Senators alumni game set for Parliament Hill

STOCKHOLM • The Ottawa Senators are planning a big weekend around next month’s outdoor game against the Montreal Canadiens.

With the construction of an outdoor rink on Parliament Hill nearing completion, there will be no shortage of activities centred around the NHL 100 Classic. That game will take place Dec. 16 at Lansdowne Park — the home of the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks — between the Senators and Canadiens.

As part of a planned weekend celebration of hockey, the Senators will hold an alumni game. League sources say the concept they’re working on at the moment would see Team Alfie (led by former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson) versus Team Phillips (ex-Senators defenceman Chris Phillips).

Though all the details haven’t been finalized, ideally Alfredsson, the most prolific player in franchise history who had his No. 11 retired on Dec. 29, 2016, would lead one alumni team, while Phillips, who holds the record for the most games in the club’s history with 1,179, would head up the other.

Alfredsson would only confirm Wednesday in Stockholm — where the Senators are to play the Colorado Avalanche in a pair of NHL games Friday and Saturday — that he will play a role.

“I don’t know if it’s been finalized. I talked to some of the organizers about being a part of it. I think it will be a great event to play an outdoor game at Parliament Hill. It would be great to see a lot of the old teammates and just a fabulous event,” said Alfredsson.

There will be no admission for the alumni game, which will be held Dec. 15 on Parliament Hill.

With the outdoor game between the Sens and Habs a virtual sellout already, the Senators plan to set up a big screen on the Hill so fans can go up there and watch the game with their families.

Not only will fans be able to watch the game, they’ll also have the chance to lace up their skates and go for a twirl on the rink there.

The day after the game, the rink will be open for the club’s annual skating party. It will also be free to the public.

While the Senators were rebuffed in their efforts to get the outdoor game played on Parliament Hill, if these other activities get the green light, then it gives the Senators the ability to still include the Hill as part of the weekend festivities. East all-stars in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada and CFL head coaches are offensive linemen Chris Van Zeyl and Sean McEwen and defensive linemen Dylan Wynn, Cleyon Laing and Victor Butler.

Leading a group of 14 Canadians named division all-stars is Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris. A Winnipeg product, the 30-year-old had a season for the ages, leading the league in rushing with 1,035 yards and receptions with 105, the most ever by a run- ning back in the CFL in a single season.

Other Canadians who made the cut include offensive linemen Brendon LaBatte (Saskatchewan) and Matt O’Donnell (Edmonton), linebacker Alex Singleton (Calgary), safety Taylor Loffler (Winnipeg) and kicker Rene Paredes (Calgary) in the West and receiver Brad Sinopoli (Ottawa), offensive linemen Van Zeyl and McEwen (Toronto), Alex Mateas and Jason Lauzon-Séguin (Ottawa), Ryan Bomben (Hamilton), defensive tackle Laing (Toronto) and safety Antoine Pruneau (Ottawa).

Hamilton’s Sergio Castillo, who was injured for the remainder of the season in early October, still was named the East all-star kicker.