Conference Call Re-Cap

As you may or may have not known, the Senators had a Season Ticket holder conference call today that allowed ticket holders to ask questions to Bryan Murray, Pascal Leclaire, Eugene Melnyk and Cyril Leeder. As you can imagine it was pretty boring but if you missed it, here is the summary of what happened in the 50 minutes they were there.

-They have looked at a new scoreboard but apparently it's not that high on the fans' list of improvements they want, so theyre looking at it but will be in 2 or 3 years away still. (Smells fishy to me, our scoreboard sucks and everyone I know who has tickets or goes to games finds it subpar too. Then again there's no accoutning for taste and we all know the main reason 1000's go to the games, Tim Hortons)

-Pascal Leclaire is 100% healthy and stoked to get the season underway. Had lots of fans in MTL wishing him well etc, being recognized here more, loves it and cant wait to play the first game. Said the Sens are becoming more popular in MTL.

-Murray says he loves Volchenkov and what he brings to the team. They're on the same page and expects to bring him back (you can all breathe again A-Train fanatics)

-They're trying to come up with a better way to get people out of the parking lot faster after the games. They have hired more cops Cyril said which should help. ( ya that or they could have designed it better or maybe brought in someone who specializes in trafiic flow)

-Sens prized prospect Erik Karlsson has already been in Ottawa for 3 weeks training. He has added muscle, going from 158lbs to 172lbs, which is promising but he's still small imo. Murray said he will be given EVERY chance to make the team. When the question came up of if he doesn't make the team what happens, does he stay in North America in Bingo or go back to Sweden, Murray said we have talked to his agent and we've all agree it will me the Sens call. If he's close they will send him to Bingo and call him up and if he just chokes at camp and looks out of place, they will send him back to Sweden. (if I had to guess, I'd say Murray has him penciled into the big club on opening day and it's his chance to blow)

-The Sens apparently tried to host the NHL awards in 2005 and would be interested in hosting them once the 3 year deal in Vegas expires. More importantly they are after an All Star Game and expect to have one in the next few years

-Murray thinks the AHL team has a lot of talent this year and expects 4 or 5 guys to play a role on the Sens at times this year. Sounded to me he thought a couple might make the team and if players go down in the year, he feels we have very compitent replacements in Bingo.

-Leclaire said he changed his number from 31 to 33 for a new team and a new start and he went with 33 because he wore it in minor hockey because his idol was Patrick Roy

At least training camp is around the corner and hockey will be back very soon.

Sens Are Talking To Sykora

Of course, it all depends what we get back for Heatley, if we happen to trade him soon that is. But one thing we do now know is that Bryan Murray has been talking to Petr Sykora about coming here. The winger had 25 goals last year on his way to winning the Stanley Cup for the Pens.

The Ottawa Sun reports that Murray has been in contact with his representitives and would like to bring him in. It seems the other possibility would be bringing back Mike Comrie. Either one would help the scoring loss of #15.

So interesting turn of events. I didn't see Sykora as a possiblity at all but I do like him as a player. So how about it Sens fans, do you want Sykora or Comrie?

No Hollywood Ending For Dany

“Do I want to bring in a Dany Heatley with all that baggage? It might work,” Lombardi said in a report on the Los Angeles Times website last night. “But I don’t think we’re in a position where we can afford that ... Maybe a change of environment and he grows up. But my point is, do we need to take that risk right now? It scares me." - Kings GM Dean Lombardi

And that pretty much sums most GM's feelings around the league I'm sure. Ya it could benefit us but why take the chance on a selfish guy with a history of problems. It's not worth it to them.

So there ya go, Dany will not be going to LA. One more team off the list who isn't interested. Dany says he wants options but I think the only one he has is coming back here at the moment.

To read the rest of the article on how LA isn't interested click here

What You Know About That

You're most likely wondering what the hell this is. Unless you're insanely knowledgeable, you wouldn't recognize it. It is a St Louis Eagles hat. Still not seeing the point? Well now you will. The St Louis Eagles are what the team was called once the original Ottawa Senators finally left Ottawa in 1934. They moved to STL and this is what they became. So now you know. Happy Lazy Sunday.

Comrie & Heatley Speculation

With Alex Tanguay now supposedly signing in Tampa Bay, the players still available are very slim. Mike Comrie is one of those still looking for a contract for next season. It's believed he'd like to come back and that Murray would like to bring him back (at a steep discount of course), but as everything else does in Senator Land at the moment, it depends on Dany Heatley. We need to see how much money we will have available, if/when he is moved.

The Sun has updates on both players and where they might each land. For Comrie click here and Heatley click here

Let's be honest, we need Comrie back to keep our status of the Hollywood of Hockey ;). We need Hilary Duff on board so Carrie Underwood has someone to hang out with and relate to. Battle is still on to see which celebrity will wear a Sens jersey first.

Alfie Named For Sweden

Sens Captain/Legend Daniel Alfredsson was named to Sweden's preliminary 2010 Olympic roster yesterday. He will be a lock for the 3 crowns and was a huge part of the 2006 Gold Medal winning squad, where he wore the A. Contrary to reports, Sens prospect Erik Karlsson was NOT named. Wishful thinking I suppose.

San Jose Update

The Sharks have just traded Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich to the Vancouver Canucks for 2 prospects, freeing up nearly 4.5 million in salary cap room. Ehrhoff was long thought to be part of any Heatley deal with SJ, so interesting to see he was moved. One thing is for sure, San Jose didn't give them up like that without a plan, something is up. They are bringing in someone else, although it may not be Heatley. Could be Kessel? Could be Heatley? But stay tuned, something is likely going down soon.

I kinda have the feeling the Canucks are a player in this now, they have assets they could trade and too many defenceman. We will see

Jersey Foul 35

What a fail this is. I know he hasn't played a game for us yet but you should still get his number right, especially when you're a sports store trying to sell this monstrosity. I feel bad for the kid who gets this as a present and then gets made fun of at school. Sorry Pascal, on behalf of all Sens fans we apologize. We're way more knowledgeable I swear. Oddly enough, is this possibly foreshadowing a 31 win season for the netminder? Wishful thinking perhaps, just trying to find something positive to say about it. In case you didn't know, Leclaire's number is 33. Shame on the store trying to sell this mistake of a jersey. You might wanna steer clear of a small sports store at a place that rhymes with Schmaint Schlaurent.

Sportsnet Schedule Released

Rogers Sportsnet will be carrying 40 Sens games this year and the schedule was just released. To see the sched click here. Also it will be now known as Scotiabank Senators Hockey.

Thirsty Thursday Links

It's almost Friday so I thought a new edition of the links was in order to keep your mind off the weekend. As you can imagine, this weeks links are dominated by dominant Dany Heatley, but I did manage to find some other news as well (barely).

-Sportsnet blogger Gene Principe, who is Edmonton based, doesn't quite buy #15's reasoning for not wanting to go to the Oil. No one else does either. To read click here

-Man the more I hear Clouston talk, the more I like this guy. I'm not gonna lie, when we hired him I was like wtf !!!!!! But he has proven himself to be a no nonsense guy and his take on Dany is great with words by Sens Town favorite Ian Mendes, To see click here

-Some people think Heatley's career may have been ruined forever, well at least his image, which I agree with. ESPN.com's Scott Burnside has a nice piece on how his rep has taken a huge hit. To read click here

-Ever since this whole saga started, there has been rumor after rumor of possible trades. Some perhaps plausible and most laughable. Fox Sports thinks most don't even make any sense and I'm not sure I disagree. To read their take click here

-Trying to trade Dany is a hard task. Just ask Bryan Murray, who in all honesty must wanna punch Heatley out. NHL.com did a piece on it, to read click here

-How does your average Sens fan feel about the Heatley situation? click here to find out

-Everyone seems in agreement that Heatley can't come to training camp in a few weeks since it will be an insane distraction. But Jason Spezza doesn't think it will be awkward but I'm gonna have to disagree with giggles. To read what he though, click here

-Next up is more of Coach Clouston defending Dany's diminished role claims courtesy of our good friend Puck Daddy from Yahoo. To read click here

-Edmonton writer Terry Jones wrote a scathing, personal attack piece on #15. Can't really fault him though. To see it click here

-So what if Heatley has to come back, will it be able to work? Murray certainly think so. Then again he doesn't have much of a choice. To read his thoughts click here (audio of Murray presser at top of article if interested in listening)

-More reaction from Puck Daddy on 15's brutal presser last Friday. Click here

-The players, organization and fans are all brasing themselves for the real possibility of Heatley to come back in a few weeks. Should be interesting if he does. The Sun is already calling it a circus, to read click here

-Did you miss the now "legendary" press conference last Friday, click here to read the transcript

-Yahoo's team report is up for the Sens, to read click here

-Nice lil feature on prospect Zack Smith and his bid to make the big club this season, to read click here

-The Sens promoted a couple of employees, to read click here

-And finally, the new rankings of all the prospects in the Sens organization has come out, to see where all the future Sens are and how they're developing click here

I know the links were long this week but there were a billion and one Heatley articles this week, just think I could have included about 50 more...............so hope you enjoyed em and add SensTown on twitter to follow me. Happy Thirsty Thursday !!!

Happy Anniversary Eugene

A very special shoutout goes out to Sens owner Eugene Melnyk. It was 6 years ago today that the billionaire took ownership of the team and saved them from leaving town. It's been an up and down six hasn't it? Stanley Cup Finals appearance, missing the playoffs, the Heatley saga, great draft pics, the World Junior's. Thanks for everything Eugene from Sens Town and the Sens Army. We appreciate it and happy 6th. Cheers!

Chris Holt Signed

The summer of minor league goalie signings continues, with the baby Sens signing 24 year old Chris Holt. He will be competing with Mike Brodeur and Andy Chiodo for playing time in Bingo. To see his career stats click here

“ The summer has been fine — it hasn’t been unlike any other summer from that point ” - Dany Heatley

Dany Heatley doesn't get it. In a recent article, he says he doesn't think all the bashing is fair and that the real story will come out eventually. Oh really Dany? So why not tell us right now if you're being vilified for no reason? Man this guy is a joke. I can't wait for him to be gone. To read it click here

Jeff Glass To The KHL?

According to theKHL.net he is expected to sign to a one year contract with Barys Asana of the KHL. It's been a long fall from grace for Glass, who once had very high expectations from Sens fans, only to see them never materialize.

Dany Heatley Song

Shoutout to reader Aaron for passing this along. Pretty much sums up my feelings towards dominant Dany. To listen click here

Marleau Nixed Ottawa Move

Update@10pm- Sharks GM Doug Wilson says Marleau wasn't asked to waive his no trade.

Yep that's right. According to TSN's James Duthie, recently stripped San Jose captain Patrick Marleau refused to waive his no trade clause to come to Ottawa.

That's fine with me. We don't want you anyways. Last thing we need is another soft, underachieving forward. So thanks but no thanks Patrick.

Though good to know Murray is still at least talking deals, though it's also clear that the deals out there are pretty weak at the moment. Heatley can't come back and we all know it.

A Day That Will Live In Infamy

August 23rd isn't a date that stands out to most Sens fans but it should. It was a day that changed everything for our club. It was four years ago today that the Senators traded for Dany Heatley.

Let's rewind a bit shall we and set the mood. The Sens had for years been a team that was loaded with talent but turned in underwhelming performances in the playoffs. They needed a change.

Dany Heatley, who was drafted 2nd overall in 2000 by Atlanta, was well on his way to NHL stardom. He had an All Star game MVP and Rookie Of The Year already on his resume. But then in the fall of 2003, he was involved in a deadly car accident in his Ferrari. An accident that left best friend and teammate Dany Snyder dead. He needed a change.

Marian Hossa had long been thought of as an elite player by then but he recieved a lot of criticism after another playoff failure. In the offseason his contract was up and then GM John Muckler didn't think he was worth what he was asking for.

These two sets of circumstances made for a perfect trade. Though it came out of nowhere at the time, the trade benefited both clubs and players. Both needed a change and both got it. The trade was one that changed the NHL forever, though we didn't know it at the time.

Ironically, this trade spawned the demand of no trade clauses in contracts that have the Sens handcuffed in the Heatley situation today. Many players thought that if a player of Hossa's calibre could be traded without warning, then they could be too and from now on they would want the ability to dictate where they would be traded to.

Which brings us to where we are right now. If the Sens hadn't traded Hossa, then chances are Heatley wouldn't have the NTC and we would be free to trade him to whoever we wanted.

After his ''press conference" Friday, it's clear that there is no going back in time, but if you did have a DeLorian with a flux capacitor, then your first stop would be back in 2005, to not trade Hossa for Heatley. So this embrassing mess never happened in the first place.

Happy Bithday Jarkko

Shoutout to Sens pest and one of my favorite players on the team, Jarkko Ruutu on his birthday. The always entertaining Finnish forward turns 34 today. Wishing him all the best from Sens Town

Brennan Rips Heatley

Yesterday's media call with Dany Heatley was super boring. In fact, it was even more boring then I thought it would be (and that's saying a lot). The best part is that Dany's reputation actually got worse from it. Everyone I spoke to about it yesterday hates him even more and thought he ducked every question he was asked. The only saving grace was Sun writer Don Brennan taking a shot at him. Well today Mr Brennan is back with a scathing piece, attacking #15. It's a bit personal and unprofessional but screw it, he deserves it. To read it click here

BM Retorts

Earlier I gave up Dany Heatley's side of things, well this afternoon, Sens GM Bryan Murray had his own conference call to answer some questions. Here's the summary for those of you who missed it.

1)He won't give Heatley away still. If he doesn't get the deal he wants, he will be expected to be here.

2)In response to Heatley saying he has numerous teams interested, Murray said, " I don't know where they are getting their information from but he has been mislead."

3)If he reports to camp, he will sit down with Heatley, Clouston and the players and decide if Heatley should be stripped of his A. Sounded to me like he was just humoring him. He will be stripped if he comes back.

4) He expects Heatley to have a big year since he knows he wants to figure in the Team Canada plans.

5) While he's still talking to a few teams, he is nowhere near trading him at this point.

Another shoutout to Don Brennan for burning Heatley again. Saying he didn't think Heatley was able to understand his question from earlier today (since he ignored it when asked and gave a snarky answer). Brennan has been the breakout star of today's proceedings. Who would have thought.

While reading various articles around the web today, it seems everyone's opinion is the same as mine. We were reluctant before to have him back but were perhaps willing to cut him some slack, but after they way Heatley handled himself today, it's clear the large majority of Sens Army want him gone with a dishonorable discharge (and a ncie return for us).

Well That Was A Waste Of Time

Surprise surprise, the media call was a waste of time. Call me crazy but for some reason, I was actually soemwhat prepared to cut the guy a break if he had the guts to actually face the music and answer the questions properly. Alas, he didn't and my hate on has increased.

I actually wasn't so mad the last few days at him, thinking it wouldn't be so bad if he was to come back. I was dreaming of a powerplay that included Spezza, Alfie, Kovalev, Heatley and fill in the blank. If anything, we'd be entertaining. Too bad Dany had to ruin any goodwill or leaniance I was about to give him, all in 15 minutes.

For those of you who missed the ''epic" media call, here are the highlights(errr lowlights)

1) His reason for a trade is purely hockey related. He feels his role has diminished and it bothers him (never mind the fact that we were much improved with you in your diminised role)

2) That he is a team guy. Oh really Dany? Ya nothing says team like asking to be traded because YOUR role has diminished slightly at the expense of WINNING more.

3) That he needs options. He didn't accept the Edmonton trade because he needs options. He needs more then one team to make an offer so he can make the proper decision for his hockey career. Really Dany? So if San Jose or the NYR were the only offer you'd refuse on account of needing options? Gimme a break. Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining. We're Sens fans, not Leaf fans, we're not that stupid. We get it, you don't wanna play in Deadmonton and really who can blame you but have the balls to say so.

4) How in the hell did Stacey McAlpine become a professional player agent? This guy has no charisma and basically sounds dumb. Makes NO sense

5) Lame on the media for asking such softball questions and not pushing him to actually have real answers. They let him slide WAY too easy. You guys are brutal

6)Pathetic on Heatley and McAlpine's part to bail on the conference after 15 minutes (if that), saying they had another media committment they had to attend. Gimme a break, we aren't Habs fans either, we know you're lying again. What committment could you possibly have that was more important then talking to the national media and attemtpting to somewhat clear your name? Especially when we know how lightly he takes his committments(breaking a speaking one to children a week ago without breaking a sweat).

Overall it was a waste of time (as I predicted) and I now hate Dany Heatley more then ever. This guy just doesn't get it at all.

Speacial shoutout to Sun writer Don Brennan who took a shot at Heatley during the conference, which you could tell by his voice, Dany didn't like. He said hey Dany, it's Don, sorry I haven't returned any of your calls, it's been a really busy summer. Ballsy but hilarious.

It's now more clear then ever to me, that Dany has to go. The guy is dillusional and would be a cancer for our team. Dany, here's some advice. Go to whatever team Murray is willing to trade you to. You say you need options but your options of teams willing to put up with you are shrinking everyday and after this latest stunt, you'd be lucky to find a team willing to deal with you.

You ain't got to go home but you got to get the hell out of here #15. Good riddance

Today Is The Day: Heatley To Break Silence

(Update @ 12:30pm) The Heatley Press Conference will be on the Team 1200 so tune in if you would like to hear

Today is the day we've all been waiting for. It's been almost 2 months since #15 asked to be traded out of nowhere and refused to give a reason.

Since then, he's been ducking the media and has been a coward for the most part. If you want out that's fine but own up to why like a man. The fans deserve it.

He will be having a conference call with the media later today but don't get your hopes up. His agents will be there and they've already stated that he won't be saying why he wants out of Ottawa. It will remain private, so expect robotic answers (think Sydney Crosby).

So basically this will solve absolutely nothing but will at least be nice to hear him have to face the music a bit, even if it was only becuase he was being forced to by Hockey Canada.

Still it brings me at least some joy that #15 will at least be made to be uncomfortable for an hour and that's a start. Let's hope he loses it and goes off on a tirade or something

Rich People Fighting

There was quite the war of words going on now between Sens owner Eugene Melnyk and wanna be NHL owner/annoying loudmouth Jim Balsillie. Now it's time for Euge to respond and he did it a big way via press release. This is about as insulting as it gets on this level, so I highly suggest reading it. Let's see what today brings, another round perhaps? Though Euge is still winning since ya know, he actually has a team.

To read the press release click here

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chiodo

The Sens have signed free agent goalie Andy Chiodo to a one year, two way deal today. Another depth move for the organization. He spent last season in the KHL. To learn more about him click here and here

Sens TV Schedule

The Ottawa Senators have released the 2009-10 TV schedule and seems pretty decent to me. We're on a wide range of different stations and I can feel the Sens Army growing, slowly taking over some Leaf and hab fans. To see the entire sched click here

Hump Day Links

Good Wednesday to everyone, enjoy the hump day links.

-Everyone knows that Ray Emery is no stranger to partying and I'm sure we've wondered what he did with his time in Russia. It appears it was less glamarous then we thought. To read what he did click here

-There was a 2nd article about the retro jersey, to read click here

- TSN turned 25 this year and they have been in full out nostalgia mode lately. They have been profiling different cities memorable moments lately and this week they did Ottawa, which you might have guessed, included many Sens memories. To read click here

-Jason Spezza has had a pretty good summer. He got married, he was invited to the Team Canada camp, has become way more popular amongst Sens fan and on August 12th, he was the NHLPA's player of the day. To check it out click here

-The first power rankings of the season are out and Ottawa isn't looking so good according to Yahoo. They have the Sens at 22nd in the NHL. To see why they thought that click here

-In case you haven't heard, Shark player Patrick Marleau has been stripper of his captaincy. Could this have to do with #15? To read click here

-And finally a feature on 2 of the Sens' prospects. For Corey Cowick click here and for Louie Caporusso click here

Happy rest of the week everyone.

Heatley Forced To Speak

It seems that Hockey Canada officials will finally get done, what no one else could. That means after months of speculation and silence, Dany Heatley will have to address the media finally.

In fact, Hockey Canada would much prefer he do it prior to the camp they have starting Monday and I can't really blame them. They don't need that kind of sideshow and it could be possible that if he doesn't in advance of the camp, they maybe don't include him in their Olympic team.

The only problem is he won't say anything of value. He will be a robot. Hell he's most likely practicing his boring, generic answers right now. It was a personal decision, I don't wanna talk about it, no comment etc etc.

However, the way this summer has gone with him, slow progress is better then no progress.

Chelios A Leaf?

Yep that's right, dinosaur player Chris Chelios may be joining the Leafs. According to reports, Chelios and Leafs coach Ron Wilson discussed it yesterday at the Team USA camp in Chicago.

Am I the only one getting a case of Deja Vu? Didn't they already try this with Gilmour, Francis, Leetch, Cujo, O'neil, Nolan, Lindros, etc etc etc? How'd that work out for ya?

They must think Chelios will end their hilarious drought (42 years and counting) without even a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Was he in the league back in 1967? It's a possibility haha

And if that doesn't work out for you Toronto, there's always Theo Fleury. The first shot of 2009-10 in the battle of Ontario has been fired.

Ah The Good Old Days

Ah remember the days when we were a force to be reckoned with? When we lit up the NHL and were the envy of everyone? Doesn't seem that long ago does it and yet in many ways it seems like forever ago. Well even though none of us were alive when this happened, here's a nice little set of Stanley Cup banners I came across the other day. Thought people might like to see em.

Pettion Reminder

Just a friendly reminder that if you haven't signed the petition for the retro jersey yet, that you may do so here

There's almost 1500 signatures now and it has recieved a lot of press, so make sure to keep the momentum going. It's for a great cause

eBay Find: Sean Hill Game Used Jersey

Ah yes, time to get nostalgic everybody and go back to a time where Sean Hill patroled our blue lines back in the early Civic Centre days. Well now you can own a piece of Senators history, a Sean Hill game used jersey. I don't know what's more shocking, that someone bought this in the first place or that the price is at $102.50 right now. Maybe it's Sean Hill selling it to buy more performance enhancing drugs? I mean remarkably, the 39 year old is still playing pro hockey in Switzerland. To view the jersey click here

Picard Charity Golf Tourney Today

Just a quick reminder to everyone that Alexandre Picard's chairty golf tournament is later today so if you have some extra time, extra cash or both, then head out and donate to a great cause. To read the story on it click here

Emery Showing Some Brotherly Love

I'm sure you all remember when former Sen Ray Emery had Mike Tyson on his mask. It caused quite the stir (not really sure why) and then GM John Muckler made Razor take it off. Well now Emery is in Philly (where I predict he has a big year), where they embrace such things. Therefore, Ray has gone back to having boxers on his mask with Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier and the fictional Philadelphia icon Rocky Balboa. Gotta say it's a simple but cool look. What are your thoughts?

Retro Sens Jersey Creator Interview

A few days ago, I posted about a movement to bring a retro jersey into the fold for the Sens (to see click here), well today we have the creator of the jersey and petiton with us for an interview. The man who made the design is Jacob Barrette and he recently sat down for an interview with us. Enjoy.

Sens Town: Thanks for joining us. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, as well as the name of your company and what you're up to these days?

Jacob Barrette: I've had a graphic design agency on the Gatineau side (Hull sector) called Le Collectif for 5 years. We work on many projects ranging from cultural to corporate clients. I also teach graphic design at La Cité Collégiale.

ST: How long have you been a Sens fan? Would you say you're a die hard?

JB: I've been a Senators fan since they came back in '93. I was actually at the first game at the Civic Center and the first game played at the old Palladium. Die hard fan would be an understatement.

ST: Have you been a fan of their past jerseys? What about the current one's?

JB: I loved our previous road jersey (white with 2-D logo). Also the old black and red jersey. I think both of them are classics and would love to see them applied to the RBK EDGE template as our home and away jerseys, with the =O= jersey being the alternate. The new home and away, I don't care much for them. I love elements about them (shoulder patch, typefaces) but the overall jersey is pretty bleak overall. Also, the fact that we're sharing the same design as the Penguins is a little annoying. I feel the marketing department could've explored more options and come up with something more unique. Of course, they did that with the current third jerseys, but in my opinion, they completely missed the mark.

ST: What made you decide to design a new jersey? Why a retro one? Walk us through the timeline of when it all happened and what inspired you?

JB: I loved the new =O= shoulder patches from the get go. I think it was something that had been put aside by the organization and it was refreshing to see them back. That's what really inspired the whole design. When word got out that NHL teams were releasing alternate jerseys, I thought for sure they would be using them as the main look. So I got to work on a 2-D mock up to see what it would look like. I posted it on a few discussion boards just for fun and forgot about it. When we got closer to the release date of the jerseys, I was searching the internet for updates or leaks on what our alternate might look like. I found little official information but noticed that my concept had been picked up by quite a few websites and a Facebook group in support of the design had been created. So I created a more realistic mock up of the jersey using an image from another teams jersey. I erased most of the elements of that jersey, converted that image to grayscale to get the black and started adding colored layers on it respecting all the wrinkles and whatnot on the image to get a good idea of what it could look like. That was done in the summer of 2008. From there, a petition was started and we got close to 900 signatures in the following weeks. Once the "SENS" jersey was released, things cooled down and the attention went to discussing the official jersey.

I decided to create a retro jersey because I feel that Ottawa's rich hockey heritage isn't being celebrated enough by the organization and fans. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for moving and looking forward, but very few teams share a history like ours so I feel we're privileged to be able to release such a product that while looking good, also holds a lot of signification.

ST: The fans have reacted very well with over 1000 people on the petition so far. How does that make you feel to see that kind of support?

JB: It feels great. I have and am still working hard on this project because I feel like it is a strong product and others' support validate that. I wouldn't be going through all this trouble if I didn't feel I could make a strong case for it, and everyone signing the petition makes our voice louder. It is important to note that the petition wasn't created as a cry to the organization, but rather as a market study to show that we have done our due diligence and show the organization that there is a market for this.

ST: How did you feel when you saw your uniform design in the now infamous O store video in which your jersey design was hanging in the store? (that has been removed off the Senators Official site mysteriously now fyi)

JB: I was very happy to see it in there. I knew that it was simply a drawing of the store and that chances were that they wouldn't be produced, but because the video was on the Senators website, this confirmed that the organization had seen the design.

ST: Have the Senators made contact with you? Or answered your emails yet?

JB: I haven't heard back from the organization. I know they work a certain way and am not surprised or bitter about it. I'm sure they get plenty of ideas from fans and it's probably a policy of theirs not to get back to them because when would it end? However, I feel this is something they should consider and would be very pleased if they got in contact with me. As fans, we can play armchair GM all we want, but we can't manage a team like they do, we can't manage the salary cap like they do, etc., but this is something that we as fans are capable of doing properly.

ST: I know you've gotten quite a bit of media attention for it lately, what is your ultimate goal with the jersey?

JB: My goal, the reason why I did all this initially, was to be able to wear one. Simple as that. Having heard from so many that they feel the same way, my goal has now shifted to have everyone who want one be able to get one. I would happily walk into the Sens Store, purchase an Alfredsson jersey, put it on, not say anything to anyone and regain my seat to watch the game.

ST: Do you think you will ever get the chance to see the Sens wear your design on the ice? I mean that would be pretty surreal.

JB: It would be. I'm hoping it happens eventually. I know it won't happen in the near future, but if there are plans to release a new jersey eventually, I would like for it to be considered. Seeing the team wearing it, even for only one game, would be great.

ST: Any last words? Where can we sign the petition if fans want to? What do you want to say to everyone?

JB: The petition can be found at: http://www.gopetition.com/online/20872.html. I want to thank everyone who has helped in the process (and there are many) and everyone who took time to sign the petition. Every little bit helps, be it from fans or media. And to everyone who hope that this project will materialize, our voice is now being heard. Thanks for everything.

Sens Town would like to thank Jacob for putting in the effort for the jersey and his time for the interview. I highly suggest everyone emails the Sens saying they want the jersey and don't forget to sign the petition.

Sens Jerseys Suck Says THN....

.....then again, what the hell do they know. Judging by their list, perhaps they haven't seen a jersey before or understand what a good one is? The Hockey News rated the Sens jersey as the 2nd worst in the league. To see their rankings click here

Breaking News: Spezza Gets Team Canada Invite

It seems there is good in the world after all. In an offseason when Spezza has become quite the fan favorite in Ottawa, he finally gets his invite to the Team Canada Olympic training camp that he so desperately wanted. The camp runs Aug 24-27th in Calgary. Congratulations Jason!

New But Old Jersey Coming?

Seems unlikely at this point, at least in the near future but I do like the old style jersey and the nod to our past championships. The citizen has wrote an article about it, to read it and give your support click here

Retro Alfie

Came across this classic old school card of the captain a few weeks ago. How weird does he look there? Weird to see him looking so young, with no visor and without his iconic #11 on the jersey. Just a little nostalgia on a monday afternoon.

Friday Is D-Day For #15 ??

There are about a million rumors circulating that GM Bryan Murray has now set Friday August 14th as a deadline for teams to table their offer for TPTSNBN. He wants to get a deal done before training camp and the sooner the better.

It appears over the course of the last week to 10 days that quite a few more teams have become interested in the former 50 goal man. That will only benefit us in maximizing the return for him. Allegedly the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and even the Buffalo Sabres have all made calls to at least inquire about him. Of course San Jose still remains involved as well.

So there ya go, is it a legit deadline or a bluff? We will see soon enough. I just want this to be over either way but it is extremely important we don't get fleeced in this deal.

Bannister To Lean On

In another depth move for Binghamton, the Sens signed journeyman defenceman Drew Bannister to a one year, 2 way contract. The 35 year old has virtually no shot to make our roster but will be semi vaulable for the farm team.

To see his career statistics click here and his wikipedia page here

SBP Facelift

Soon kids will be going back to school with all their new gear, eager to show off the changes that happened over the summer. SBP is no different and Cyril Leeder is here to show what new things we can expect at Scotiabank Place this year. I love the O Store concept. Only 5 more weeks until pre-season games =]

#15 Ducks Out

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

TPTSNBN will continue avoiding the media by pulling out of the speaking engagement he had next week in Toronto, which was for kids. Man what a coward, ridiculous.

He won't be able to avoid it soon though. The Olympic training camp starts August 24th and the media will be out in full force.

A Legend Retires

I know I know, this isn't Senators news at all but time to give respect where respect is due. Jeremy Roenick retired yesterday after an amazing career. He finished as the NHL's 39th leading all time scorer and 3rd all time US born scorer.

More importantly, he was my personal favorite player of all time and one of the nicest guys in hockey. I had the pleasure to meet him twice and he was the nicest, funniest, most genuine guy you could ever hope for. You always hope when you meet someone famous that they will be as cool and nice as they seem but they usually severely disappoint you. In JR's case, he always exceeded them by a ton. What you saw on TV was how he was. He was the man.

Congratulations on an amazing career JR and best of luck in whatever you choose to do in the future. Next stop, Hall of Fame in Toronto.

The Links: TGIF Style

Sorry everyone for being gone for a few days. I had a mini vaykay but don't worry, I am back. So without further adeu, here is the Friday catch up links and things that went down this week in Sens Town.

In former Sens news, Patrick Eaves signed a one year deal with the Red Wings. Good to see Patty land on his feet in such a great situation. I was always a fan and wish him the best. To see click here

Last links I brought you some prospect news part 1 & 2, click here for part 3

Leaf fans want to switch logos to reverse their Stanley Cup curse. Ya that's what your problem is, your logo, not your subpar talent and lack of sense for 42 years and counting. Click here to read

Been wondering what Detroit thinks of #15? Doubtful but click here to see

The Sens lost a key member of their staff a few weeks ago. Director of hockey operations Brent Flahr, has left the Sens to be the assistant GM of the Minnesota Wild. To read the deets click here

Roger Neilson's legacy is living on at a hockey school that bares his name. To read about how Mike Fisher is trying to make a difference, click here

The clock is ticking on TPTSNBN. The Oylmpic training camp is coming up and he will have to speak. He can't hide forever. To read click here

As I mentioned last week, Brian Elliott's signing was immiment and I was right. The restricted free agent goaltender signed a 2 year deal worth 1.7 million total. Pretty good deal for the Sens. To read click here

In more signing news, the Binghamton Senators signed a pair of players as well, in Jeremy Yablonski and Derek Smith. To read click here

Bingo is playing a game in Ottawa this year at SBP, tickets went on sale this morning. To purchase seats click here

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Jersey Foul 34

Happy Long weekend everyone!

As I posted yesterday, Chris Neil won the hardest hit in the NHL last season by NHL.com, maybe he celebrated by hitting this guy so hard his numbers fell off. Ok I'm lying, he's just being cheap, but on the plus side, Neil can now boast a "major" award win to justify his 2 million a season.

Do You Know The Way To San Jose?

It seems all is not dead with Mr 15. GM Bryan Murray has confirmed that he has an option to deal the disgruntled player if he choses to. The team is widely believed to be the San Jose Sharks. The problem however, is that we don't want what they have, so the Sharks might have to get a 3rd team involved, which is reportedly Montreal. I gotta say I don't want anything they've got either. Will be interesting to see what happens at least. I personally think the trade will be to a team no one see's coming. What do you guys think? To read the article click here

Neil Has 2008-09's Hardest Hit

NHL.com has their top 10 hits from last year and the Sens Chris Neil has the number 1 hit of the season. Shoutout to Spezza too for getting up so quickly from the #2 hit and taking it like a champ. Thanks to reader Eric K for sending this in.

Kelly Getting Tired Of #15 Talk

That must be the understatement of the year and I can't really blame him. Everyone is tired of hearing about it by now, including myself. All the players are saying the right things, if he wants to come back we'd welcome him but come on, deep down they have to be pissed. I am and I don't even play on the team. To see what Chris Kelly had to say click here