Headline: Canucks at Front of the Class, Senators Still Finding Their Seat

 In another life I absolutely cringed when they dished out the bi-annual report cards at school. “Take this home and have your parents look at it, AND sign it,” said the schoolmarm with a prim smirk and knowing smile. “AND make sure you bring it back for us to see

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

Mass and Sass heading to retirement

 ABOVE: Defenceman Zdeno Chara is retiring after 20 years. A variety of thoughts this week as training camp for the big boys officially gets rolling. THEY’RE DONE: BIG Z AND P.K. Zdeno Chara and P.K. Subban – two of the most notable defencemen of the past two decades – are retiring.

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: time for a change

 Jacques Martin. That’s right. Jacques freakin’ Martin. Ask yourself this – as far along as Ottawa Senators current head coach D.J. Smith has taken this relatively young troupe, which isn’t very far to be honest, isn’t it time to push this process along? There is no question Smith has some

Unpredictable to the max: Senators

 There’s a prevailing theme in Ottawa this season – you never know what you’re going to get. Results inconsistency has become a consistent . . . if you get what I’m cooking here. Take the month of January to start. I know, I know, it’s been ridiculously busy with a

Canada’s Christmas Season Report Card

 Look! It’s a column without COVID discussion. We thought we’d table that subject for the time being, as it’s Christmas/New Year’s and all, and we believe everyone’s had enough of the constant COVID-in-the-ears ringing, clanging and rancour. Instead a subject that is worth dipping in to while the NHL breaks

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 . . .

No man is an island

 ABOVE: Islanders and Tampa, game 5 of the playoffs. Photo: NBCSN Well, at the very least, there’s the Islanders. Let’s just say if I was in Las Vegas my shirt would already have been lost (by my own accord). Betting on who does what and when and to who is

A shutout for the Senator while Vancouver heads into marathon month

 Just a little more than three weeks left to dip in and get a taste of what you like and – perhaps – don’t like when looking at the Ottawa Senators’ future up closely. With that in mind, as the playoffs draw near for four of the Senators compatriots in

Senators: Mission accomplished (for the most part)

 ABOVE: Dzingel gets one past Hellebuyck in the Sens 4-3 loss to the Jets on April 5, 2021. (PHOTO: NHL.COM/SENATORS/VIDEO) Thanks Trooper: “We're here for a good time, Not a long time So have a good time, The sun can't shine every day.” In just more than a month’s time, the

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

The underdog Sens come to life against the juggernaut Leafs, once again

 Joey Daccord dreamt of earning his first NHL win for a long time, it didn’t come in a way he could’ve imagined. Starting goaltender Matt Murray was supposed to start Sunday night’s game. It wasn’t until minutes before hitting the ice that Murray warned the backup Daccord that he didn’t

Tim Stützle has arrived

 On Tuesday night, it looked like the week would tell the same old story for the Ottawa Senators. The Edmonton Oilers took an early 4-0 lead over Ottawa, giving Senators fans an excuse to go to bed rather than stay up for the third period of a game that started

After a tough week, Ottawa Senators need to give young players a chance

 Last week was a tough one for the Ottawa Senators, losing all three games versus Winnipeg. They led 3-2 until the last minutes of the game on Tuesday, before allowing an equalizer with 1:17 left, and then losing in overtime. The Senators outshot the Jets 41-28, they deserved to win.

Naughty or nice: the ABC’s of Xmas

 It’s been one helluva year, said everyone everywhere. Even in the usual sanctified domain of the sports world, the Year of COVID-19 hit hard and fast and repeatedly. But we’re moving on here, good people. ‘Tis the season for some much-required joy and boy do we need that lift, especially

Stick around long enough and you might make some friends

 With NHL play in total lockdown for the foreseeable future, we’re dipping into the junior ranks once again this week. Last session, as you might recall, I pasted together a list of my all-time favourite coaches and broadcasters and writers that I’ve come across in the 25-plus years in which

Questions and more questions surround NHL’s return

 Uncertainty is the only certainty. Welcome to the current landscape of professional sports. In hockey, the uncertainty surrounding an upcoming season prompts a few questions. Like: What if there is no season? Don’t kid yourself, this is a real possibility. National Hockey League owners have zero appetite to return to

Cards are in Ottawa’s hands . . . sort of

 We’re less than a month away from arguably the biggest 48 hours in Ottawa Senators’ history. The drama, mystery and intrigue will definitely get interesting. Kind of an Agatha Christie novel on blades. Without the murder, of course. For the Senators, general manager Pierre Dorion is easily the most fascinating

Qualifying round highlights summer’s hottest time

 Nothing like a hot August day-and-night to get you set for hockey. I guess fans of the sport will have to take what they can get this year. Such is life under the heavy heft of a pandemic The National Hockey League’s first-ever qualifying round – involving all of Canada’s

Draft lottery awaits, Super A.J. returns, COVID still hitting hard

 A number of thoughts, observances, and opinions as we head towards Friday’s NHL draft lottery. Some of these thoughts are actually salient. Really. Hold tight. Tick-tock on an early Senators’ Christmas Finally, it’s here. There hasn’t been much of anything to get charged up about – for local NHL fans

Kindness comes to call during tough times

 Nice. Niceness. Really wishy-washy words. Until now. To truly get the gist – the meaning – of what it’s truly like to be nice or kind, throw your community, your province and your country into a seemingly endless bind. Well, we’re here now aren’t we. Coronavirus or COVID-19 has changed

Report cards come a little – too – early

 We are supposed to be gunning for a playoff season just around the corner. We’re supposed to be talking about who’s going to win the goal-scoring race, Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin or David Pastrnak. We’re supposed to be talking about MVP and whether the unexpected Leon Draisaitl can accomplish the

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

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