Fresh flavours, nods to the past and new traditions highlight Senators’ 10th anniversary season

There’s something new cooking at Senators games this season — and plenty more for fans to look forward to as the Belleville Senators celebrate their 10th season in the Bay of Quinte Region.

The Senators unveiled several new initiatives and fan-experience enhancements to media on Tuesday night ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, including a new food and beverage partnership with Aramark, special 10th anniversary programming, and changes shaped by fan feedback.

Over the summer, the organization conducted research and gathered feedback from fans and key stakeholders on ticket-buying habits, the game experience and what they wanted to see more — and less — of at Senators games.

That feedback has led to a number of changes for 2026-27, including more Friday night games, new Saturday afternoon start times, ticket options starting at $15 and an expanded lineup of giveaways.

The Senators will have 15 Friday night home games this season, while several 4 p.m. Saturday starts will give fans the opportunity to watch the Senators in Belleville before catching the Ottawa Senators later that evening.

The changes come as the Senators begin their 10th anniversary celebrations in the Bay of Quinte Region.

The organization has a number of anniversary initiatives planned across this season and the 2027-28 campaign, including a special alternate jersey that will be worn 10 times throughout the season.

The jersey will make its debut November 1, marking the anniversary of Belleville’s inaugural home opener in 2017. Its design takes inspiration from the Ottawa Senators’ third jersey, while incorporating elements specific to Belleville and the Bay of Quinte, including “Bay of Quinte” inside the collar.

The Senators will also celebrate their first decade through a series of stories highlighting memorable moments, players and milestones from the franchise’s history.

A new “Brick by Brick” campaign will recognize the players who have made their NHL debuts with the Ottawa Senators after coming through Belleville. The organization plans to reconnect with as many of those close-to-50 alumni as possible throughout the season, share their stories, and reinforce the foundation for the NHL Sens being built here in the Bay of Quinte.

A multi-part documentary series is also being produced, exploring the franchise’s history from its move to Belleville in 2017 through the pandemic and rebuild, while looking toward the future of Senators hockey in the Bay of Quinte.

For General Manager Matt Turek, the organization’s role in developing players for Ottawa remains central to the team’s identity.

“You know, the one thing about being in the American Hockey League is knowing that you’re there to support and help out,” Turek said. “We saw that last year with a lot of call-ups, and some of our players helped Ottawa get in the playoffs last year, which was great to see.”

At the same time, Turek said the organization wants to build a team that Belleville fans can be proud of.

“The other aspect of it is having a very competitive team here in Belleville and for our fans and community to be proud of,” he said. “I think some of the signings we had this summer, I think that you’ll see early on here that we have some really good players, a fantastic coaching staff and have a team for Ottawa, for Belleville to be proud of.”

The anniversary season will also spotlight the broader hockey community throughout the Bay of Quinte Region.

After three consecutive seasons featuring a Belleville Bulls-specific night, the Senators will instead host a two-game Hockey Weekend in Quinte in November.

The weekend will celebrate hockey at all levels throughout the region, including the Junior A Golden Hawks and Dukes, Junior C teams, the Quinte Red Devils, Belleville Bearcats and Junior Bulls.

The Senators will also continue a full schedule of community and theme-night initiatives throughout the season, including Hockey Fights Cancer, Women in Sports Night with special guest Jenn Botterill, Military Night and School Day Games.

The organization also enters its 10th season having made community contributions of close to $1.5 million since arriving in Belleville in 2017, with approximately $350,000 coming during the 2025-26 season.

With a new food and beverage partner, anniversary celebrations, and changes driven by fan feedback, the Senators are preparing to mark a decade in the Bay of Quinte while continuing to build the game-night experience.

And fans coming through the doors this season will have new options to try while they take in the hockey.

Aramark is taking over food, beverage and hospitality services for Senators games this season, bringing new menu items and a fresh approach to the game-night experience.

Executive Chef Patrick Turcotte offered a first taste of what fans can expect, with samples including a Cubano sandwich and mac and cheese featuring bacon jam and a cheesy panko crust.

“We have a lot of fun menu items coming up this season,” Turcotte said. “We have a Cubano sandwich, which is very fun, a mac and cheese with a bacon jam and some Hawkins Cheezie’s panko crust on top.” Some of the other new items that fans can find at refreshed and rebranded concession stands include a loaded footlong hot dog, smash burger, loaded nachos, sugar-dusted donut holes, and more.

Aramark already provides food and hospitality services for the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, and Turcotte said the company is excited to now be part of the Senators’ Belleville operation.

“We’re very excited to be part of that new journey for us here in Belleville,” Turcotte said.  “It’s going to be fun.”

The new food and beverage partnership is one of several changes coming to the Senators’ game-night experience this season.

The full 2026-27 Belleville Senators schedule is available by clicking here.

Single-game tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster. More information on season seat memberships, Sens on Demand ticketing, premium seating, the Business Edge program, and more is available on the Belleville Sens Website. 

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