Senators Notebook: Dorion backs Smith, has faith in team despite record

OTTAWA — Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion addressed the media on Monday to update the Josh Norris medical situation, but he also fielded a wide range of questions concerning the first mini-crisis of the season, a five-game losing streak. 

In a 14-minute scrum, Dorion said Norris will not require surgery on his injured shoulder; he also affirmed the job of head coach D.J. Smith is safe, and that he believes the team will start playing to the level shown by underlying analytics.  

Asked to assess the job of Smith, Dorion first said he was “very happy,” before amending that. 

“I wouldn’t say ‘very happy’ because we’re 4-7, but I’m happy with the job D.J. has done, his staff has done,” Dorion said. “I think it’s the first time we’ve given him a team that can compete for the playoffs. 

“One thing about Pierre Dorion, Pierre Dorion is very loyal,” the GM said, in a rare third-person reference. “I think D.J. has done a good job. He’s shown that he can win. I’m not giving him a vote of confidence or anything, I think that’s bush. D.J. is our coach, he’s going to be our coach. I have faith in how this team plays under D.J.”

Dorion acknowledged there have been defensive breakdowns, but refused to blame his defence alone, noting that all five players on the ice have been at fault at times. 

Players have to be accountable, he said, but that goes for the entire organization. 

“I think there has to be accountability for everyone, myself included,” Dorion said. “There has to be accountability for the GM, accountability for the coaching staff. The only people that don’t need to be accountable are our fans. They’ve been great — that atmosphere at the first game of the year, I had shivers. I’ve got shivers now thinking about it.”

Here’s Dorion’s breakdown of his team’s first 11 games, seven of which have regulation losses. 

With a “few bounces,” the team would have a better record, Dorion said. He was pleased with the team’s first six games, which started with two road losses before a four-game winning streak at home. Subsequent games against Minnesota and Florida were sub-par, but overall he likes the fact his team has competed in nearly every game, losing only by one goal (plus empty net goals). 

“I think we’re playing hard,” Dorion said. “Analytically, five-on-five — the one stat I look at a lot is expected goals against, the differential, we’re sixth in the league right now. Last year we were 30th. So I think there’s a lot of positives there.”

He’s not as impressed with having the league’s 26th-ranked power play (18.4 per cent) or a penalty kill unit that has given up goals in nine of 11 games (ranked 18th at 77.3 per cent). 

“I think there are definitely areas we can improve, but overall am I elated? No," he said. "I think I’m happy with how we’re playing for the most part, and I think these next 10 games will be very important for our season.”

Ottawa’s defensive issues blew up after the Sens lost dependable Artem Zub to an upper-body injury in the seventh game of the season.

Dorion, who has been trying to upgrade his blue line since the summer, reiterated that the task is onerous. 

“It’s not probably the right answer to give you but it’s the honest answer ... finding defencemen is the toughest thing to do for a general manager,” Dorion said. “The price sometimes to give up (in return) is not worth it. I’ve never said that we’re a team that’s going to be vying for the Stanley Cup this year and to give up what some defenceman on the market (require) is not worth it.”

Dorion said with the impressive play of rookie Jake Sanderson and the prospects in the system, he’s not sure he needs to add a D-man right now.

Zub is expected back next week. The team has recalled from AHL Belleville Jacob-Bernard Docker, who will make his season debut Tuesday versus Vancouver at the Canadian Tire Centre, lining up alongside Thomas Chabot. 

Following Dorion, the head coach appeared in his regular post-practice conference and was told that the GM spoke in support of Smith and his staff. 

“Well, that’s what leaders do, they lead in the organization,” Smith said. “He’s clearly the leader in this group. He’s the head guy. And I’m well aware, I’m a big boy. I’m well aware we have to win hockey games. 

“I pull no punches about it,” Smith added. "I like our five-on-five game and I think our special teams have let us down, whether it be the numbers or whether it be unlucky goals going in on the penalty kill, whatever the case may be. Our special teams have to be better.”

As bad as things may look after five straight losses, they’re far from hopeless. The Senators have been in games to the end even on nights they don’t play well, and we have seen them play some good games. All of their losses have been by one goal, or by two with an empty netter. 

Their power play was lousy on Saturday in a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia but looked good early in the season. The talent is there. The coaching staff needs to find a group that works, a real first unit, and stick with it. Sanderson has looked like a great fit, for example, and Alex DeBrincat is due to break out. 

There are 71 games left in the season. The slope is slippery, however. The Sens cannot afford to dig the hole any deeper, or there is no crawling out. U.S. Thanksgiving is approaching and so is the point of no return on the Senators' season.  

We’d say the Senators have winnable games on the horizon, with Vancouver, New Jersey (this year’s Devils are not last year’s Devils), Philadelphia, the New York Islanders and Buffalo. And yet, the Canucks and Flyers aside, the other three have all started the season smartly. The Devils, Isles and Sabres all have winning records. The Flyers have already beaten the Senators once.  

So, there is no easy touch out there. Dorion says the next 10 games are critical. Can the Sens be over .500 by then?

Centre Josh Norris was all smiles as he met with reporters for the first time since injuring his shoulder against Arizona on Oct. 22. 

The good news — after consulting with five doctors and two shoulder specialists, it has been determined that Norris suffered a completely different injury than the one that required surgery in 2019 and this time he can get by with rest and rehabilitation. There is no dislocation. 

The Senators say they will know more about Norris’ timeline in the New Year. 

“I feel good,” Norris said. “It’s obviously a better alternative to doing surgery, just rehabbing. It was some good news to get from doc to kind of go this route, strengthen it as much as I can and let it heal and see where we are in a few weeks. Or, I guess however long it takes.”

Norris, injured on a faceoff, described it as a “weird play ... I just kind of felt a little torque.” 

Norris said he is hopeful of returning to action this season. He is going slowly at the moment but is thrilled to be around teammates again. He also missed 15 games last season with a shoulder injury. 

“I’m great, I mean it’s pretty easy for me, honestly,” Norris said. “I could sit here and be all depressed and down on myself or just take one day at a time and enjoy it. It’s all part of the process. ... It’s not always good times and there are going to be times you can’t control what happens to you. I’m in a good head space.”

Norris said he has had talks with other players who have been through shoulder issues, including teammate Derick Brassard who has had multiple surgeries. 

“Just to know there are other guys that have been through it makes you feel a little better,” Norris said. 

Dorion had no update on unsigned RFA forward Alex Formenton.

"I think both parties know that we have a Dec. 1 timeline, and from there there's nothing to report," Dorion said.