Dave Gross

Here we are in the heart of winter (ugh) and the heart of the NHL season (yippee). Wondering what the heck the rest of the season holds for Canada’s clubs? Us too. Fill your boots (alphabetical order of course). CALGARY FLAMES If you’re unsure of what to make of the Flames this [...]

PHOTO: Courtesy CBC It can take a lot of time to end up on the wrong end of wrath in Ottawa. As far as Canadian National Hockey League franchises go, Ottawa is well up there in the ‘most forgiving’ class. The fan base and - to a large extent the media – will give you a whole lot [...]

Before launching myself into this week’s venture, I was thinking man-oh-man all these mid-season rankings, ratings and grading of teams and players populating sports websites are a bit excessive. Even lame. Then I thought – maybe, just maybe Dave the good old hockey fan out there enjoys [...]

A few weeks ago, this corner was discussing the ol’ eye test. And the ol’ eye was relaying to this corner that the Ottawa Senators really, couldn’t be, absolutely cannot be . . . this godawful. C’mon people – you watch the games too, right? Was there any period of time [...]

We like to hop on with a cross-Canada check-up every now and then, and with the new year on the horizon, what better time to hit the ‘now and then’ button. Overall? Not too many surprises so far, especially with the season rounding into experienced form. There are troubled waters in certain [...]

PHOTO: Courtesy USA Today So Andrew Hammond retires. Is he not, then, the Paul Henderson of Ottawa Senator lore – noted for a moment in hockey history rather than something lengthier? Ponder this, as incredible as Henderson’s moment was (and it was hall of fame stuff, people), how [...]

As the late, great Omar Little (played by the late, great Michael K. Williams) would say: “It’s all in the game, yo.” The outstanding character from the outstanding crime-political-drama The Wire likely never watched a hockey game, but his words ring kinda’ true here. If you’re [...]

This is why the much-talked-about U.S. Thanksgiving model makes so much sense in the National Hockey League. The Ottawa Senators sport a 4-2 record in – roughly – the last two weeks. Good record. Roughly (again) two weeks ago they were 10 points out of a playoff spot. After going [...]

Safe to say there are enough tasty, juicy bits in Canada’s east to fill up a large platter. Tantalizing storylines from Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto? As we roll past the quarter-mark of the National Hockey League season, the answer would be yes. So let’s delve in and see exactly what’s [...]

Pierre Dorion meet Victor Frankenstein. Actually . . . just look in the mirror. Like the fictional doctor, Pierre has tried his best to build the perfect entity, selecting the optimal ‘parts’ and stitching them together, hoping it all works out. Similar outcomes, eh? What started [...]