Rink deal in the offing, again

 Nothing like near record setting warm temperatures to inspire thoughts of hockey, but here we are. The long summer is making way for fall in stubborn “I’m not going anywhere yet” fashion as the gauge closes in on 30 C. At the same time, all 32 National Hockey League clubs

Ottawa Senators: Rebuild Part II?

 “I think the Senators are going to be a really, really busy team in the off-season.” Hockey’s pre-eminent insider Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet, HNIC) had those words earlier this week and they are all of being the following: Predictable, believable, somewhat alluring to Ottawa fans and somewhat frightening to Ottawa fans.

Tire Fire Reaches Halfway Point

 Fire the general manager, get stiffed on a first-round draft choice, see a top forward sent to NHL purgatory for half a season, put the torch to the inflammable head coach, reassign your flagging goalie coach, watch a promising and potentially break-out year go up in flames early and often.

Hurry up and Wait, Ottawa

 Most of you are well into your cups as far as New Year’s resolutions. A full three(!) days(!) in(!) . . . which might suggest the gym is now slowly re-entering the rearview mirror, the Haagen-Dazs has been restocked in the freezer and you’ve barked at your kids or dog

Perception of Dorion Never Impressed Ottawa’s Fan Base

 Scotty Bowman – savvy technician and genius evaluator. Sam Pollock – larger than life, deal-stealer. Glen Sather – cigar-smoking dynasty maker. Cliff Fletcher – courageous wheeler-and-dealer. Brian Kilrea – legendary manager; bigger than the game. As a hockey fan, perception can be king. Case in point is the above collection

Hockey’s back! (Well, not quite yet)

 I get it. I mean seriously – National Hockey League training camps don’t even open for nearly another three weeks so anything resembling the wording season preview needs to be shelved for the immediate future. . . in an appropriate world. But my world is anything but appropriate (or insert

Wait is over: Andlauer agrees in principle to buy Senators

 Next step - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the league executive board. This after news broke late Tuesday that Toronto-based billionaire Michael Andlauer has purchased the Ottawa Senators for a price estimated at $1 billion US. The ‘in-principle’ deal means the agreement is now in the hands of the NHL’s