Former Senators winger Bobby Ryan criticizes D.J. Smith's coaching style and training camp approach

In a recent episode of his podcast, "Coming in Hot," former Ottawa Senators player Bobby Ryan shared his thoughts on the coaching style and training camp approach of former head coach D.J. Smith.

Reflecting on his own experiences, Ryan noted that while fitness testing was rigorous, the overall tone of the camps fell short of instilling the necessary intensity and discipline.

Ryan said (via The Hockey News):

"I’ve had camps with D.J. (Smith). They're a little country club-ish, right? Fitness testing was hard. Obviously, it's hard everywhere. But the camps in general were just a little country club-ish. So whoever comes in has to set the tone from day one at camp and just bury these guys and say ‘We’re going.'”

He highlighted the significance of energy levels in the team's performance, suggesting that a lack thereof contributed to their subpar start to the season.

"For me, that’s the biggest thing,” Ryan said. “Day one of training camp has gotta be a blood bath. It has to be. You have to absolutely skate these guys into the ground and put the systems in place. You’ve gotta set the tone in some way, shape, or form.”

Smith's tenure with the Senators ended in December, with the team opting for a coaching change amid a string of disappointing results. His successor, Jacques Martin, assumed the interim role to provide continuity.

Bobby Ryan's critique of D.J. Smith's leadership

With the Senators on the verge of missing the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, Ryan's candid remarks shed light on what he perceived as shortcomings in the team's preparation under Smith's leadership.

According to Bobby Ryan, Smith's training camps were characterized by a somewhat lax atmosphere.

Ryan said:

“They’re not going to have the (bad) start that they had this year, There were too many things in limbo this year that let the start become the middle of the season. That will not be the case next year. There’s no way."

Smith has somewhat transitioned into his role as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings.