Life is about moments.
You collect both good ones and bad ones. It’s kind of the same thing with sports fandom. Sure, watching your team win a Championship is the ultimate goal of this hobby but what really stands out are those memorable moments along the way.
Today was another one of those moments.
It’s hard to put an event like this into words but because that’s exactly what you’re all expecting me to do, I should probably give it a try. Before I describe a whirlwind that started with a bone-crushing handshake from DJ Smith and ended with a surprise contract extension by the team’s most important player, a bit of background on the author of this article.
See, I always wanted to be in sports media. I didn’t know exactly how I was going to go about it but from the moment I first watched a hockey game, I knew I wanted to talk about it. I liked playing the sport too but it became clear early on that I wasn’t going to make a living that way. Reading, writing and talking about the game was always my thing. My parents still tell stories about an 8-year old SensChirp doing obnoxiously loud play-by-play of video game hockey at 5:00 AM. Sounds about right.
It was that shrunken version of myself that I was thinking about during a surreal experience at the Canadian Tire Centre. If he could see me now.
Okay, on to the day. You know the basics. In a gathering billed as a Season Start-Up Event, the Ottawa Senators provided a range of detailed updates on the business side of the operation and on their plans for the upcoming season. This included an update on a few things including season ticket sales (up the roof!), LeBreton plans (still a thing!) concession changes (Red, Black and Gold Poutine!), theme nights (Sens fanny packs!) and a couple key moves in the Front Office (The Return of Big Rig!).
What was clear in those early updates and throughout the day really, is that this is an organization committed to turning this thing around in all areas.
The on-ice rebuild is in a great spot right now but behind the scenes, there are people working around the clock to reestablish that crucial link with the community and it’s happening on multiple fronts.
While not part of the official proceedings, it was a series of unique side conversations where it really hit me. Talking to the Head Coach about Training Camp. Talking to the General Manager about roster moves. Although it doesn’t always feel like it because my career has pulled me in a different direction, on days like today, I realize I’ve come pretty close to living out those childhood dreams.
Pierre Dorion was particularly generous with his time. Not just stopping by to say hi but sticking around for a good 15 minutes to take questions from the “social media influencers” in the room. All sorts of interesting information in there too including comments on how the organization uses analytics in their decision-making, on the possibility of a PTO (a tough guy, perhaps?) and on Ridly Greig’s chances of making the team.
He even made time for my last ditch question- “Any trades?”. Unlikely, he says.
Pierre stood out but he certainly wasn’t the only one. Anthony LeBlanc stopped by to chat. DJ Smith introduced himself and made time to shake and crush everyone’s hand. Erin Crowe, Brian Morris and a handful of other team employees stopped by too. Bruce Garrioch and Ian Mendes too. They all made time for us and honestly, made us really feel like we belonged in that room.
From there, the main event. Or so we thought anyway. Alex DeBrincat rolled in and answered a few softball questions, the first of which was served up by yours truly. Because no matter how hard you think about a good question to ask, when that microphone is in your face and a 40-goal scorer is waiting for you to say something profound, you always ask something about line combinations.
The key was I strung together mostly coherent thoughts and it definitely ended in something resembling a question. That’s what it’s all about really.
It was at this point in the proceedings that I noticed a certain German superstar walk into the room. He hung out by the door mostly but it was hard not to notice the unexpected guest loitering at the side of the room.
As they set up two chairs at the front of the room, the wheels started to turn a little bit. When Pierre and Tim sat down, it was clearly time to get the camera rolling. That those in the know managed to keep this thing under wraps with so many media in the room was pretty impressive. Although Bruce may have got wind of it about three minutes before Tim uttered those now legendary words- “I’m in”.
Talk about a show-stopper.
The buzz in the room from that point on was something else. Stunned media at the back of the room frantically trying to put together their own coherent thoughts on what they had just witnessed. Sens staffers quietly grinning on the sidelines, reveling in the chaos they had just unleashed. And in the middle of it all, Pierre Dorion strutting around that place like he owned it. After capping off the best summer in Sens history, the GM took a well-deserved victory lap around the crowded room. All with the richest contract in Sens history rolled up in his back pocket. Yes really.
There are parts of today I’m still processing. This is going to be one of those days I look back on for years to come, always with a hint of “Did that actually happen?”.
Thanks to the Ottawa Senators for extending the invitation my way. At the same time, a sincere thank you to those of you that put my name forward for this amazing opportunity and to all of you for continuing to make this weird site part of your Sens fan experience.
Both I and 8-year old SensChirp appreciate it.
