Tkachuk, Sanderson and Pinto eager to play for Team USA at world championship ... Stutzle will pass on playing for Germany ... Is a new arena `district' in the works?
Some Ottawa Senators have opted to dig for gold this spring.
As they gathered for one final time Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre, at least four members of the Senators will extend their season by heading overseas next month to suit up the 2024 IIHF world hockey championship being held in Ostrava and Prague.
The Senators will be well represented on the United States roster with captain Brady Tkachuk, defenceman Jake Sanderson and centre Shane Pinto all headed overseas to suit up for their country.
Tkachuk has never played in this tourney before, but general manager Bill Guerin will be in charge of the selections for the 2026 Winter Olympics being held in Italy and he's been pressing to American players that if they want to suit up at the Games then the world championship is a chance to impress.
“I'm going to the worlds. I really didn't want to touch on it during the season because I wanted to focus on playing and finishing off hard,” Tkachuk said. “I made a commitment to go there. We haven't won gold (in a long time).
“To be able to play in May, and start learning how to handle the big games in May is something that's important to me. I'm excited to represent my country.”
Pinto, 23, wanted the opportunity to extend his season.
He missed the first 41 games because he was suspended for breaking the league's gambling rules. This is a chance to play. some more hockey, make up for some lost time and suit up for his country.
A restricted free agent, he doesn't have a contract for next year, but confirmed Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, has held talks with his New York-based agent Lewis Gross to try to get a new contract in place.
Postmedia has reported the two sides are working on a five-or-six year deal.
“I want to be here. I love the boys, I love the community and the organization so that's between the agent and the organization. I'll see what happens,” Pinto said. “It's tough. You've just got to find a middle ground. Hopefully in the near future we figure something out.”
If Pinto doesn't have a deal signed then he'll get insurance so he can play for Team USA. He's got lots of gas left in his tank.
“That's what I'm going to do, I definitely want to go to the worlds,” he said. “It's good opportunity for me to just play more games since I only played 41 and that's the plan.”
Winger Dominik Kubalik, an unrestricted free agent who isn't expected to return next season, is expected to suit up for Czechia.
Centre Tim Stutzle was invited to play for Germany, but he'll take a pass. He was dealing with a lingering wrist issue during the season and then had a shoulder ailment that forced him to miss the final seven games.
“I got hit in Game 4 and that hurt my wrist, but I had (Claude Giroux) so he was able to take the faceoffs,” Stutzle said with a smile.
“It's been really frustrating, but when your hands and brains are going, but your body doesn't do the things you want that's really frustrating.”
NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE
The National Capital Commission updated its talks with the Senators on a new arena at Lebreton Flats during its board of directors meeting Thursday.
It was interesting to hear Tobi Nussbaum suggest that there will be room for the Senators to build a district around the arena like the one that surrounds Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton.
“They've been very clear with us that their vision is for an arena district,” said Nussbaum, the CEO of the NCC. “We have set a fairly significant parcel of land aside in the (memorandum of understanding) for them to construct the buildings they want from a blank slate.
“I've said in the past that we have some flexibility from the initial parcel that was subject to the MOU in 2022 to build on is another reason why twice in the last decade they've focused on this site.”
The NCC is going to ignore the noise surrounding other sites and is focused on getting pen-to-paper with the Senators.
Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe has continued to suggest there are options downtown for the Senators to play that would help revitalize the core..
Along with suggesting that the possibility exists some vacant government buildings could come down, Sutcliffe mentioned several options for the Senators. One of the top contenders is Bayview Yards, which is located just west of Lebreton Flats and north of Scott Street.
The site is approximately 13.5 acres, which is close to double the size of Lebreton Flats. It's well served by light-rail transit from the east and west, plus it's a transfer station from the south.
Sutcliffe has suggested two other areas of town — including the
RCGT baseball stadium and a site near Hurdman Station.
Nussbaum noted the negotiations with the Senators are ongoing after new owner Michael Andlauer was granted a one-year extension to Sept. 2024 to get a lease agreement in place at Lebreton.
“The decision as to where to build an arena is up to the Senators,” Nussbaum said. “It's their arena and it's their decision on where they want to go. You really have to start from that point.
“Now, from the NCC'S perspective, we've had two processes over the last 10 years where the team has indicated a very strong interest in siting an arena at Lebreton Flats. My sense, from many discussions with the both the previous and current ownership group, is that they're focused on that site for a number of really important reasons.”
Bi-weekly meetings between representatives of the Senators and those negotiating on behalf of the NCC have continued since
Andlauer purchased the club midseptember.
That hasn't stopped the Senators from looking at other options while trying to get a deal in place with the NCC. That just makes good business sense.