In a word – ‘Ugh’

 OK, I’ve got it. If the fabulous brain boxes at The Hockey News ask me to write the Ottawa Senators preview for the 2024-25 campaign, I have the perfect lede: “Cue the broken record. A dismal start doomed the Senators yet again last season, as the club missed the playoffs

Senators Relishing the Pressure?

 The elevation from doormat to Golden Boy couldn’t have happened quicker. Last year, two years ago (. . . three years ago, four years ago, five years ago . . .) when asked about the pending fate and fortunes of the Ottawa Senators, hockey panellists would kind of look awkwardly

When late June becomes a hockey hornet nest

 No hockey on the ice. No problem. As TSN’s Gino Reda pointed out (roughly) Monday night: ‘Welcome to the busiest week of the hockey season.’ Trades, NHL entry draft, free agency, rumours, rumblings and another painfully awkward NHL awards show . . . it’s all here for the taking. Good

Montreal and Toronto: opposites on ice

 It really is a tale of two cities. And while I’m certainly no Charles Dickens, I’ll spin this story out as best as I can. We’ll leave your Ottawa Senators out of this one, people. They’ve been microscoped (new word eh?) to death from this corner. Better yet, we circle

Hockey rolls on!

 Been there, done that must count for a lot given the lack of love the New York Rangers are getting heading into the Eastern Conference final. Across the board, hockey prognosticators are throwing their affection at the two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. At NHL.com, some of the best

Year-end awards a mixed bag for Senators

 Pack up your things and head for the hills for the summer. The season, for the Ottawa Senators is done. And how about that season? Some advances to be sure, a few disappointments and a lot of ifs and buts. We’ve created a few categories here – as opposed to

Senators season coming to abrupt stop

 Less than two weeks until closing time. Seems like kind of a ‘hard stop’ here in Ottawa as interest seems to be gaining on a hockey team that is poised to do . . . well what, exactly? The Ottawa Senators are at a significant, meaningful stage in recovery (I

Senators vying for better grades in second half

 Give or take a few days or games or COVID breaks, the National Hockey League hits the halfway point during a very intriguing season. In Ottawa, this season was hailed as the end of the rebuild. While the phrase wasn’t exactly plastered on the facing of the Canadian Tire Centre,

Leafs’ lesson a tough pill to swallow

 I hope you were watching, Ottawa Fan. I hope you were listening, Ottawa Fan. ‘Cause Saturday night you were schooled, and even though you despise your teacher, best you’d been paying attention. In the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-0 dummying of the Ottawa Senators a number of things stood out. And

Grades improving; this student has potential

 I remember those dreaded days: Getting the sealed envelope with my school’s emblem adorning the front. “Please bring this home for your parents to look at (‘pick apart,’ you mean) and have them sign it and bring it promptly back to your home-room teacher.” The cringe-worthy report card. Twice a

Future looking rosy in Senator land

 The heat was on last week after what appeared in this corner of the page. Maybe a little too harsh? Unsympathetic? Sure. Perhaps. But after another solid week on the ice, the Ottawa Senators surely appear that they’re about to take another step forward. There’s just too much going well

Goalie woes continue, prospects shine, and Karlsson makes news

 ABOVE:  Joey Daccord injured himself in the third period of Wednesday's game against the Canucks. (PHOTO: SPORTSNET.CA) The Ottawa Senators played two games last week, and both were spirited efforts against the Vancouver Canucks. Ottawa played well enough to win each game, but, unfortunately for them, both ended in an overtime loss. Canucks

Camps open league-wide, prompting questions and answers

 Above: Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk This past Sunday hockey returned across the board in the National Hockey League with the opening of training camps. The Ottawa Senators, one of seven teams to not qualify for the playoffs last season, opened up a few days earlier on Dec. 30th. And so it

Work just underway for Dorion after trade deadline day

 If you thought NHL trade deadline day was ripe with activity for the Ottawa Senators, wait ‘til June 26th in Montreal. June 27th too. That’s when general manager Pierre Dorion will strap on his thinking cap for what promises to be an extremely frantic NHL entry draft. Dorion – already

Figuring out Senators’ near future is going to be a puzzle

 The possibilities are endless. This is the reality of the world where Ottawa Senators’ general manager Pierre Dorion exists. The next few weeks – and months – are rich with ifs, ands, buts, maybes and maybe nots. In Ottawa the only sure thing is there’s no sure thing. Here’s what

All-star break gives Senators’ brass time to reflect and ponder plans

 The Ottawa Senators’ bye week is upon us. They won’t hit the ice again until Jan. 27th when they host the New Jersey Devils. That’s a break the size of the one in our foundation wall (. . . but that’s another story). Nine-days-plus. A long, long time between games.

Senators streak indicative of state of entire organization

 Photo courtesy NHLI via Getty Images In the NHL there’s, of course, the Great 8. The Ottawa Senators however are well on the other side of the discussion as far as ‘8’ goes. Eight straight losses. This team is sinking harder and faster than my RSP portfolio. Hell, we all

Youth plunge makes for great entertainment

 Photo credit: NHLI via Getty Images Who knew that the low end of the cycle could be so much – well - fun? Because, I don’t even need to tell you (but apparently, I will) that the Ottawa Senators are clearly at the low end. And this is unlikely to change