Sens the Eagle

Lore & Background

The Ottawa Senators' eagle mascot emerged from the franchise's desire to give fans a tangible, playful counterpoint to the dignified senator portrait on the team's crest. Where the logo speaks of legacy and governance, the eagle speaks of speed, aggression, and the raw competitive fire that defines a hockey team at full tilt. Over the years, the character has become a staple of pre-game warmups, intermission shows, and post-game celebrations, often interacting with young fans in the lower bowl or leading the crowd in chants.

Ottawa's deep-rooted hockey culture gives the eagle a particular resonance. In a city that endured decades without an NHL team before the Senators' return in 1992, every element of the game-day experience carries emotional weight. The eagle is not merely entertainment; it is a reminder that the city reclaimed its place in the league, and that the rivalry with the Maple Leafs, the rivalry with the Canadiens, and the long wait for a Stanley Cup title—all of it—was worth it. The 2007 championship run, in particular, cemented a new era of optimism, and the eagle was front and centre in those celebrations.

Like all NHL mascots, the eagle's role evolves with the times: social media clips, community outreach at local schools, and charity events extend its presence far beyond the arena. Yet the core ritual remains unchanged. When the eagle takes the ice, the crowd rises, and for a few minutes the building belongs entirely to the fans.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with that particular Ottawa electricity—the kind that builds in the lower minutes before puck drop, when the crowd noise swells past a threshold and the ice surface gleams under the floodlights. Skates carve fresh lines in the white. A puck sits centre ice, waiting. And then, through the tunnel, a flash of red and white feathers. The eagle lands on the boards with a thud that travels up through the concrete, and the lower bowl erupts. A kid in a Senators jersey tugs at her father's sleeve, pointing. The eagle winks, spreads its wings wide enough to shadow three rows of seats, and skates—awkward, glorious, thunderous—across the blue line. Somewhere in the stands, a drum circle kicks in. The anthem swells. The eagle plants its talons at centre ice and roars, and for one breathless moment, the whole city is one bird, one heartbeat, one team.

Reader's Guide

Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa is a modern NHL arena whose bowl design keeps fans close to the ice, amplifying the roar that makes home games feel like a physical force. The lower-level seating wraps tightly around the rink, and the eagle typically works the boards in the corners nearest the family sections, where children can reach out and high-five the talons.

Rituals are simple but sacred. Before the national anthem, the eagle does a quick strut along the near boards, hyping the crowd. During intermission, the character leads a group cheer that has become a local signature—fans stomp the concrete floor in unison while the eagle bobs and claps. After a Senators goal, the eagle often skates to the nearest section of fans and lets them pat the head feathers, a small tradition that has persisted for years.

The team weaves into Ottawa's identity beyond the arena. Community days bring the eagle to local schools, hospitals, and the ByWard Market, where the red-and-white feathers become a familiar sight in the summer heat. The franchise's return to the NHL in 1992 ended a long drought, and the eagle became a living emblem of that redemption—proof that Ottawa's hockey heart never actually stopped beating, it was only waiting for wings.

Did You Know?

• The Ottawa Senators' modern NHL franchise was established in 1992, ending a long absence of a top-flight team in the capital.
• The Senators captured the Stanley Cup in 2007, a title that remains the defining moment of the modern franchise era.
• The arena has carried several corporate names over the years, including Corel Centre and Scotiabank Place, before becoming Canadian Tire Centre.
• Ottawa's rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens is among the most storied in Canadian hockey, and the eagle mascot is a regular presence in those heated matchups.