Meet the S7S Staff!

With the absolute disaster of a year that was 2020 behind us and the Ottawa Senators on the  verge of playing their first game in almost a year, it felt like a good time to introduce (or in some cases re-introduce) the staff that make up Silver Seven. A big part of what makes this site great is the community, so we’d love to hear your answers to the questions below in the comments as well.

And here’s to a better 2021 for the Sens, and for everyone!

Name: Colin

Where do you live these days?

Locked down in my hometown of Ottawa, back after a few years spent in enemy territory in Toronto

How did you become a Sens fan?

Growing up in Ottawa naturally put me onto the Sens, although I was never more than a casual fan until I discovered the thriving blogosphere around 2015. Sites like SensShot and Silver Seven put me on to the analytical side of the game, then the Hamburglar run happened, and it all just spiraled from there.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Even as just a casual fan at the time, I couldn’t help but be enamoured with Kaspars “Rooster” Daugavins. His famed shootout attempt has its special corner in my mind palace.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

I’m way more interested in draft prospects than the Sens at this point, so I’m hoping a few players can turn on the jets this season to make it a real battle for first overall. At the moment it seems like whichever team wins the lottery will be a tad let down compared to previous (and future) years, with the lack of a true franchise-defining player in this draft class. That leaves the door wide open for numerous players to break out and fill that space.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

This is easily the hardest question of the bunch, so I’ll say a wolf in honour of ‘Best Name of the Draft’ winner Gunnarwolfe Fontaine.

Name: Ross

Where do you live these days?

Los Angeles, California aka the land of 15,000 Covid19 cases per day

How did you become a Sens fan?

Growing up in Ottawa. I’m about 2 years older than the Sens, so I don’t remember a time not cheering for them.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Marcus Högberg. I will forever quote that a couple years ago I had him 10 spots higher than anyone else in the Top 25 Under 25.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

That one out of White, Brown, Norris, or Stuetzle emerges as a number one centre. I want the Sens to have a bonafide first-line centre again.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

I’m gonna say falcon. Flying would be sweet, and flying that fast would be unreal.

Name: Trevor

Where do you live these days?

Richmond, British Columbia, born and raised.

How did you become a Sens fan?

Honestly, there’s no good answer. I do have some 2nd cousins in Ottawa, although that’s not the reason I chose them over the Canucks. When I was 4 or 5, I started liking them probably because I liked their jerseys and I noticed how good they were. I didn’t fully start following them until 2005 when I was 9, and ever since I’ve stuck with them.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

I have to go with Freddy Claesson. He was only here for a couple of seasons but he brought so much energy and joy to the team on and off the ice, especially when Craig Medaglia did any social media things with him. His family even liked a few of my posts on Twitter and Facebook about him, and it was impossible not to love the guy. He was quite solid during the 2016-17 season too, so it’s not as if he couldn’t play. It’s too bad that he hasn’t found a more permanent home since leaving Ottawa.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

That at least 2-3 prospects (such as Tim Stuetzle, Drake Batherson, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Rudolfs Balcers, etc.) cement their roles on the team. In a rebuilding year, that should be the only goal, because if they sneak in the playoffs on the backs of their veterans, that won’t tell us anything about their potential future success. Play the kids and watch them succeed.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

That’s a tough question. My favourite animals are elephants and sea otters, so I think I’d go with an elephant.

Name: Brandon

Where do you live these days?

I was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, but you can find me in Toronto, these days. I’m finishing up my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto, and while living in the heart of Leafs Nation isn’t always pleasant, it has its perks. There’s never a shortage of people to make fun of.

How did you become a Sens fan?

I’ve told this story a million times via print and podcast, but I’ll give you the elevator version. In January of 2007, when I was about eight years old, my dad visited a friend in Ottawa. A lifelong Bruins fan, it just so happened that his friend had tickets to a Sens game, and my dad’s B’s were in town. He came home, and gave me a copy of the gameday magazine, “SCORE”. I liked hockey, but had yet to fall in love with it. For some reason, though, I was fascinated by the players in this magazine, and before I knew it, I was hooked. That year ended up being the Stanley Cup Final run, and since then, I’ve been riding and dying with the Ottawa Senators.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Hands down, Mike Fisher. One of the players I was introduced to via that magazine, and having played for my hometown Sudbury Wolves, Fisher was my guy for his entire career. I loved the way he played the game; tough as nails, and willing to do anything it took for his team to win. I admired Fisher’s dedication to his team, the way he gave back to the community, and the respect he earned. I eventually got to meet him, which was incredible, and followed his career to the very end. I cried when he was traded, but one of my most prized possessions is a Mike Fisher Nashville Predators home jersey, with the captain’s ‘C’, and 2017 Stanley Cup Final crest.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

Fun. It sounds silly, but the past year or so has been nightmarishly miserable. I’m just so excited to see the Ottawa Senators play hockey again, in any form, that it almost puts a lump in my throat. Naturally, the development of prospects will play a big part in this, and that should be the team’s main focus, but I’m just so excited to have hockey back again. It’s been far too long.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

I would, without question, be a lion. A big, male lion with a gorgeous mane (no Spartacat jokes, Beata). They’ve been my favourite animal my whole life, to the point where I have one tattooed on my shoulder.

Name: Ary

Where do you live these days?

In a suburb just northeast of the city of Toronto! Born and raised in Pickering — even closer to the Leafs — it’s been an experience navigating being a Sens fan in Toronto.

How did you become a Sens fan?

My best friend liked them first! We used to look at the stats sheets printed out in newspapers and watch games all the time. During the Sens-Leafs series in the early 00s, our entire street used to cheer for the Leafs and we decided to be different. I’ll always hold the speed and skill of those teams dear to my heart — it was an example of drafting with conviction and developing hometown players, partly out of necessity, but partly a brand given how much trading used to happen in the pre-salary cap era.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Like Brandon with Mike Fisher, I was devastated when Chris Kelly was traded in 2011, but so happy he won a cup. Kelly personified being a role player on the über-skilled Senators and I loved his hockey sense in all three zones... even if he couldn’t hit the net. Erik Condra and Jakob Silfverberg are two players from this past decade that I think fondly of, and my first favourite Sens player was Martin Havlat.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

That the team actually practices what they preach and give the organization’s young players every chance to play meaningful NHL minutes. Frankly, that didn’t happen last year to the extent that it should’ve, and it’ll soon become very poor asset management if you don’t parlay your prospects into a NHL position or to trade for bonafide talent.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

Love wolves, tigers, foxes, or polar bears, so probably one of those!

Name: Spencer

Where do you live these days?

After spending time away in Hamilton (school) and Toronto (work), I’ve recently returned to KW, where I grew up.

How did you become a Sens fan?

When I was very young, before I was old enough to even go to school, I lived in Ottawa. When I moved to Waterloo, I started playing hockey and made friends with a guy who was a Sens fan. I think because I was friends with him and I recognized the logo as something I’d seen before as a kid, I was drawn to the team. As I grew up, and all my friends were Leafs fans, it became more and more fun to be a Sens fan, anyways. I love being the odd one out in those situations.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

I’m a big Nick Paul fan. I think because I’ve been able to watch him dominate regularly at the AHL level, I have a lot of respect for his game and how hard he’s worked to be where he is today.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

My hope for the season is that at least 3 of the veterans currently pencilled into the lineup are regular healthy scratches because players like Batherson, Norris, Brown, Brannstrom, etc. successfully took their spots.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

I’ve always been drawn to Dolphins, I really don’t know why. They’re smart and I love swimming, I guess?

Name: Beata

Where do you live these days?

I’ve moved around a lot over the last few years and that is unlikely to stop soon, but I’m currently in Halifax finishing up my Bachelor’s degree.

How did you become a Sens fan?

I grew up in Ottawa, and my mom is a big hockey fan, so I was always watching hockey as a kid. I got really into the Sens back in 2007 when I was 8, and got really invested around 2013 when I started reading hockey blogs.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Trevor stole my answer! Freddy Claesson still has my heart. I still think he was extremely underrated as a hockey player and he was a really fun personality to have on the team. I miss him.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

I just want some of the prospects to impress us and cement a spot on the roster. I’m hoping it’ll be Stuetzle, of course, but I’m hoping a few others guys surprise us!

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

Well, as a Horse Girl (TM), I feel obligated to say horse.

Name: Nada

Where do you live these days?

Locked down in good ol’ Ottawa.

How did you become a Sens fan?

I was obsessed with Wayne Gretzky as a kid because we had family in Brantford and that was all the hype there. I used to be able to watch some international games because of the timing as I usually spent winters outside Canada due to Dad’s work. I watched a bit of the 2007 run with my brother but wasn’t as invested really. When I finally settled the next season; my brother got me watching a full Sens game to give me a study break and that’s when the hockey monster that I am today was created.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Nick Foligno. I’ll always miss Nick Foligno.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

I want us to have some miracle season where the kids really outperform the expectations but realistically I just want to watch a team that’s competitive and has a few highlights here and there. Super excited for Timmy.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

A horse, always loved them and their free spirits.

Name: Owen

Where do you live these days?

Ottawa (not in my parents’ basement I swear)

How did you become a Sens fan?

NHL hockey came back to Ottawa a couple years after I was born and I just naturally grew up with the Sens.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Jonathan Cheechoo

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

More than anything, for Colin White to have a breakout year. Otherwise, Ottawa has a bunch of players nearing or in their mid-twenties like Balcers, Chlapik, Davidsson, Jaros, Wolanin, (and to a lesser extent Hogberg) and I want the organization to give them serious ice time before it’s too late.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

You could ask me this every day of the month and get a different answer. Today I’ll say mallard.

Name: Shaan

Where do you live these days?

I’m a local guy. Actually about to sign an amateur tryout with the AHL squad as I’m writing this.

How did you become a Sens fan?

I have some family and friends who are Leafs and Habs fans, so I avoided a scare there. Started watching the Sens religiously after the year they made the Final. So now you know who to thank for their ten years of mediocrity.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

Have to agree with Spencer on this one, Nick Paul is one of the easiest people to root for, also I really love trade trees.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

...the Stanley Cup? Is this a trick question?

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

Flying would be really cool, but I just want to be a seal and roll down a hill.

Name: nkb

Where do you live these days?

I spent most of my youth in Ottawa but I’ve been living full-time in Toronto for almost fourteen years now. I’ve got a wife, a house, and a life so I guess that means I’ve kinda settled in after years of resisting the idea!

How did you become a Sens fan?

I’ve told this story in more depth before but I was actually a Habs fan when I was very young because the Sens didn’t exist! My family then lived overseas for several years and when we moved back, Ottawa was just starting to contend for the play-offs and watching their first run to the play-offs in ‘97 is a very fond memory. I was also still young enough to be particularly heartbroken when the puck squeezed through Tugnutt’s glove in OT in game 7 in Buffalo and I will never forget the smoke pouring out of that damn Buffalo head.

Who’s your favourite Sens “guy”, aka a non-star, or necessarily even good, player that you still love?

In recent history, Erik Condra is my choice. Such a smart hockey player, great skater, and could hang on the top line for a while if you needed him to. He also couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, which I felt was really relatable. I also delighted in Magnus Arvedson back in the day.

What’s your biggest hope for the upcoming season?

I’ll echo what Brandon said and just that the season is fun. I have no expectations of this team being any good in any objective sense but if the kids play a lot and the games are fun to watch I will be happy.

What kind of animal would you be if you had to be something other than human?

Probably a bear because they’re both extremely chilled out and also very much not something you want to mess.