OTTAWA — There’s plenty to celebrate about the Ottawa Senators these days.
The team currently sits third in the Atlantic Division, delivering some of the most exciting hockey this market has seen in years — all while missing their starting goaltender, Linus Ullmark. But the feel-good momentum took a hit Monday when owner Michael Andlauer ignited a public relations firestorm in Quebec City.
At a press conference, Andlauer revealed plans for the Senators to play two pre-season games in Quebec City this September. Initially harmless, his follow-up comments raised eyebrows when he expressed openness to also playing regular-season games there — setting off alarm bells for Ottawa’s loyal fan base.
Adding fuel to the fire, Spartacat, the Senators' mascot, appeared at the event in a controversial jersey that blended the Senators’ logo with the defunct Quebec Nordiques' logo.
For many Ottawa fans, it hit a nerve, with frustration and disappointment flooding social media.
“Again, I think this is a ridiculous move and a slap in the face to fans in this city. After previous ownership’s seven straight years of not making the playoffs, this is how you repay fans? New ownership has no intention on keeping this team here — that’s what this tells me,” one fan wrote on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
“Plan B in case LeBreton Flats fail. The Sens has already had an owner open to move the team. Why wouldn't they have another one? The end is near," another fan posted.
The backlash led Ottawa Senators president and CEO Cyril Leeder to appear on TSN 1200 radio Monday afternoon to clarify the team’s intentions. He reassured fans that the exhibition games were aimed at strengthening ties with Quebec City’s fan base and the broader francophone community, not setting the stage for relocation.
“We’re just trying to have a small nod to the Nordiques fans,” Leeder said. “Those are the fans we’re most likely going to convert to Senator fans … people that have cheered for the Nordiques in the past.”
Since acquiring the team in 2023, Andlauer has aimed to build ties with the francophone community in Gatineau, just outside Ottawa. What many didn’t understand was the push to attract French-speaking fans four hours away.
Leeder stressed that Andlauer is committed to Ottawa-Gatineau and has no plans to relocate the franchise.
“We’ve got a brand new owner here, he’s francophone, he had great ties to the province of Quebec and, that’s again, an important part of us growing as a franchise in Gatineau and the rest of the province,” said Leeder. “We need to do that, and we’re absolutely focused on that.”
The Senators eventually removed the post of Spartacat in the split jersey, and Leeder later shared a message from his personal X account.
“Putting our beloved Sparty in a Sens/Nords jersey was wrong. Today was a good reminder that our logo is sacred. As CEO, I own this one.”
Senators alternate captain Thomas Chabot, who grew up near Quebec City, was at the announcement and told media Tuesday he’s excited about playing near his hometown. He admitted he was surprised by the backlash and the vitriol directed at Spartacat.
“I mean, we all went there yesterday excited to announce pre-season games and then the poor guy is getting hit head-on for having half of his jersey as the Nordiques.”
Now in his eighth season with the Senators, Chabot values the loyal fan base and understands the mixed emotions but sees no reason for concern. The team has played pre-season games in various cities and feels this is no different.
“At the end of the day the Sens, we’re not going anywhere,” said Chabot. “We’re in Ottawa. We love being in Ottawa. There’s nowhere else we’d rather play than the Canadian Tire Centre, here, every single night.”
Leeder is hopeful the conversation will quickly switch back to the team’s on-ice success rather than a pair of games that are nine months away.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2025
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press