Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Nathan MacCallum, I created and run the “Sens Pics that go hard” account on X (@hardpicssens). I grew up in Gananoque, a small town that sits almost directly between Toronto and Ottawa, and I currently live in Kingston. As a kid, I used to tell people that my favourite team was the Senators, even though I didn’t know much about hockey. I fell in love with the team while following their run in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and I’ve been hooked ever since. In my day-to-day life, I’m a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and work for an accounting firm here in Kingston. I play a lot of ball hockey in a recreational league in town, and I enjoy camping with my girlfriend and building Lego things in my spare time.
What does being a Senators fan mean to you?
Being a Senators fan has always felt like a part of something bigger than yourself. The online and in-person communities around the team have really gotten me involved over the years and fueled my love and passion for the team. I’m always amazed at how many fan events are put on and how much fun they are to be a part of, and the crowds that turn out for team events are no different. It’s special to have all these opportunities to get involved in the Senators community and experience our love of hockey and the team with so many like-minded people.
Where is your favorite place to watch the games?
Aside from in-person games, I love going home to watch a game with my dad. When I started following the team more closely, he did the same thing, and following the team’s ups and downs is an experience we’ve shared together over the years. I’m not a particularly loud person or talk a lot in everyday life, but I can’t help but cheer for the team and shout at the TV when the team scores an important goal. I also love how excited my dad gets, especially when we watch a game together.
What’s the most special experience you’ve had at a game, and where did it happen?
I was fortunate enough to attend a playoff game on the Senators’ journey in 2017, it was the first game of the series against the Boston Bruins. The overall experience of attending a playoff game was one of the best atmospheres I have ever seen in my life as a fan. I remember getting goosebumps when I walked in and seeing the white towels all over the arena, and how loud the noise was when they scored. Every game is a fun experience when you’re there in person, but the atmosphere and stakes of a playoff game are a whole different ball game. I can’t wait to see the Senators back in the playoffs in the years to come.
What’s the one snack you absolutely have to eat while watching a game?
If I’m at the CCT for the game, I love to eat poutine from Smoke’s Poutinerie – almost every time I’m there, I try to get one before warm-ups. If I’m watching the game at home, I’m partial to potato chips – I’ve always preferred the regular flavour, but really, any kind will do.
What does “Photo Sens qui va fort” mean?
There is certainly a central theme to what I have posted and what I have considered to be “Photo Sens qui va fort” over the years. What I post among the submissions I receive from other supporters, or among the photos I find in my own research, usually falls into one of three categories.
The first category is photos of celebrities wearing Senators merchandise, and it’s surprising how common it is. It’s always nice to see well-known faces pay tribute to the city and the team.
Many of the photos on the account relate to a special or significant moment in team history — notable examples from last season that come to mind are Tim Stützle’s overtime winner in Sweden, or Ridly Greig’s slapshot that set up a goal against the Leafs.
The third category, and the hardest to define even though it’s probably my favorite, I simply call “the moments when the Senators looked cool.” When I was younger, one of the things I loved about watching hockey was seeing the way players reacted after scoring a goal. I’ve always been moved, as a fan, by the passion that the players display, so I’ve posted quite a few photos where the players are celebrating “all out”. Other fans and players also had the opportunity to look relaxed off the ice, so this category also ended up including some of the great costumes and outfits I saw fans wearing at matches, or random moments that looked so cool I couldn’t not post them, like the time Alfie cycled to a match during the Olympics (photo I I am convinced, is the most “full-on” Senators photo of all time).
Overall, I would say a photo that “goes all out” is one that captures an iconic moment in team history — whether on or off the ice.
What is your favorite Senators item?
My favorite item would be my white Artem Zub jersey, which I was fortunate enough to be able to ask him to autograph at the Senators Fan Fest in 2022, and which I now hope to have framed one of these days so to commemorate the moment forever. Also, my dad was able to obtain one of the prints of the Daniel Alfredsson artwork created by Tony Harris for Alfie’s 1000th game, which I proudly display at my home in Kingston. It’s always a good topic of discussion when I have other hockey fans over, whether they’re Senators fans or not.
If you could invent a Senators player, what qualities of which players (current or past) would you want him to have? What would his name be and what number would he have?
I would say :
• Daniel Alfredsson’s work ethic
• The leadership of Brady Tkachuk
• Chris Neil’s toughness and ability to deliver tough checks
• Anton Volchenkov’s ability to block shots
• Jason Spezza’s feints and hands
• Erik Karlsson’s skating
Combining the names of all these players, he would be called “Dranisonik Gulk” and given the number 5.
Who is your favorite Senators player and why?
I have become a strong supporter of Artem Zub in recent years. I love his reliability, his defensive style of play, and I also think he has scored important goals when we needed them in recent seasons. When I was younger, I played a lot of soccer and wore number 2, so I always have a soft spot for the Senators players who choose to wear that number.
And when I was younger, I loved Jason Spezza. I loved his skill level and the way he could get you out of your seat with some of the things he could do on the ice.
Who is your favorite influencer in the Senators’ entourage?
I regularly laugh when I read posts from the “Frank Senators”(@sleepenbaker) account on offer all the content found on the “Locked on Senators” podcast account(@SensCentral). They seem to work tirelessly to provide coverage of the team and so far I’ve loved listening to what they have to say, especially on the sidelines of bigger events like the draft, where there are so many players and so little time to get to know them all thoroughly. It’s great to have a resource like them where you can get so much detail on up-and-coming players who could join the team in the future.
What is your all-time favorite Senators memory?
It’s hard to pick anything other than Alfie’s goal that sent the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final — I think that was such a huge moment for so many fans, myself included — but if I could pick one moment other than that, it would be Clarke MacArthur’s overtime winner against the Boston Bruins in 2017. It was so special to see him play again, and to see him rewarded like that. I remember barely eating between the third period and overtime, even though that was supposed to be dinner time, I was so nervous — and then I rushed back to the TV to watch overtime. I remember how much my dad and I screamed when he put the puck in the net.
Where can other supporters find you (if you want to mention your social media accounts)?
I’m on X (@hardpicssens), but you can also find me on Instagram (@nathan.maccallum)!
