Posted by Shean Donovan on October 26, 2007

After being off for six days, we're all anxious to get playing again tomorrow night in New Jersey. But the coaches have done a good job making sure we were ready. Sometimes, it's hard to figure out what to do when you have that much time off. But we had our retreat to the Muskokas, had some fun, played a little golf, did some fishing, some shooting ... it was fun. You've got to take advantage of these times when they come along during the season. A lot of these guys went to the Cup final last season, so it's probably a good thing because they get a little of the rest that they didn't get in the summer.

I thought the retreat was great, it was fun. We had great weather, that was unbelievable. You just get to hang out with the guys. If we weren't playing, we would have been practising six straight days, so it was nice to break it up, do something a little different and get out of that same old routine.

We're the first opponent for the Devils in their new arena (the Prudential Center), so I'm sure it'll be pretty exciting tomorrow. It's just the same as when you play on the road, and it's somebody else's home opener. It's the same thing. In the end, it's all about whoever is going to get two points at the end of the game. But it's pretty cool, you get to open up a new building. I'm sure they'll have something in the pre-game ceremony about them winning the three Cups and bringing the banners over (from Continental Airlines Arena). Who knows what they're going to do. I think guys here are old enough and hungry enough to handle it. It's pretty cool and fun to be a part of, and maybe you have a chance to be the first guy to score in the new rink.

Everybody knows we're probably in for a wait because of the pre-game ceremony. Before the game, we'll talk about it and I'm sure the coaches will get us ready and tell everybody that it's going to be a half an hour wait or so. You just deal with it. Obviously, everybody would like to go through their usual routine, but it's going to be the same for the Devils, too. You just relax and when it's time to play the game, you play the game.

Posted by Shean Donovan on October 19, 2007

After opening our season with a lot of games, the schedule is about to really slow down for us. You'd rather have this happen at the end of the season than now, when we're just getting started. We're always excited to play, but the coaches have done a good job of skating us and making sure we're ready for the games. If you sit around and don't play for awhile, sometimes your mind's not there and your legs aren't there for the game. But the coaches have done a good job making sure we know how important it is and that we're ready for it.

We're going off on a three-day retreat to the Muskokas after the game Saturday against Florida. I've never been on a team where we've actually done one. I was thinking about that the other day and I'm excited to do it. If you've got time like we have, it's nice to get the guys together and do some fun things. During the season, when the schedule's busy and we don't have many days off, there'll be some things from the retreat that we can laugh about and fall back on. It's going to be fun. If we get a big win against Florida, it'll be even more fun.

It was awesome seeing Nick Foligno score his first NHL goal on Thursday night. Everybody was happy for him. Obviously, we knew it was just a matter of time before he got one and he's going to get many more. Then he did the Foligno hop when he was done, and the guys were all proud of him.

I can't even remember what I did when I scored my first NHL goal. I know I was excited and I wanted to get on the phone and call everyone. I got mine against Ed Belfour when he was with the Blackhawks and I was in San Jose. It was a terrible goal, it went off about three sets of legs. But it counted and I was excited and I kept the puck. I'd played a few games in the league already, but you just keep working hard to score that first goal. When somebody says something to you about scoring your first goal, you always remember it.

Posted by Shean Donovan on October 12, 2007

It's been a busy stretch for us so far, but it's good. It's early in the season, everyone's in shape and you're excited to play some games. We've played six games now and the team's coming together and doing good things and working hard. It's been fun.

Some people talked about how hard it must have been to play in Atlanta one night, then back home the next. But I think you learn as you get older and experienced. You kind of depend on a lot of things. You get young guys with youthful energy, and it doesn't matter to them that it's back to back. But as far as being hard, we're pretty lucky, we get to travel in a nice plane and they take care of us. Randy Lee makes sure we eat the right things, and the coaches make sure we're at ease. Maybe it was more of an issue back in the day when you had to fly commercial and wait in line here and there. But the way it is now, it shouldn't be too much of a distraction.

You're never happy with a loss and I don't think we were happy with the way we played against Carolina (on Thursday night). But the thing is, we play again in two nights. We play tomorrow against the Rangers and that's the big thing. It's good to have just one day rest. You don't have much time to think about it. The coaches will show us the video, show us the stuff we did bad and stuff we need to do to win tomorrow night.

Madison Square Garden is always a special place to play. Lots of the old barns around the league are gone now. The old Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium, the older ones that were cool and fun to play in and had lots of tradition. They're gone now. When you get to play in a place like MSG, there's lots of history. You walk in and there's pictures of all kinds of acts that have been in there. It's pretty exciting to go there and obviously New York City is fun to visit and just go see.

Posted by Shean Donovan on October 5, 2007

Finally, we're into the regular season, and it was exciting just getting to play two games that counted in the standings. We got to play the Battle of Ontario right away, and that was pretty awesome. It's just exciting to play in a regular-season game. Training camp was good, we worked hard and things worked out. But everything's for the regular season. You work hard for the regular season and the playoffs.

This was my first experience playing in the Battle of Ontario. There's lots of energy in the building. It's the same kind of thing as the Battle of Alberta, which I was a part of when I played in Calgary. It's two provincial rivals hating each other. It's a little bit different, too. When you go to Calgary, there's not too many Edmonton jerseys. And when you go to Edmonton, there's not too many Calgary jerseys. It isn't quite like that here. The Senators are a little newer, but every year the Senators fans are starting to outnumber the base of Maple Leafs jerseys in the stands. Thursday night was nice. There weren't as many Maple Leaf jerseys as I expected.

It was awesome seeing them raise the Eastern Conference championship banner before our home opener. It was a big tribute to the guys from last year. I watched them play and saw how hard they worked and came together. That skilled bunch came together and played unbelievable hockey. When you see that go up, it gives us all an idea of what we accomplish this year, and maybe one more banner we can earn.

To come out with two wins against the Leafs to start the season is a big thing. But I think we know we can play better. It's a long season and we just want to get better and better. We'll get a big test from the Rangers and Devils this weekend.

That's it for now. Oh, one last thing. About me dating Shania Twain ... just kidding!

Thanks again for all your comments. I enjoy reading them all.

Posted by Shean Donovan on September 29, 2007

Thanks for all the great comments. I enjoyed them all.

Well, this week has been exciting, getting the chance to play in three exhibition games. Unfortunately, the big news or event of the week was the hit on Dean McAmmond. I was on the ice for the unfortunate incident, but at the time of the hit I was driving to the net and didn't get to see the actual hit until after the period in the locker room. Even when there was a huge pileup in the corner, I was one of the last to arrive and didn't see Dean until a few moments later because everybody was on him.

The next day after the hit I called Dean, actually thinking I was going to get his wife Karla. But instead, Dean answered the phone kind of matter of factly. I don't think everyone can be that tough and wake up from a hit like that, the next day answering the phone. I know all the guys can't wait till he gets back.

On a more positive note, the exhibition games were fun to be a part of, especially the home games. I have played in different arenas and it is not the same everywhere. Here, it is awesome that you get fan support like that just for exhibitions. The games were fun, getting to see how many talented players that are here is exciting. Getting to play with a guy like Jason Spezza was fun, and watching the likes of Heater, Alfredsson and Vermie, but the strongest point of the team is that everyone is good.

As for off the ice, I got to take in the Carp Fair over the weekend. Lots of fun, especially for my  2 sons who loved the toy train display and rides, but especially the trains beecause the boys are train crazy.

Someone asked if I grew up playing minor hockey in Timmins. That is true, I grew up in Timmins until the age of 9, then moved to Sault Ste. Marie until I moved to Carleton Place in Grade 7. It helped my hockey development growing up in Timmins, where I had to try and catch Steve Sullivan of the Nashville Predators, which didn't happen very often. But the best part of growing up there was getting the chance to date Shania Twain.

Thanks for all the comments and can't wait to hear some more.

Posted by Shean Donovan on September 17, 2007

Hi, Shean Donovan here to tell you about my time as a Senator since the trade. I was extremely excited to find out I was traded to Ottawa, especially being from the area, Carleton Place when I was younger, having gone to Roger St. Denis in Kanata then to Carleton Place high school for Grade 9 and 10. After that, I lived with Wayne and Alannah Smith for my 4 years with the Ottawa 67's, and went to Canterbury high school. Well the trade was unexpected and when we found out while visiting ex-teammates in Vermont, we were so happy that it took a day to figure out that it really wasn't a joke. Me and my wife Teresa thought that one of the ex-teammates set it up. Since then, we have been busy getting our two young boys Jorian, 3, and Rylan, 2, settled back in the Ottawa area even though it wasn't too hard being their grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts all live in the area. Since we have been back, we have done many of the things we used to do, like going to the Russell fair. Getting to go to Teresa's brother Aron's annual pig roast, for what seemed like the whole South Mountain community. As well as getting my hair cut at the barbershop where friends Ike and Dan Smith cut hair.

As part of the Senators, I was able to skate and work out with most of the boys from the team before camp began at the Bell Sensplex. And now camp has begun and we are three days deep, so far it has been great to see how excited and in good shape all the boys are in, thanks in large part to Randy Lee. Today was Fan Fest and it was awesome to see so many fans there to watch the scrimmage and practice, it is fun to see how great the fans are here and you can just feel the excitement everywhere.

It is great to be back in Canada and in a city that knows and loves hockey. So far that is it from camp.