Sens Nation - Your Ottawa Senators Podcast

We're joined on a perfect summer afternoon on a Manotick patio by former Senator Brad Smyth. Smitty gives us his take on the top Sens news of the off-season.

Som big life events for the Tkachuk boys. Brady gets engaged and Matthew gets traded to Florida and signs an eight year extension. After playing with Claude Giroux last year, could defenceman Mackenzie Weegar be intrigued by following in Giroux's footsteps and playing at home in Ottawa? What's the Sens game plan this fall if they don't acquire a top 4 defenceman this summer? Why aren't there more...

Sens sign Josh Norris to an eight-year, $63.6 million contract. Is $7.95 million per year the right amount of money for Norris? Are you surprised it was done almost two months sooner than Brady Tkachuk's deal? Drake Batherson's deal is a major bargain. He'll only be the 7th highest paid Ottawa Senators this fall. If you're handing out medals for best Sens' news stories this summer, who wins gold,...

The Senators are busy on the first day of free agency. They sign Ottawa native Claude Giroux to a Three Year Deal; a day before they acquire goalie Cam Talbot from the Wild for Filip Gustavsson. They trade Connor Brown to Washington for a 2nd rounder. And Wade Redden rejoins the Sens in a development role.

Talks have intensified between the Sens and Leafs on Toronto acquiring goalie Matt Murray. How much will the Sens have to give up to make it happen? Should they have to give ANYTHING up? We'll hear what Alex DeBrincat has to say as he meets the Ottawa media for the first time. 

The Senators pulled off the biggest trade of draft day, sending their first and second round picks to Chicago for 24 year old winger Alex DeBrincat, a two-time 40 goal scorer. The Hawks also include a third rounder in 2024. Meanwhile, the Sens work out a deal to send goalie Matt Murray to Buffalo, a deal that Murray vetoed with the Sabres being on his ten team no-trade list.

Sens decide to move on from winger Adam Gaudette, refusing to give him a qualifying offer. Despite the hiring of two assistant general managers, the Sens hockey ops department has actually gotten smaller this summer. Nick Paul gets the long term deal in Tampa. Do you feel any different now about the Sens deadline deal that sent him to Tampa. Plenty of NHL coaching movement to discuss this week. Vi...

Kevin Fiala signed with the Kings for big money and term after they acquired him from Minnesota. Should the Sens now take a run at his Wild teammate Matt Dumba? Or maybe Alex DeBrincat in Chicago? The Hawks hired Luke Richardson as their new head coach. Sportsnet pulls the plug on Hometown Hockey. Hometown 

Daniel Alfredsson is officially named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What took so long? The Colorado Avalanche win the Cup. Just 5 years ago, they were the NHL's worst team and Ottawa was a conference finalist.

We have a few thoughts on the Cup Final so far, going into Game 6. A downtown Ottawa arena a step closer to reality but still a long way to go. It's Hall of Fame Decision Day for Daniel Alfredsson and his former teammate Luke Richardson is the new head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

DJ Smith has become, by comparison, an old coaching war horse. 27 of the 32 teams have made at least one coaching change since Smith got hired in Ottawa. We discuss which current Senators might win a major NHL Award someday, and which one? The NCC will announce the preferred bidder to redevelop Lansdowne Park. Steve thinks the winning bidder will probably end up being the long term owner of the Ot...

Sportsnet reported Saturday that Connor Brown may be wanting to test the free agent market next summer. If that's true, the Sens have to move him. But when? We discuss the Stanley Cup Final. It's all Colorado so far, up 2-0 after a 7-0 win over Tampa Saturday. Denver fans are rockin, partying and singing songs during the game. One of the songs takes Steve back. Sens assistant coach Jack Capuano ge...

Will this be the year the Hall of Fame calls for Alfie? We'll find out in less than 2 weeks, but there's a new social media campaign that's giving him a big push. The wait is over. Dylan Gambell re-signs. We'll have details and thoughts on that. Elliotte Friedman reported that the Sens are looking to add to their hockey operations department. Are the Sens out on Russian free agent Andrei Kuzmenko?...

A new report on Sportsnet indicated the Leafs may have some interest in Matt Murray. With all the coaching free agents out there, would the Sens consider coaching upgrade? What happened in Boston with Bruce Cassidy? What will the Sens do with their 7th overall pick? And Anthony Leblanc says the Sens Season tickets and sponsorships are on the upswing.

It looks like the Senators may start the coming season with 3 goalies, but a lot could happen between now and opening night. No longer just a Leaf temp, Jason Spezza logs on for a serious front office career in Toronto. We check in on the Conference Finals. We have different views on Evander Kane's hit on Nazem Kadri. Is a "Ring of Honour" truly necessary? 

Who has more job pressure this fall, DJ Smith or Pierre Dorion? The Rangers rebuild started when Ottawa's did....WHAT HAPPENED??? Did the Sens bail on drafting Andrei Vasilveskiy over a missed meeting and a sunburn? The unusual offside call in game one of western final. Team Canada loses the gold medal in overtime with Thomas Chabot in the penalty box.

We discuss the NHL playoffs to this point. We react to some of Pierre Dorion's thoughts on the radio this week. When you factor in how many key guy will need to be paid this year and in the coming summers, is it really a good idea to throw money at a free agent? Will the Sens spend more under Anna and Olivia Melnyk or will it be the same? Will the Sens really trade the 7th overall selection? Did t...

Daniel Alfredsson talks about Padel and whether he'd be open to getting involved with the Senators again. Tampa Bay sweeps Florida so that means Claude Giroux is through...now what? We touch on the Sens amateur scouting meetings this week. And the need for more good solid hockey movies.

15 years ago today, the greatest moment in Sens history. Alfie scores to send Ottawa to the Cup Final. You can only sign one star player this off-season? What position does he play and what style of game does he play? Brady Tkachuk parties with Flames fans - appropriate or not? 15 goals in Game one of Battle of Alberta  The lawsuits are continuing between Eugene Melnyk's estate and John Ruddy.

We discuss the NHL's first round, with 5 of the 8 series going the distance. Toronto loses a round one do-or-die game for the 5th year in a row. That's cause for a very special Blue Team Elimination Watch. Jake Sanderson will play this fall but how long before he becomes elite? We discuss the Lansdowne project, the 67s arena and how OSEG's finger prints could be all over the new Sens rink as well....

After just 10 months on the job, the Sens fire Pierre Mcguire. What happened? The Se ns will pick 7 th overall in the draft while host Montreal gets their pick of the litter. G ary Bettman claims the Sens are not for sale. The World hockey championships begin this week with Canada facing Germany. We'll discuss whats' stood out for us in the Stanley C up playoffs so far. Sens pro scouting deserves...

Drake gets a positive COVID test, just as he's about to jump on with us for his season finale. He's getting ready to suit up next week for Team Canada at the World Hockey Champioships. We talk about that and what's it's been like training and skating with Sidney Crosby, Nathan McKinnon and Brad Marchand each summer. Drake says Marchand is the nicest guy in the world off the ice.

A state of the union address from GM Pierre Dorion. And there is tons of information to pour through. DJ Smith speaks as well. Drake Batherson is off to the worlds. The Sens finish way out of the playoffs again. Coach DJ Smith calls it the longest year of his coaching career. Can DJ and Dorion survive another awful start this fall? End of the line for Tierney, Mete and Ennis. Parker Kelly can get...

Drake Batherson is finally all the way back from a high ankle sprain and illness. He scored an insane higlight reel goal, his first OT winner in the NHL, as the Sens defeated the Devils Tuesday night for their 4th straight win. He joins us to discuss that goal, reflects on the meteoric rise of Tim Stutzle at just 20 years of age and we get into everything going on with the Sens as they prepare to...

With the team on an upswing, COVID Restrictions Over and new ownership, will the Sens be able to sell more tickets this off season? The Sens respond well to a n asty road trip turnaround and now stand 8-4-1 for the month of April. Is the Stutzle-Gallagher feud over or is it here to stay? Mark Kastelic does something no NHL player has ever done before. DJ Smith talks about the road trip and the sta...