Wade Redden, from Senator to statesman
Wade Redden watches with more than passing curiosity the plight of these Ottawa Senators.
Redden spent 11 seasons in the nation’s capital, helping the Sens to a Presidents’ Trophy in 2003 and the Stanley Cup final in 2007.
“For sure I’d like to see them do well,” says Redden, now retired to Kelowna.
While Redden was in his prime, the Senators were, too. But the team is struggling mightily today. Redden said it seems like the club is suffering psychologically.
He compared it to the Colorado Avalanche. Heading into a Saturday game against the New York Rangers, the Avs had won eight straight and are 17-7 at home.
Not bad for a team that finished last in 2017. While Colorado has a new coach and its roster has evolved, it could be they’re just more confident, Redden says.
“If it gets going the other way,” said Redden, 40, “it can snowball on you, too.”
That’s where you’ll find the Sens, buried under 18 feet of losses.
Personnel is relatively unchanged from last year’s squad that came within an overtime loss of the Stanley Cup final. But the results have not been the same.
The Senators (15-18-9) were third worst in the NHL heading into Friday’s games.
Ottawa’s attendance is suffering, too. An average of 16,169 fans attend Senators’ games, leaving Canadian Tire Centre only about 89 per cent full. That’s a far cry from when the Sens challenged Anaheim for the Cup in 2007.
That year, Ottawa was the best in the NHL, selling out every night and jamming the rafters to 104 per cent capacity.
It’s gotten to a point where owner Eugene Melnyk has threatened to move the team if Ottawa can’t secure a new, downtown arena.
So what’s ailing the franchise?
“It just seems disorganized in a lot of ways,” Redden said.
“I think they just need a better connection with the community.” Maybe they want a guy like Redden. The Nashville Predators seem to think he can help, hiring Redden as assistant director of player development this summer.
Redden travels from Kelowna to meet with Nashville’s prospects, offering advice about onice and off-ice strategies.
He landed the job thanks to a friendship with Nashville’s director of player development, Scott Nicholl.
“It’s been kind of a blessing,” said Redden, who has three young children at home. “I’m enjoying the process of it.” He still gets on the ice, occasionally. With Kelowna a hotbed of retired NHLers, Redden can often be found Thursday nights skating with ex-pros in town.
A few of them are gathering Feb. 17 to play in a charity game for the
Central Okanagan Hospice Association against the Montreal Canadiens alumni.
Redden will skate alongside Brent Gilchrist (Montreal, Detroit, Dallas), Cory Cross (Tampa, Edmonton), Tyler Bouck (Vancouver) and Quintin Laing (Washington).
“It’s a good cause. It’s a well-worthy cause,” Redden said.
On the net: hospicecoha.org