The Ottawa Senators returned home after a five-game road trip Saturday, edging the Utah Mammoth 4-2.
But for several former revered Senators’ of yesteryear it was an evening to reminisce and swap stories.
Wade Redden, Mike Fisher and Craig Anderson representing Senators playoff teams from 1997, 2007, 2017 were on hand for a ceremonial puck-drop.
Milan Michalek rang the bell prior to the game.
Dean McCammond, Peter Schaefer, Chris Neil, Chris Phillips, Christoph Schubert participated in an autograph session.
The special weekend actually started Friday night in Peterborough where members of Senators Alumni, including Anderson and Fisher faced Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni in support of concussion education and youth awareness in the area.
The Senators defeated the Leafs 9-7 in the Battle of Ontario in which Anderson noted the game became “competitive” as it wore on.
Known more for his fists than his scoring, Neil netted a hat trick. Playing in his hometown, Fisher tallied a pair of goals against a Leafs squad comprised of Nik Antropov. Todd Gill, Gary Leeman, Steve Thomas, Darcy Tucker among others.
Craig Anderson juggling multiple jobs
For Ottawa’s all-time winningest goalie, it was Craig Anderson’s debut participating in a Senators Alumni game. In addition, it was also the first time the Parkland, FLA resident donned the pads since appearing in the Hockey Hall of Fame Charity Classic three years ago.
Like most former NHL goaltenders, Anderson’s preference has been to play defense when participating in local shinny outings.
“This is the first game that we’ve done anything with the Alumni, and they asked me if I wanted to play out or play goal, and I just feel like nobody remembers me as a defenseman, so I probably shouldn’t play as defenseman. But like I said, we’ll see how the body holds up,” said Anderson who spent 2011 to 2020 with the Senators.
The netminder started prepping for Friday’s game a month ago.
“I got my gear out and I went to like a lunchtime skate that I’ve kind of been a part of before as a skater. Just tried the gear on to make sure. I figured out all the elastic was all ruined and old, and so I had to replace some some you know just some odds and ends.”
Anderson who has no plans for a comeback, “The mind says yes. The body says no,” added, “But overall, it was a really good experience to get out there and do it. Well, just nice to be with some of these guys too, the camaraderie. I think that’s one of the main things that you miss. You miss coming to the rink and being around the guys and kind of the routine of having something to do and somebody to do it with. I think that’s a big part of of the game and being with your teammates.”
Now 45-years-old, Anderson is currently a full-time amateur scout for Buffalo preparing reports plus assisting Sabres goaltending prospects mainly with the East Coast League Orlando Solar Bears every two weeks, not to mention juggling minor baseball and high school coaching duties at home.
Mike Fisher Building a Future
Having participated in the December 2017 Senators Alumni game on Parliament Hill, Friday evening marked the second time Mike Fisher donned the centurion since his first of two retirement announcements with the Nashville Predators that August, stating, “I couldn’t turn down the offer to play, and obviously it was fun to see a lot of guys I hadn’t seen in a long time.”
Of the 3,000 hockey fans in attendance at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, 50 were friends and relatives of Fisher.
Residing outside Nashville, Fisher had skated only intermittently the past few years, but is now active in a weekly local group during the school year which includes former Senators d-man Andy Sutton.
Fisher and his wife, Carrie Underwood still keep ties to the area and own a residence north of Peterborough where they visit several times per year. The Senators’ 1998 44th overall Entry Draft selection has also kept in touch with several of his former Ottawa teammates, and was thrilled to them over the weekend.
“I’ve seen Reds and Philly and Neiler a little bit over the last few years, but some of the other guys that you don’t get to see McCammond and Schaefer and Van Allen, So yeah, it was awesome,” Fisher said in his not-so surprising fresh southern drawl.
“I mean we kind of grew up together. We were all kind of young, and for Reds, Philly, Neiler, and I, we kind of grew up, and had so many good memories, a lot of good teams, disappointments, and obviously the ’07 run, which was awesome and disappointing at the same time. But yeah, a lot of a lot of stories and laughs, and that was awesome.”
Fisher still holds a vivid memory of tipping Anton Volchenkov’s point shot tie Game 3 of the 2007 Stanley Cup Final at two, in the Senators only win of the series versus for the Anaheim Ducks.
“Anytime you get a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals, there’s just something different about about it. And just I mean, it’s hard to explain. You know, the difference between playoffs and or regular season to playoffs is awesome. Then you get to the Cup final. That’s like the other level, you see the aura in the building. Yeah, it’s just different, you know, just because of what’s on the line. That was a memorable goal for sure,” noted the 46-year-old.
But now away from the sport, Fisher has his hands full living on a farm property,“running kids around,” sons, Isaiah (11) , Jacob (7) and “doing things” his local church.
Faith has always been a huge part of Fisher’s life. He’s spent time serving at Hockey Ministries International, and he’s currently involved in a major construction project close to his heart.
“I’m actually building out a retreat center right now for the ministry on a farm about 20 minutes from our house. So it’s kind of taking up some time. It’s kind of like a Christian dude ranch. It’s going to have men’s, women’s and marriage retreats and family camps in the summer. So that’s kind of a fun project I’m working on right now,” Fisher explained.
“I don’t know exactly my full involvement at this point, other than you know, be on the Board and facilitate. I’ve been doing retreats like this for the last four years in Montana, and I wanted a place to be able to do it close to our home, because of the impact it’s had on my life and my faith, and I want to continue to do that for other people.”
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