Ottawa is getting ready for a new hockey season, and with it comes a new pitch from the Senators front office. The team has officially moved on from its 'Heart Over Hype' campaign, unveiling a fresh slogan for the 2026-27 campaign: 'The Hill We Choose.'
A New Pitch to Fans
The Senators kicked off the new season on Thursday by inviting local media to a lunchtime gaggle at the Canadian Tire Centre, where the team laid out its vision for the year ahead under the new banner. The name is a clear nod to Parliament Hill, tying the club's identity even more tightly to its hometown, and it's meant to signal a sense of commitment from both the organization and its fan base as the Sens look to build on recent momentum.
Slogans come and go in professional sports, but for a franchise that has spent years trying to reconnect with a fan base that grew frustrated during rebuilding seasons, the messaging matters. 'Heart Over Hype' was meant to convey grit and substance over flash. 'The Hill We Choose' appears to be aiming for something a bit more aspirational, framing this season as a deliberate step forward rather than just another rebuilding year.
Why It Matters for Ottawa
For a city where the Senators are one of the few major professional sports franchises, the tone the team sets heading into a new season resonates well beyond the arena. Canadian Tire Centre sits out in Kanata, but the Senators' fortunes are felt across the whole city, from bars packed on game nights in the Byward Market to kids' rec leagues that get a boost in interest whenever the big club is playing well. A confident, locally rooted marketing push is as much about season ticket sales as it is about giving Ottawans another reason to rally around their team.
The timing also lines up with a franchise that has made real improvements in recent seasons, snapping a long playoff drought and building a young core that fans have grown attached to. Leaning into a slogan tied directly to the nation's capital, rather than something generic, suggests the organization wants fans to feel like this is their team's moment, not just another marketing refresh.
What's Next
The Senators are expected to build out the campaign further as the season approaches, with more details on ticket promotions and in-arena branding likely to follow. For now, Ottawa hockey fans have a new phrase to get used to as the puck drop on the 2026-27 season gets closer.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
