D.J. Smith responds to booing from fans, throws players under the bus.
The head coach of the Ottawa Senators laid the blame at the feet of his players on Sunday when asked about the negative chants from fans.
The Ottawa Senators were treated to a chorus of boos and negative chants on Saturday when they played in front of their home fans at the Canadian Tire Center.
Even prior to the game getting underway fans were calling for Senators head coach D.J. Smith to be fired with chants of "Fire D.J." echoing loudly throughout the building, and things wouldn't get any better over the course of what would prove to be a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The chants have clearly rubbed some of the players the wrong way with captain Brady Tkachuk speaking out after being booed out of the building on Saturday, and it would seem the negativity may also be getting to the team's head coach as well.
Smith was asked on Sunday about the reception he received and he was quick to deflect the reaction he got onto the players themselves, clearly indicating that he isn't the one out on the ice on a nightly basis.
"It's about the players it's not about me," responded Smith when asked about being booed on the way out of the building.
"We're doing our best," he added."
The Senators made a big organizational change last week when they fired long time general manager Pierre Dorion, and if the fans get their way there may soon be another one on the horizon.
