The Ottawa Senators have some extra passengers along for the ride this week.
As the Senators packed their bags for a two-game trip that begins on Thursday night against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden, 16 of the club’s players will have their fathers and mentors with them.
The trip — which included the players’ mothers every second year — has become an annual part of the schedule and everybody enjoys the opportunity to spend time together.
The father’s room with their sons on the road, so there is a good chance to spend time together.
“It’s awesome. It’s really special for the whole group,” centre Tim Stutzle said following the club’s skate on Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre. “A lot of the dads are here and, for me, I’m excited to see all the dads, too.
“I keep in touch with a couple of them and they love hockey as much as we do. It’s awesome to have that support.”
Stutzle’s father, Martin, made the long trek here from Germany to spend time with the group. Drake Batherson’s father, Norm, is here from Halifax, and Tyler Kleven’s dad, Chris, is back for another year.
Captain Brady Tkachuk, who still has a cast on his hand after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb, will accompany the club on the trip. His father, Keith, is overseas scouting for the St. Louis Blues, so Tkachuk’s father-in-law, Tony Farinacci, was invited instead.
Shane Pinto’s dad, Frank, is among the group, along with Ridly Greig’s father, Mark — who iss a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, so his allegiances might be a little torn on Saturday afternoon in the City of Brotherly Love.
“I’m hoping for a tie,” Mark said with a laugh as he headed for his seat in the stands before the skate.
Claude Giroux’s dad, Raymond, was at practice with his grandson Gavin and noted he’s fortunate to get to see every home game. It will be nice for Raymond to return to Philadelphia, a place where Claude is a former Flyers captain and suited up for 1,000 games in his career.
This is an opportunity for the dads/mentors to see how players go through their day-to-day lives in the National Hockey League. Coach Travis Green likely will invite them into the pre-game meetings in the morning in Boston to give them a taste of the club’s approach.
There will be a team dinner on Wednesday night when they arrive in Beantown and Friday is expected to be an day off, so there likely will be an off-ice activity. If the Senators do skate in Philly, then maybe they’ll head somewhere after practice to be together.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark invited his old goalie coach from high school, Magnus Helin, from Sweden, to be part of this trip, and he was thrilled when he got the invite.
“When I called him, he got really dumbfounded, like I caught him almost going to bed, so he was questioning if that was a dream or not,” Ullmark said. “So it was really nice. I’m fortunate that he had the opportunity to come here.
“It’s tough making these trips (overseas), but it’s letting him see my life and he’s been working in hockey as well. We’re still working in hockey, but at a different level. I’m very fortunate and blessed to have him in my life.”
The core of this group has spent a considerable amount of time together, allowing the parents to get to know each other over the years. Stutzle noted Martin doesn’t speak a lot of English, but they all find a way to communicate.
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“It’s nice to have them around and spend time with them because we don’t always have the opportunity to do that,” Stutzle said.
So, who is the captain of the dad’s team?
“That’s tough. I can only speak for my dad — he doesn’t really speak English — so Norm (Batherson) has been taking good care of him and acting as a translator,” Stutzle said. “I know that (Thomas Chabot’s) dad, Frankie, has been awesome as well by using Google Translate.”
Norm Batherson had a lengthy hockey career overseas and played in Germany, which is why he’s able to helpful to Martin Stutzle.
“They have fun together,” Stutzle said. “They take good care of each other. Some guys don’t speak as well in English, but they find a way. I think my dad is getting better at understanding it, but he doesn’t really speak it.”
There was a little bit of concern in practice on Wednesday when top defenceman Jake Sanderson had to be helped off the ice after a drill. He went to the dressing room for five minutes, but took part in the rest of the skate.