Ottawa Senators collect hockey treasures to celebrate 25 years

Ottawa Senators fans are contributing more than 100 rare hockey items to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the team's modern entry into the National Hockey League in the 1992-93 season.

On Wednesday afternoon, Orleans resident Edward Aris dropped off a hockey stick he says was used in 1927 by his uncle Keith Pheasant in Edgeley, Sask.

"The Sens will be taking care of it better than I have. I've had it in the den for 20 years," Aris said. 

The nearly 90-year-old hockey stick was spared when his uncle's homestead near Regina was robbed, Aris said, and it has been appraised at about $1,000 in value. But putting the stick in the Senators exhibition is about a different kind of heritage.

"He represents those 99.9 per cent of people who never went to junior A or anything else," Aris said. "No, he was never professional, just a big farm boy who liked to play hockey like a lot of us in Canada."

There are also plenty of items unique to Ottawa — and Senators — history, including posters, certificates, and sweatshirts from the "Bring Back the Senators" campaign of the early 1990s.

The original Ottawa Senators franchise played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934.

The items will be curated and put on display at the Canadian Museum of History, in a travelling Senators exhibit, and at the Canadian Tire Centre from January to December of 2017.

"Hockey is Canada's game. We want to celebrate hockey," said Ingrid Meza-McDonald, a spokesperson for the Senators.

Still accepting donations

The team is still accepting donations or loans from fans, according to Meza-McDonald. All donated artifacts are handled by the City of Ottawa's archival staff, 

"We live in the nation's capital, the Ottawa Senators have such a strong hockey history. The birth of the Stanley Cup took place here...We're encouraging all Canadians to take part in the celebration."

Of course, the thought of the NHL's top trophy isn't far from the minds of fans contributing to the collection.

"1927 happened to be a year we [the Ottawa Senators] won a Stanley Cup," Aris said. "So it's kind of fitting that something like this goes on with the Senators."

The team will participate in a celebration of the Stanley Cup in early March, which is part of the events marking Canada's 150th birthday.

Meanwhile, fans will be crossing their fingers for another cup celebration at the end of the NHL playoffs in June.