NHL’s Dance to the Playoffs isn’t Dull

 Never let a great story go untold, and there are two considerable ones ramping up in the National Hockey League. With exactly four weeks left in the regular season, the NHL has dandy cliffhangers being played out in both the Eastern and Western Conference. But while they’re both enticing, they’re

Bad habits just won’t go away – Senators

 Expectations can create resentments? Yep. Especially those darned unfulfilled ones. So when you’re the Ottawa Senators – the new golden child of the National Hockey League’s collective media as well as the club’s jacked and re-juiced fan base – and you watch what came about during the team’s last two

It’s here, it’s finally here

 Never let a good idea get untold . . . again? Well, it’s a damn good idea. With that in mind, after discovering Sportsnet’s National Hockey League regular season primer sitting on my laptop earlier this morning, my interest and ability to pilfer were fully engaged. In essence, the crew

Ottawa Fan Should Be Thinking: ‘Pinto-Shminto’

 Folks will tell you to try and appreciate what you have, as opposed to what you don’t. You’ve heard of it I’m sure: Gratitude. So try laying down this wisdom on a hockey fanatic. Go ahead, try it. In most cases it doesn’t go very far . . . a

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

Senators working the steps, upwards

 Labour Day has come and gone, and for those tiring of summer, the CFL, MLB, tennis, golf and over-long visits from your in-laws, hockey’s about to make its return. As does your charming narrator from over in this corner. Good to be back at Ottawa Life for – what is

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

Leafs house in disrepair

 ABOVE: Sheldon Keefe, head coach of the Leafs. (courtesyNHL.com) Supposing you bought a house and decided to invest millions of dollars into upgrades. A few months into renovations you discovered there were enormous cracks in the foundation and all that money you’d shot into the home were wasted. Then supposing you decided

Where Art Thou, Brady?

 Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Sure, computer gamers from the mid-1980s would scratch their heads over that one for a few years, but here in Ottawa it’s a different type of game: Where in the world is Brady Tkachuk? St. Louis? Hunkered down in Ottawa . . .

The Ottawa Senators are 20 games away from finishing this shortened 2020-21 season

 The Senators score during the third period in their 3-1 victory over the Flames, March 24. (PHOTO: NHL.COM/SENATORS) The Sens sit eleven points out of the final playoff spot in the North Division currently held by the Montreal Canadiens. It may sound like less than you’d expect given how poorly the

Rivalry week did not disappoint

 Here’s how last week shaped-out for the Ottawa Senators: Monday – 6-5 win vs Toronto Wednesday – 2-1 loss vs Toronto Thursday – 7-3 loss vs Toronto Sunday – 3-2 win vs Montreal That’s a two-win week for the Sens – a continuation of their trend in the right direction.

The transition from terrible to contender may be closer than you think

 NBC analyst Pierre McGuire believes the Ottawa Senators will be a Stanley Cup contender in the next 2-3 years. The veteran broadcaster made the comments this past week on Ottawa sports radio. While ownership and management continue to rub their collective hands in glee and proclaim the Senators will soon

Dearth of hockey brings about ‘classic’ possibilities

 If you could have your choice of NHL games or series to re-watch, what would populate your list? That thought popped into my head Saturday night as I sat in front of my TV going: something’s missing . . . right – Hockey Night in Canada. Sure it was great

Batherson’s the real deal . . . and other stuff

 It’s been a hectic past couple of weeks across the NHL with coach firings, player movement, injuries, some player growth (hint: here in Ottawa) and of course – the lead-up to the trade deadline. Here’s some relevant stuff to pass along. That Drake Batherson kid? He can play: Took a

Not all miserable in Senator land

 Photo credit: NHLI via Getty Images Well now, wasn’t that a party? Not the kind where everyone has a festive time and hugs, good feelings and smiles are shared around the room. Nope, this was more of the kind of party where your guests drink too much, break some chairs, accidentally

Karlsson returns to capital

 Photo courtesy NHLI via Getty Images So, I imagine there will be a little bit of interest in this one. Saturday, the best player in Ottawa Senator franchise history makes his return to the capital. Yup, that would be one Erik Karlsson whose relatively anonymous season on the west coast gets

Ottawa’s hockey base suffers yet again

 Don’t know about you, but I’m certainly looking forward to Eugene Melnyk’s hotly anticipated book: How to Alienate a Fan Base in Short Order. Should be a great, historic and resounding read. After all, the last couple of years have presented plenty of fascinating fodder. The sizzling plot line, though,

Any Building Plan Starts with Karlsson

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty (Andre Ringuette) Given the context, you can label this one as absolutely the worst season on and off the ice in Ottawa Senator history.

Down to the wire in ‘TeamTank’

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty (Andre Ringuette) Some meandering thoughts and pauses-for-consideration as we head down the stretch in the National Hockey League regular season. Really, when you think

Senators Hit Mute Button on Trade Deadline Day

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty Images (Andre Ringuette) Ian freakin' Cole? That's it? That's all she wrote? C'est tout? This National Hockey League trade deadline was supposed to

Could Senators Be Trading Karlsson?

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty Image So just how much stuffing is in this turkey of an idea to trade Ottawa Senator Erik Karlsson? Depends who you

Different Splash of Colour in Battle of Ontario

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty Images Colton Orr - Matt Carkner. Tie Domi - Chris Neil. Darcy Tucker - The entire Ottawa bench. Yep, the Battle of

The Top 25 People in the Capital: 11-20

 Photo by Valerie Keeler This year we teamed up with Crusoe, the Celebrity Dachshund, to sniff out the top dogs in the city that are actually people. Crusoe got his game face on and scouted out Ottawans that are the ones to watch. They are the best that the capital has

Ottawa Senators: Who Do You Protect?

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy NHLI via Getty Images We won't know until Wednesday night whether Marc Methot remains an Ottawa Senator, or takes his talents to Nevada (Barring leaks to the media,

“They don’t give you anything.” Senators Ready for Crosby and the Penguins

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by OLMSports Dave Gross. Feature photo Courtesy Andre Ringuette NHLI via Getty Images Reportedly there was a good chunk of chatter behind closed doors from rival Eastern Conference general managers prior to the playoffs beginning