot - .911; 2.74 and Forsberg - .914 and 2.91).

Ottawa’s commitment to defence goes far beyond goaltending, however. Consider that despite losing ace penalty killer Tyler Motte and fellow third-liner Mathieu Joseph to injuries, Smith has everyone playing two-way hockey. The best example is that his flashiest offensive player – Tim Stützle – takes pride in working the PK and protecting the puck. 

Smith knew that the only way the Sens were going to climb back to the pack was to keep their goals-against down. 

From the start of the season to Nov. 23, a stretch of 19 games, the Senators gave up four goals or more a total of 12 times. Their record: 6-12-1. One loss to match each bloated goals-against number, although Ottawa actually won one game in which it yielded five goals – that wild home opener win over the Bruins, 7-5.

In the next 19 games, from Nov. 25-Jan. 3, the Senators only gave up four or more goals five times. Their record in the second 19 games: 12-5-2. 

It’s night versus day. The Senators have tightened up and their special teams are among the league's best.

Clearly, the players believe in this coach because they have bought into his message. And they have his back. When social media was full of anti-Smith rhetoric, and “Fi-re DJ!” chants rang out at a few home games, players stood up for him.

Captain Brady Tkachuk, named the team’s All-Star representative on Thursday, told us on Nov. 19 he was “sick and tired of the negativity” surrounding the coach.

Nobody is chanting against Smith anymore, they are too busy chanting the names of the latest in-game player heroes like Stützle, Batherson, Giroux and DeBrincat etc. 

Without question, Smith is a players’ coach. He beams with pride, high-fiving his guys after a win. And he doesn’t get down on them after a loss, but reminds them how they have to play – with a strong forecheck and physical presence while keeping turnovers to a minimum. 

Sure, there are still times that opponents seem to rip right down main street, splitting Ottawa’s defence like the parting of the Red Sea, as one press box wag said recently. But there is enough responsible play elsewhere to help compensate. That and strong goaltending. 

A longtime sportswriter told me recently that he compares Smith to legendary Ottawa 67’s head coach Brian Kilrea, at least in his approach to the game. Neither is known to be huge into Xs and Os, although Smith is capable of trotting out analytics trends at any time. 

Both coaches won Memorial Cups out of the OHL. Both have an infectious love for the game and like to have fun (although Kilrea had a doghouse that no player wanted to be in). Both sought to inspire with emotion and allow their players to show their offensive side, without being overly restrictive. Smith and Kilrea are exceptional at dealing with media – Killer set the bar higher than any coach before or since. 

They are also both driven to win. Smith, rather than lap up some of the trappings of Ottawa’s recent success, shows a laser-focus to keep this thing rolling. He is so quickly onto the next game, it is as though that last victory didn’t happen. 

Rookie NHL coaches only get to make one first impression. Smith is coaching his tail off and it shows. Once criticized for leaning on his veterans too heavily, Smith has guided young players like Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Erik Brannstrom and Shane Pinto to become confident contributors to the cause. 

While Smith demands a work ethic from his players, he exudes it himself. The other day he shared an anecdote about seeing Forsberg at the rink, working out on a bike on Christmas Day. The story was meant to depict the effort Forsberg is making, despite having to back up Talbot for long stretches before Christmas. 

But wait a second – seeing Forsberg at the rink on Christmas Day meant the coach was there, too. Working to find little ways his team can be better. Smith is grinding, much as he asks his players to grind. 

After Thursday’s games, the Senators are seven points back of the New York Islanders for the final Wild Card spot, albeit with a few teams still to pass. 

The meaningful games have arrived and the coach has a lot to do with that.