Sports

EXCLUSIVE: Fired coach D.J. Smith leaves Ottawa Senators with his head held high

Published

11 months ago

December 19, 2023

Harry Miller

D. J. Smith was fired as head coach of the Ottawa Senators on Monday. Getty Images

D.J.. Smith came on the telephone from his hotel room in Tempe on Tuesday morning.

He was killing time before his flight back Ottawa with no morning skate to attend and, as he closed the book on his chapter with Senators, his only regret was he couldn’t get this team to next level.

If you want to know the impact the 46-year-old Smith made with the club, then look no further than the farewell he had with assistant Davis Payne at a watering hole located near the club’s downtown hotel only hours after they were fired by interim GM Steve Staios on Monday after practice.

At some point or another Monday, one-by-one, every player and staff member that worked with Smith dropped by the bar to say thank you and wish him nothing but the best.

The going away meant a lot to him and he wanted that chance instead getting out of dodge immediately.

First and foremost, Smith is a people person and before he returned home to pack up his belongings with his wife Christie to head back to Windsor, the 46-year-old wanted to thank the people he worked with for their efforts in trying to help make the Senators a winner.

“It just shows they appreciated the time and effort I put in with them in building relationships,” Smith told Postmedia on Tuesday. “That’s 90% of coaching. As much as you want all the cut-outs, duotangs and the flashy stuff, at the end of the day, it’s about getting guys to give you everything they had.

“You can bring in other guys to help you with the details and the structure and all those things. If you can’t get your top players to play, and to play every day, it’s hard. Those guys played hard for me. They didn’t cheat me on effort. At the end of the day, that they came to say goodbye showed that they respected the effort and the time I put into them and their families.”

The news didn’t catch Smith off guard. The losses were piling up and he could sense it. Once GM Pierre Dorion was fired in November, Smith knew that his shelf-life here was short. By the time Staios told Smith, he was surprised it hadn’t happened earlier.

“I’m disappointed that we couldn’t turn the corner with this group for whatever reason,” Smith said. “Whether it was injuries or whatever the case may be. When we got it back to .500, you had to see that we needed to make a step and not continue to drop lower.

“I’m disappointed in that, but not disappointed in the whole body of work. I think I did my job in developing these young guys and turning them into real NHL players by giving them the confidence every day.”

Smith wanted to see players like captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot, Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson take the Senators to the next level.

“I’m disappointed that we were unable, as a group, to see this through right to the end,” Smith said.

But he can leave with his head held high.

“Absolutely, I’m proud of the amount of work that we put in, the amount of people we met and I’m proud of a lot of the players that we brought from young kids to what we think are really good NHL players,” Smith said.

“That job was to come in and do that. I think I leave with a lot of guys that are much better NHL players than when they came in. One of the most unfortunate part of this job is the injuries and you can’t control those. We had insurmountable amount of injuries over my time here.

“Whether it was goaltending, star players or centres. It’s not an excuse, but you need the tools to win in this league. The timing of these injuries were crushing.”

It felt like Smith never had the chance to have a full deck of cards. This club is built down the middle of the ice. Centres Stutzle, Norris and Shane Pinto have rarely played together in the time Smith was been behind the bench. That position is your bread-and-butter.

“The expectations were I was going to have Stutzle, Norris and Pinto down the middle. I thought that was outstanding depth, drafting, trading and everything that went into it. That’s outstanding building that group of three centres,” Smith said.

“I don’t know that I coached 10 games with those three guys in the lineup, there were lot of games with only one of those guys playing. When this team gets those three guys in the lineup with a healthy Chabot, they’re capable of winning every night.

“To say that’s not an impact or the outcome would be wrong because not having a guy like Pinto or Chabot changes the dynamic of the team. The team is going to be very good. It’s just a matter of time.”

His No. 1 goal coming into this season was to help the Senators turn the corner. He’s still confident that can happen under interim coach Jacques Martin with former captain Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant.

“For sure, I love players and I always have,” Smith said. “I don’t only want them to be successful for themselves, but also for the city to experience a winner again. It’s really close and unfortunately my time came up but this team is going to be really good.

“They have good leadership, players that care and like each other, and for a lot of reasons we didn’t find a way to win early in the season. That doesn’t mean this team can’t get it going. There’s too much in that room. I have no doubt that if I had stayed right to the end, we’d be right close to the playoffs.”

The most difficult part of getting the news was calling home to tell Christie before the news release came out. Smith also called his mother, Marina, in Windsor to let her know. Not easy words to deliver to your biggest fans.

“My mom is a diehard D.J. Smith fan,” he said. “Wherever I am she’s watching the games and that is the hard part. She sees her son being fired and especially last little bit here. I don’t go on the social media anymore. I’ve cut that off probably a year ago.

“You could tell by the phone calls she was worried and also it’s a double-edged sword because her and my wife are probably sad, but they’re also probably happy they won’t be getting phone calls about what people are saying about you. That’s why your family is your crowd and regardless of how you’re doing, they are there to support you.

“I know that I’m going to be back. I love coaching. I learned so much while being here.”

Those ridiculous “Fire D.J.” chants didn’t bother him as much as they were hurt his family. Yes, it’s a tough business, but it’s not just about Smith, it’s the people around him.

“I get the fans, they want to win, they have right to be mad. They want that and we should have been better. It’s on the coach to make them better. I was more worried for my family, not for me,” Smith said.

“My job is to fix it and win games. I thought we had it going. It looked like we had it back on the tracks. This road trip has derailed us more than we thought. I take this experience and I’m better coach and I will be a better coach going forward.”

I thought we had it going. It looked like we had it back on the tracks. This road trip has derailed us more than we thought.

D.J. Smith

Smith won’t let the decision ruin his Christmas. He’ll spend time with Christie along with Brock, 7, and three-year-old Mickey. They’ll head back to Windsor for the holidays and Smith will be able to watch his son, Colton, 19, with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires.

“My younger children desperately miss Dad when he’s on the road and I don’t get to watch their hockey. That’s the positive and I can watch Colton,” Smith said. “I can watch them. That’s a positive that I get a chance to spend time with the people that have missed out.

“I chose the profession. I love hockey and I’m never going to leave it until they officially kick me out. I can’t think of the last time I didn’t go to the arena or took a day off. Those people miss out and this is a chance to give back until they call me to my next job. Then, it will be back we go and it’s part of the business.”

The next time Smith gets a job, he’ll try to take more even-keeled approach.

“You have to be steady on the rudder,” Smith said. “The highs and the lows with a young team were hard to control with them. The more older players you have on your team, the more it helps What I know is, the older players have steadied the group.

“One of our biggest losses from last year was Derick Brassard. If a healthy Derick Brassard could have given us one more year, it would have made a big difference in the locker room and the play of some of the players with consistency. You realize you’ve got to lean on those guys to help you with young players.

“I believe my communication and bench skills got better as it went on. I don’t want to lose the passion and emotion. I think I need to continue to find a way to be better in all those areas.”

Smith said he feels like he made the rink a welcoming place and that’s something he wanted when he got here.

“I think I created a better culture around the arena. I felt everyone felt included — whether it was the players, media or office staff, everybody felt comfortable being around. I never made it about me, I wanted everyone to enjoy it,” Smith said.

Before he hung up the phone to have some breakfast, Smith offered some closing thoughts.

“I had a good run. Last year was a lot of fun getting close and I thought without the injuries to the goalies we had a real chance,” Smith said. “I believed wholeheartedly this year we’d make the playoffs. Not to say that the team won’t, but I hope to see the Ottawa Senators playing in the playoffs.”

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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