OverDrive - Garrioch on the Senators' fallout in playing in Quebec City, Spartacat's half-jersey and the team's race to the playoffs

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

Postmedia Senators Columnist Bruce Garrioch joined OverDrive to discuss the fallout from the Quebec City announcement, the disappointment from fans for the team, Spartacat's half-Senators and half-Quebec Nordiques jersey, the outlook of the team playing in Quebec City, the team's race in the Eastern Conference and more.

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Well, what I can say is I think that what Spartacat did is way more egregious than what Harvey the Hound did with Greg McGavish. I saw your highlights earlier, okay? There is no way that Spartacat ever should have agreed to put on that jersey. I don't know whose brainiac idea this was. I'm led to believe that maybe it came from their marketing department, but you know what? I don't think it would have been that bad or gone over that bad.

If Michael and Lauer hadn't, and he hasn't made any missteps since he, he became the owner of this team. But I think he misstepped when he suggested that they might play some regular season games in Quebec City. And you know, we've heard Quebec City has always been seen as the place where the senators could end up by the former owner. And there was talk here, guys, two years ago, Eugene Malek was prepared to have five home games in Quebec City. And because he said he, he, he felt that he could make more

money in Quebec City than if he had a game against Buffalo Sabres in Ottawa. And, um, I think when, when Michael Landlower went there and then they had the audacity to put Spartacat up in a Nordics half Nordics half Senators Jersey boom It was ugly. It was way worse than I thought to tell you true Bruce you what about the timing like the sends like they're keeping their head above water They're yeah, you know They they're win some games and they got some positive traction and then this pops up like I was saying to the guys before you came on Like if I was Tom Shabbat, I would have said I'm not addressing this today

This is I'm trying to win hockey games and I got to talk about a furry cat wearing a half Jersey. No way Like the timing is crazy Did you imagine you at the Carolina Hurricanes having to defend Stormy? No, no I can't because I just can't, Brucey. It's goofy. You would though. You love Stormy the Pig, be honest. You would do it for Stormy.

Look, I think Thomas Chabot had to step up for Sparta. Poor Sparta. As I said, Sparta got caught in the crossfire this he was just doing his job right like and all of a sudden I mean they deleted the post that just tells you and I think there were people in there who said I don't think you should do this and I and I just don't think I think one of two one of two things I think that Michael Langlauer was trying to throw a bone to the people of Quebec City to say look I want to help you get your I think one of two things. I think that Michael Langlois was trying to throw a bone

to the people of Quebec City to say, look, I wanna help you get your national hockey league team back. He made it very clear that Ottawa is not moving there, but when they put Sparta Cat in that outfit, they triggered something. And I said this to Claire earlier, and I said to you guys, you know,

we're always told that the logo is sacred, right? And the logo, it's, you know, but the crest on the front, not the name on the back. And they cover the logo when we go in that dressing room so we don't step on it. Well, they stepped on it themselves, and they stepped on it in a very big way by posting that photo. So, Bruce, is there any more to this as far as negotiations with the LeBreton Flats like it was there a is there a bigger message or picture that we're missing here or is it just strictly that they're

trying to expand the fan base into Quebec? Well you know when as you know Jamie like all those all their games along with Montreal package, the TSN has an RDS zone are showed needs from Canada. And I think the one thing that Sarah leader said yesterday and trying to explain all this is that, you know, Quebec is your second biggest television market. So there's a lot of eyes on you in Quebec living rooms when you're, when you're on the broadcast here, Jamie. So I think that what they're trying to do is maybe try and convince some people in Quebec City. When they go there, as Thomas Chabot said today,

when they go there, they're going to visit some schools. They're going to go sign autographs. They're going to, they might have a hockey clinic. They're going to spend four or five days there. Maybe just to get people who don't want to hold for the Montreal Canadians to maybe hold for Ottawa. As far as O'Brienton goes, I've spoken to both sides in the last 72 hours and both sides feel that even though this is taking a lot longer than Michael Anler wanted to take, it will get done and it might take until the end of 2025 for them to come to the point where the Senator

is actually on the land, but it is going to get done and I don't think that that negotiation is going to go off the rails, certainly in my discussions with people from the NCC and with people from the Senators. With Bruce Garriott of Post Media and TSN on the story that came out of Ottawa yesterday where the Sens are exploring the idea of playing maybe some regular season games in Quebec City and possibly taking advantage of that market. I find fascinating here, Bruce, is I've kind of lived this from the Quebec City side of things with the Buffalo Bills, where the Bills looked at Toronto and said, that's the market

we want. We're going to bring the Bills up here. What they did poorly was they made it so clear it was just about money and just about cash grabs and business. The Bills players hated it. Bills players would come up and complain. The media would come up and complain. And it went horribly and it was a disaster.

And I guess what I'm getting to is from, if I'm in Quebec City, I'm thinking, if the senators think they're just gonna waltz into town and here's my money and now I'm a fan, that's not gonna happen. In order for it to work is what you just said. They have to actually Embrace the market show up at the market go to the schools

You know really be a part of the fabric of society yet the flip side of that is I would get the impression That's what would sting the most if I'm a sense fan exactly They'll be like why aren't you coming to our school exactly so I don't know how they win this I guess is what I'm saying Bruce because you've got to fully commit to Quebec City But if you do that you're forget Sparty. That's really gonna that's gonna infuriate people in Ottawa Well, that's just it Brian and I think that's what what upset people here is that you know making roads in your own marketplace Don't I don't really think people have loved the fact that they've gone to Sweden, uh, you know, two times since, since I think 20, since 2017.

And I think that, that when, when Michael Ann Lauer said that yesterday, the people here and I thought, you know what, they should want to play 41 games in Ottawa, not, not, they shouldn't want to play any home games Anywhere else and I and all I think that has happened now is that they'll play their two preseason games in Quebec City and they might Play two preseason games in Quebec City in in two years from now But I think the chances of them ever playing a regular season game have completely gone out the window Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised with this reaction.

In terms of them getting back on the ice, Noodle said he's there Thursday calling a game and you look at the standings currently, they're in third place, the division. If the playoffs started tonight, and I know Tampa's got games in hand, but how would you describe the confidence of the fan base and people in Ottawa that this is for real finally and the Sens are going to do it and punch a playoff ticket? Well, I think people are excited. And Jamie's here enough, he knows people are excited about this team. They're excited that they're playing better defensively and that they're getting good goaltending and I would think at some point here maybe even

Thursday we might see Linus Almark play after having been out since December 22nd and you know getting him back will I would think will help I think the next discussion that has to be had with Linus Almark is whether he really should be going to the foreign nations face off, but I'm sure that, you know, I don't think he should, given what happened with Dominic Hasek in 2006 with Czechia in the Olympics,

but you know, I don't think they can stop a minor but the first and foremost they gotta get back in that year and they are thinking they need to do obviously starts forcing goals because that that that was the last issue about the doubt jamie and and they have an issue scoring goals well uh... again we'll see where they're at as of thursday and as we move forward but uh... you know it's it's certainly a good position to be a compared to the goals. Well, again, we'll see where they're at as of Thursday and as we move forward.

But you know, it's certainly a good position to be in compared to the past and Ottawa's in the playoff hunt at a minimum and it's going to be a fun stretch run. We appreciate the insight and the update as always, Bruce. Thank you for doing this. When I left the ring, Claire Hanna was trying to get an exclusive with L'Esparticat, but she couldn't find them and I said it's okay Claire, you can have them on question period Thursday night and you'd probably say more than I did any day.

There you go, perfect. She is on the case, Claire is the best, she will get to the bottom of this, we know it. Thank you Bruce. Good to talk to you guys. There's Bruce Garriott of Post Media and TSN.