Lehner makes bold statement on Ottawa’s new lows in attendance

The Chicago Blackhawks were in Ottawa last night where they managed to beat the Senators 3-2 in overtime. 

Goalie Robin Lehner was given the start against his former team and was solid in net, stopping 20 shots. 

It did not stop him from noticing that things have drastically change since he left Ottawa. Lehner last played for the Senators in the 2014-15 season, after which he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in the summer. 

Lehner commented on the new lows in attendance in his post-game comments and mentioned how sad he made him to see the state of the game in Ottawa. 

“When I played here it was packed buildings all the time and a great atmosphere. It was just kind of sad to see what it is right now.”

The Senators have been dealing with many attendance issues, especially since owner Eugene Melnyk has messed things up with a new arena, a rumoured desire to sell the team and the unwillingness to sign top players to hefty contracts. 

Last week, the Senators did address the problem by hiring a new CEO to run the business side of the hockey club. Jim Little was chosen to handle the overall business strategy of the organization, with a special focus on marketing and strengthening community relations.