By Shane McNeil
Life keeps getting better for the Ottawa 67’s.
While the lights seem to have gone out on this year’s NHL season, the spotlight couldn’t be shining any brighter on Ottawa’s junior team. The potential loss of an NHL season means that rabid fans nationwide will be looking to another source for their hockey fix. In many cases this means more focus on junior hockey.
Enter the 67’s.
The team has drawn crowds upwards of 70 per cent of the arena’s capacity on a regular basis, and now they stand to benefit even more by being the major game in town.
“It’s nice to be the big show in Ottawa,” says 67’s forward Pete Tsimikalis. “Not only is this good hockey, but it’s a show. There’s so much going on at our games that it really draws people in.”
However the team’s president downplays the impact of the lockout.
“I’m not convinced the effects will be very dramatic,” said team President and CEO Pat Whalen. “It’s really two different demographics, we see ourselves as more family-oriented, so our competition is less with the Senators and more with museums and other family oriented activities”.
Still, the numbers are rising whether the team’s brass wants to admit it or not. Attendance for the team’s final pre-season game against the Kingston Frontenacs was a very respectable 7,229.
That eclipsed totals from some of last year’s regular season tilts in October and stood a full thousand more than the previous week’s game against the Belleville Bulls.
Local media have also reported their phones are ringing off the hook with ticket requests.
The fans, for their part, seem content with the 67’s as their best option for hockey. Many have already made the jump to watch the junior game.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people since the lockout started and they’re ready to come over here (to the 67’s games) with me and watch the games. They don’t want to lose their hockey,” says fan Benjamin Lee. “I love the NHL, but this is good hockey and I’ll happily keep coming here.”
The players are also reaping the benefits of the work stoppage on many levels.
“We’ve always been pretty big in the community, but I think with more attention on us we’ll just be able to do more and more,” says 67’s defender and Senators draft pick Will Colbert.
Also, many NHL players and prospects are now using the ice at the Civic Centre to keep themselves in game shape. Players in the Senators organization like Jason Spezza and Ray Emery have already started scrimmaging on the ice with other NHLers.
Players like Pete Tsimikalis have been able to learn from watching the pros flaunt their skills up close. “Having more pro guys around practicing and skating definitely helps us out,” Tsimikalis says.
But if the players and the front office can agree on one thing, a prolonged work stoppage is not good for anyone.
“Obviously everyone wants this sorted out as soon as possible so both sides are happy, but they have to come to an agreement soon or they’re going to lose a lot of fans, especially in the States and the southern States,” says Colbert. “People don’t care about hockey as much as we think they do, so they need to get this done pretty soon.”
Whalen echoes this sentiment.
He says he wants to see a resolution despite the monopoly the team now has on prime hockey in Ottawa. “We always feel that the Senators are good for us and we’re good for them. But anything that hurts the game hurts everyone involved,” he says.
Meanwhile, some fans say they are happy just to wait until a productive agreement is reached.
“You’re going to see increased attendance and the popularity of junior hockey is going to come back and I’m happy about it,” says fan David O’Connor. “I’m glad the NHL has this situation as a problem, because hopefully they’ll rectify it and bring everything back to reality.”
The puck drops for the 67’s home opener Oct. 1 against the Sudbury Wolves.
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