Ridly Greig’s rise a rare bright spot in gloomy Senators season

OTTAWA— The empty-net slapshot heard across the hockey world.

On Saturday, Ridly Greig’s cult-creating moment will be commemorated by the Ottawa Senators with a bobblehead picturing the slapper that clapped back at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Don’t we all love it when teams are petty?

As the wheels of the Senators' season are on the precipice of falling by the wayside with surreal on- and off-ice drama, Saturday’s celebration might bring a modicum of joy in an otherwise gloomy season.

It was the night of Feb. 10, 2024 — a meaningless game in the standings, yet another edition of the heated Battle of Ontario rivalry.

The “code” was broken as Greig fired a clapper into an empty net, but Senators fans' hearts certainly were not. Morgan Rielly’s retaliatory cross-check to Greig’s face earned him a suspension, and Toronto players and fans were furious. The play instantly vaulted Greig into a fan favourite. It certainly pleased Senators’ owner Michael Andlauer.

“It was more of a statement about their fans than Toronto’s team because we had so many Leafs fans in our building,” Andlauer said earlier this season. “I talked to (Greig) and sometimes in these situations I think players have blackouts and don’t know what they did.” 

For Greig, the slapshot thrust him into the spotlight.

“I definitely got a lot of hate for it, but I think from a fan’s perspective, it was entertaining. Whether you hated it or loved it, you probably watched it,” Greig said last year.

The play hasn’t just been a one-off for the hard-nosed, versatile forward; he’s a natural pest at his core. Greig routinely throws himself into scrums and launches little cross-checks and slashes to get under opponents’ skin while accidentally-on-purpose bumping into opposing netminders.

His slapshot was a mere preview of public displays of irritation against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The crescendo came when the Battle of Ontario hit the playoffs.

Greig’s tussle with Anthony Stolarz created amazing playoff theatre and ammunition for the Senators. It embodied the Senators’ little-brother mentality, whereby they wouldn’t back down from the big, bad Leafs.

“It’s definitely annoying. I think we’re going to play hard on him and not make it easy for him the rest of the way,” Matthew Knies said after the incident.

Still, while the Senators couldn’t dethrone their archrivals in the playoffs, but Greig's fiery competitiveness was emblematic of his Senators' series against Toronto, coming back from 3-0 down to force a Game 6.

And it’s not just Toronto where Greig is despised, but La Belle Province, too.

During the 2025 pre-season, Greig hit Kirby Dach, leading to shenanigans and a fight between the two.

He wasn't done. 

Later in the season, Greig laid a massive hit on Juraj Slafkosvky in Ottawa and the two squared off for another fight.

It takes a special personality to have both Toronto and Montreal players and fans despise you. No wonder Sens fans adore Greig.

Fittingly, Greig’s bobblehead night is when the Florida Panthers come to town with plenty of rats, none more accomplished than Brad Marchand, another diminutive pest. Despite am underwhelming season from the Senators, Greig has been a bright spot, especially of late.

It’s not just agitator antics with Greig, either — he’s become a very effective utility player for head coach Travis Green who kills penalties, is as tenacious as they come and can play anywhere in the lineup.

“I think there's just certain guys that are just hockey players and just play the game, never worries about where he's playing, who he's playing with,” said Green.

“He's always one of those players that you like to have. He's hard to play against, and you can't have enough guys like that.”

All season, Greig, a natural centre, has shuffled onto different lines and positions. Recently, he went from fourth-line centre one game to first-line left winger the next.

“Tell him one day he’s playing the fourth line, first line. He just got a good attitude about the game,” said Green. “Ridly is confident enough to know that he finds a way to play 15 to 19 minutes, playing on the fourth line or third, second. He’s a valuable player for us.”

His multi-tooled approach earned him a four-year, $13 million contract last year. However, it wasn’t a perfect start to the season as Greig ednured separate 13- and 14-game goalless stretches.

“He'd be the first to admit he had a bit of a slow start,” said Green. 

"It's never a lack of compete, when it comes to Rids or his care. Just his game wasn't sharp. He looks sharper now.”

Greig has collected a point in seven of his last 11 games and goals in four of his last nine. Impressive for someone primarily on the third line of late with some brief pit stops elsewhere.

“I don't know,” Greig told Sportsnet.ca about the reason for his improved offensive play. “It was a 10-game stretch up the middle, but just playing centre the puck definitely finds (you) a little more.

“It's obviously a lot more fun to get the puck a little more.”

When third-line centre Shane Pinto went down with an ailment, Greig replaced him admirably alongside Claude Giroux and Michael Amadio. The trio outscored opponents 4-2 at five-on-five with a solid 52.7 per cent expected goals share.

Overall, the six-foot centre from Lethbridge, Alta., has become a really good NHLer for the Ottawa Senators, yet his impact outweighs his five goals and 15 points this season.

In sports, we say we “can't measure someone's heart.” If the Senators want to turn their season around, we know Greig will need to be a part of it.