Get Ready Everyone: Netflix Set to Release “The Ottawa Senators Legacy: A Journey Through Team and Bands”
By Cassandra Alston | Sports & Culture Weekly
In a move that’s turning as many heads in the locker room as it is in the living room, Netflix has announced an original documentary unlike any other in sports history: The Ottawa Senators Legacy: A Journey Through Team and Bands. Part sports chronicle, part musical odyssey, this six-part docuseries promises a genre-bending deep dive into the heart of hockey, rock and roll, and everything in between.
At the intersection of slapshots and soundchecks, this series traces the iconic yet often underrated history of the Ottawa Senators—Canada’s tenacious NHL franchise—with a rhythmic twist: the story is told not only through archival footage and on-ice drama, but also through the parallel rise of local music scenes that followed, supported, and were inspired by the team over the decades.
From Ice to Amp: An Unconventional Angle
Created by award-winning documentarian Caleb Monroe (Blades & Beats, Electric Rivalries), the series doesn’t just rehash the Senators’ victories, heartbreaks, and comebacks. Instead, it peels back the surface to reveal how a hockey team became the heartbeat of a city—and how that heartbeat reverberated through the underground punk clubs of Hintonburg, the jazz basements of ByWard Market, and eventually the festival stages of Bluesfest.
“I didn’t want to make just another sports documentary,” Monroe said at the Toronto advance screening. “I wanted to make a living story, one that sounded like Ottawa at night, on game day, when the city breathes together—whether you’re wearing a jersey or tuning your guitar backstage.”
Episode One: The Rebirth (1992 – 1997)
The premiere episode sets the stage in 1992, when the Senators were re-established after a 58-year absence. The city’s mood was electric. Vintage sweaters were flying off shelves, and kids named their pet goldfish after Alexei Yashin. Simultaneously, grunge and garage rock were erupting in small downtown venues. Viewers meet The Northern Misconducts, a then-unknown band that performed every Thursday night at Zaphod Beeblebrox, offering free tickets to Sens games with every demo sold. The group’s bassist, who later toured with Arcade Fire, recalls learning the Senators had drafted Radek Bonk while tuning his bass on stage.
Episode Two: The Alfie Era and Indie Ascension
Fans call it the “Golden Shift” period: Daniel Alfredsson becomes captain, and the team begins to find its footing in the NHL. At the same time, Ottawa’s indie music scene flourishes. The documentary draws connections between the team’s underdog spirit and the rise of bands like Cold Capital and Rideau Riot. One memorable scene captures Alfie walking into an after-hours open mic at Café Dekcuf after clinching a playoff berth, where he joined a blues trio for a rendition of “Born to Run.” Did he sing? Sources are conflicting, but the footage of him tapping his skates to the rhythm is undeniable.
Episode Three: 2007 — The Year the City Roared
The Senators’ 2006-07 run to the Stanley Cup Final gets the spotlight in the third episode. The city was united, pubs overflowed with energy, and impromptu street concerts erupted downtown after every playoff win. The filmmakers unearthed rare camcorder footage of spontaneous jam sessions outside Scotiabank Place—musicians lugging amps into trucks, covering “Seven Nation Army” for crowds of hundreds.
The episode also explores how local hip-hop group Capital Flow wrote an unofficial team anthem, “Senate Floor,” that garnered millions of streams before Spotify was even a household name. “We weren’t just repping a team,” says lead MC Tyrone Luv, “we were repping a culture. That year, everyone in Ottawa was wearing red—and carrying a mic.”
Episode Four: Lockouts, Rebuilds, and Band Breakups
Not all chapters are celebratory. This episode deals with the 2010s—the turbulent years of lockouts, roster shuffles, and missed playoffs. The parallel? Band breakups, label disputes, and the closure of beloved music venues. Viewers feel the gut-punch of watching the team trade beloved players in the same breath that iconic venues like Babylon Nightclub shut their doors. Yet, as always, resilience underpins the story. From new rosters and young prospects to fresh acts recording EPs in basement studios, hope simmers just beneath the surface.
Episode Five: The Pandemic Pause and Virtual Revival
When COVID-19 shut down sports arenas and live music alike, Ottawa’s spirit was tested like never before. This chapter dives into the raw, emotional reality of isolation, resilience, and adaptation. Senators players streamed NHL 21 with fans while up-and-coming musicians like the synth-pop duo Gatineau Pulse hosted virtual concerts on Twitch, often featuring hockey trivia in their intermissions. The synergy between sports and music was never clearer than during the city’s “Stay Home Concert Series,” which raised thousands for frontline workers—organized jointly by the Sens Foundation and local record label Renegade Press.
Episode Six: The Renaissance — 2024 and Beyond
The final episode brings us to the present. With a young, electric core led by Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle, and a re-energized fanbase hungry for glory, the Senators are once again a team to watch. So is the music. Ottawa’s art scene is experiencing a full-blown renaissance, with crossovers like punk guitarist-turned-arena DJ Kayla Wren now playing pregame sets at Canadian Tire Centre.
The series ends with a stunning rooftop performance by an all-star Ottawa music collective—some of whom appeared as teenagers in episode one—backed by a massive chorus of Senators fans singing along, their jerseys as colorful as the city’s sound.
What the Critics Are Saying
Early reviews of The Ottawa Senators Legacy: A Journey Through Team and Bands are overwhelmingly positive. Variety called it “the most heartfelt collision of sport and sound since High School Musical: The Rink Edition.” The Ottawa Citizen praised its “deep love for the city and its ability to connect emotion through two of its most powerful communities.”
Even the NHL got in on the buzz, tweeting: “This is not just a docuseries. This is a love letter to the fans.”
Coming Soon
The full series drops globally on Netflix this Friday. Whether you’re a diehard Sens fan, a gig-going music junkie, or simply a sucker for stories about passion and perseverance, this is one ride you won’t want to miss.
As the trailer’s voiceover says, “This is more than just a game. This is more than just a song. This… is Ottawa.”
Let me know if you’d like a mock trailer script or character profiles to go with it!