Silver Seven Announcement: Time for a Change

I won't bury the lede and I won't draw this out unnecessarily: after eleven years in various capacities at Silver Seven, I am stepping down from my role as the site's owner and Managing Editor. I've been leading this incredible team of writers for just over six years now, and I'd have been happy to continue doing so for another six; alas, nothing stays the same forever. I'm the proud father of two young girls, and our lives have gotten much busier. I have a demanding job outside of Silver Seven. At the end of the day, I simply can't continue to dedicate the time and effort necessary to deliver the high quality Ottawa Senators content that our community deserves.

The good news is that Shaan Malik has agreed to take over leadership of the site. Regular readers will be familiar with Shaan's work, particularly his time spent on the Sens' prospects through some of the team's darkest days. Shaan has been with the site for nearly six years, and he's committed to continuing to deliver the best independent, fan-led coverage of the Sens out there. You will be in good hands, and I hope that you all continue to read and support the site's great writers. We couldn't do it without you.

When circumstances dictated that I explore a succession plan, my number one priority was ensuring that there was a long-term vision for the site's continued existence. Silver Seven has been a part of Sens discourse in some form or another since 2009. We survived SB Nation closing its hockey vertical two years ago, and have forged a fully reader supported model with the best writing and the best community on the internet. I care deeply about this place, and my sincere hope is that it continues to grow and flourish in this next chapter.

This community is special because of a spirit of collaboration and I've worked with a lot of great people over the years. I do want to draw special attention to Andrew, who first hired me way back in 2014, and who has had a profound impact on my writing over the years. Peter Raaymakers made all of this possible in the first place and was a steady presence in my early days with the site. When we operated under the SB Nation umbrella, Steph Driver was a great leader. Some recent alums such as Spencer Blake, Brandon Maki and Colin Cudmore were among my most cherished co-workers. And, of course, the site's current staff: Ary, Beata, BT, Nada, Owen, Ross, Trevor, and of course Shaan. There are too many people for me to thank, so please know that any omission is totally unintentional.

I also want to separately thank all of our readers and supporters. It's been an honour writing for such a discerning audience, and I'm touched by the love that our site receives. I say it all the time, but this site's community is what makes it special. We are nothing without it.

This is an exciting time to be a Sens fan; I haven't been this optimistic about the franchise's outlook in at least 15 years. I won't be disappearing altogether, as I can't see myself being able to completely walk away from writing about this special group of Sens players. You might not even notice much of a change at first – but this is Shaan's ship to steer now.

Long live Silver Seven!