Brann muffins and Canada’s best Cup wager

 ABOVE: Ottawa Senator defenceman Erik Brannstrom. A somewhat captivating assortment of thoughts . . . JOIE DE VIVRE IN LEAF LAND If Ottawa’s the town that fun forgot then Toronto must be the hockey team that fun remembered. Say what you want about the Maple Leafs, and we know you

Leafs entire self-perspective on the line . . . again

 ABOVE: Nylander has been the best Leafs forward. When one school teacher unwittingly causes another teacher's dismissal, he is challenged to an after-school fight (premise). Yeah, it was a truly awful film (Fist Fight) but doesn’t it ring truly true for the Toronto Maple Leafs who have to face their

Building an NHL winner? ‘Zip-a-dee-doo-dah’

 Photo courtesy of NHLI via Getty Images Mimicry goes back a long way in hockey. Watching what the other guy does to attain success and then attempting to imitate the same plan has become an art form. Back in the early to mid-70s, toughness was ‘in.’ Philadelphia knocked the courage out

Still enjoying the season so far, Ottawa Senator fan?

 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) Still enjoying the season so far, Ottawa Senator fan? Quite the capper rolled in Friday evening when deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealed

Loaded draft table awaits Ottawa

 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  It’s been a fairly compelling first round in the National Hockey League playoffs. Though some things prove to be more compelling, or thought-jogging,

Senator town hall meetings fail to provide much as playoffs push on for others

 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) So, your team is out of the playoffs, what are you going to do with all this sudden free time? Reminisce? Pontificate

No surprises here: Sens fail to make the grade

 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) “Wait ‘till your father gets home!” Yup, it’s one of those report cards – the ones you’d attempt to shield from your

Predictions is a fool’s game?

 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) Sometimes you’re the bug, sometimes you’re the windshield. It is the way of things, in the game of prediction-making in hockey. Some

Jets represent Canada’s best bet

 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 That grandiose sense of hope for Canada took a turn towards minimal optimism some time just after Christmas this past year. "Could we

Tumultuous season continues for Senators

 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) "May you live in interesting times." It's an adage that adequately describes the Ottawa Senators, in that the phrase

What’s next?

 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 Your guess is as good as mine. The question being, what can you expect to occur in Game 6 Tuesday night at

Firing MacLean Won’t Solve the Senators’ Problems

 Photo credit: Toronto Star You can’t supply a man with peanuts and expect a full course dinner. That woeful idiom aside, the Ottawa Senators decided it was time to part ways with head coach Paul MacLean on Monday, Dec. 8, in what appears to be a scapegoat move to remove