Senators set to play Wheel of Fortune

 Everything’s coming up roses? In the case of the Ottawa Senators, at the very least, the seeds have been sown. While much of the rest of the National Hockey League concerns itself with how the upcoming playoffs will look this summer, which involves 24 clubs, Ottawa likely won’t be paying

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

Senators must be asking – where is everyone?

 So, here’s a question – would you hand over your hard-earned dollars to watch a young, mistake-prone yet energetic pro hockey team play in the world’s toughest league? The answer in Ottawa – yep, I’m talking to you – is apparently, not so much. Ottawa’s sad-sack attendance numbers have become

Making the grade – your Ottawa Senators

 A new year, and for a change, the Ottawa Senators head in with a modicum of hope. Couldn’t say that on the brink of 2019, or 2018. Been a while, eh? Face it, the farm is filled with potential plums and if you’ve been watching the world junior tourney, there

Brown/Senators: A marriage of disappointment

 You have to start wondering at this point – if you haven’t already - just what the heck is the game plan for one Logan Brown here in Ottawa? Sure, he’s up here with the big boys at the NHL level, but seriously, I think the guys who scrape the

Pageau, Duclair success clouds picture

 This wasn’t supposed to be so complicated. Rebuild, lose a bunch of games, play the kids and trade any or all of the veteran assets you hold. That was the intended plan, as far as we know. But Anthony Duclair and Jean-Gabriel Pageau spoiled it. Here’s the deal: At the

Senator win string is perplexing for fans

 Winning has never been so confusing. It’s the genesis of the angst Ottawa Senator fans are facing right now. In the case that you’ve been residing outside the nation’s capital (where no one seems to care what’s happening with this hockey club), Ottawa is a tidy 7-2 since Nov. 7th.

Early returns favouring most Canadian NHL teams

 You couldn’t request and receive a better out-of-the-gate scenario for the majority of National Hockey League teams based here in Canada. As the league approaches the 20-game mark, let’s have a look at what’s been going right and what’s been going wrong for Canada’s seven clubs. CALGARY FLAMES (B) The

Senators’ problems are good problems to have

 It really is looking like something of a perfect storm for Eugene Melnyk and Pierre Dorion. Public perception regarding the Ottawa Senators has been justifiably poor the past few years, but doesn’t it just seem the tide is shifting (somewhat)? Ottawa is in an ideal situation right now. Dedication to

Sens empty dust-bin of calamitous past few seasons

 “Who is Chris Tierney, Alex?” It’s the type of stumper that’ll perplex even the best of Jeopardy champions (even James Holzhauer, me-thinks). Answer being: This player lead the Ottawa Senators in scoring by a forward last season. Matt Duchene was long gone to Ohio by the time the year ended,

Draft-day preparation off and running for Senators

 No. 4 and No. 22. Two digits that underline how critical the past week was, and the weeks approaching will be, for the Ottawa Senators. It’s never too early to start preparing for an NHL entry draft that will see you – at this point – selecting fourth and 22nd

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

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.

Have the Senators Flat-lined?

 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 Seriously? We're running out of things to write here. The Ottawa Senators are a terribly dysfunctional and unresponsive patient. They have

Is the Guy Boucher System Working for the 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 Image This Guy Boucher system on this Guy Boucher-coached team with Guy Boucher's players does not work. And it hasn't, pretty much

Have Sens quickly become one on the league’s doormats?

 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 As the legendary Ric Flair would say: "What's causing all this?!!" Truth be told, I don't have a clue. As the

SENATORS: What We Learned Last Week

 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 From the highly anticipated "Things-We-Learned-This-Past-Week" department: If Bobby Ryan didn't have bad luck, he likely would have no luck at all.

SENATORS: A Week in Review – November 21-27, 2016

 SENATORS: A Week in Review is a weekly column looking back at the week in Ottawa Senators hockey written by #OLMSports Dave Gross. Images from NHL.com. Not a shocker - Craig Anderson named on Monday as the NHL's first star of the week. What is a shocker? The idea that Anderson is

A Matter of Time for the Senators

 The old saying “Better late than never” worked in favour of the Montreal Canadians Saturday but for two Ottawa Senators players the message from new coach Guy Boucher was pretty clear: don’t be late at all. Defenceman Cody Ceci and right winger Bobby Ryan had a pretty good view when

Senators Get a New GM

  A faceoff during the first playoff game between the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2006 Stanley Cup. After seven years as general manager, Bryan Murray (73) has announced he is stepping down from his role with the Ottawa Senators. At a press conference on Sunday, Murray says he will

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

The Importance of Sample Size and the Senators’ Hot Start

 The Ottawa Senators celebrate after a road win against the Montreal Canadiens. Photo credit: Francois Lacasse/Getty Images If the early going of the NHL regular season has taught us anything over the years, it’s that small sample sizes can be deceiving. Just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs, or the latest sample

Reinventing the Traditional Hockey Game Experience, One Interaction at a Time

 A lot has changed since the Ottawa Senators returned to the NHL in 1992. Hockey has changed, technology has changed and fan expectations have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is our commitment to delivering a best in class fan experience for our loyal supporters to keep them coming