It's the final week of what's been a busy summer for Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson.
As the 26-year-old prepared to return to Ottawa this weekend, he joined us from his East Coast home in Halifax this week and reflected on a summer filled with training, golf and a couple of weddings. Batherson also shared his thoughts on his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and looked ahead with optimism to the 2025-26 season.
Warne: So, how was your summer?
Batherson: “It's been great. Yeah, it's been pretty busy, but a pretty fun summer. I got to do a lot, got to train a lot, skates. So now I'm getting eager to get back to Ottawa, see all the guys, and get skating up there again.”
You had the chance to be around the Stanley Cup again this summer. This time it was with Brad Marchand, who had his day with the Cup. What was that like?
“Yeah, it was awesome. He's actually my next-door neighbour, so I didn’t have to walk too far to the party. It was great. He had a full day with it there. Obviously, a lot of kids were over there during the day, swimming and stuff, and then all the adults came later on. But that was a great party. That was my second one I was at, and when you’re at them, you just want to win it that much more, just seeing how much fun everyone was having with it.”
You’re known for being one of the very best golfers in the NHL. How much did you play this summer?
“Yeah, I got a lot in—probably mostly after the season. I think I got in about 45 rounds, so pretty good amount. I probably got 20 of those in the first month after the season. Slowed down a bit the last month and a half, usually only once or twice a week max. But no, we’re kind of in that hockey mode right now. Golf’s kind of in the rearview mirror, but I’m still trying to get out there every once in a while.”
What was your best round of the year? Best course you played?
“The round of the year was actually at Ashburn. I was playing with this guy named Owen Mullen—he’s a D1 golfer—and kind of had a career day. It was actually on video. It’s on TikTok if anyone wants to go check it out; it’s on his page. As far as the best course, I’d say my hometown course, Ken-Wo Golf Club. I didn’t go anywhere crazy this summer golf-wise.”
And what did you shoot in that best round?
“I was 5 under that day. That was my best round of the summer.”
Did Shane Pinto make the trip out east again to train with you, Marchand, Sidney Crosby, and Nathan MacKinnon?
“He did, yeah. He came down. We had a little Cwench camp. My trainer, Andy O'Brien, is involved with that company. They put it on in Halifax, and Shane came down for five days. It was great. He loves it down here. He’s pretty tight with all the Nova Scotia guys in the league, so the guys wanted him back, and I think he had a blast.”
Summer also means weddings for NHL players. How was the circuit this year?
“I only went to two, but I went to Colin White’s. His was in Boston in Newport, beautiful spot. I’d never been there. And then I just got back from one in Italy. Quite the travel for that one, but it was nice. Never really been on vacation overseas like that and never been to Italy, so it was pretty cool.”
Sens fans remember Colin White well. What was it like catching up with him?
“He’s the best, honestly. Everyone that played with him is super tight with him. They all love him. It was great to see some guys at his wedding that I haven’t seen in a while, like Nick Paul. It’s always fun going to a wedding, catching up with teammates and stuff like that. So that was a great time.”
Training-wise, what did you focus on this summer?
“I tried to put on some weight and see how I felt on the ice. I usually play like 204, and I was like 211, 212. Felt really good in the gym, but I just didn’t feel as quick on the ice, so I had to drop that a little bit. That was one thing I wanted to work on– just getting stronger. And I did that, then dropped a few before camp so I could still move out there.”
Let’s talk about last season. You finally got your first taste of playoff hockey. What was that like?
“Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I mean, I feel like me, Brady, and Thomas, who’ve been here the longest, have talked about it forever. I remember getting into Toronto for Game 1 and getting to the rink, and usually I have three to four coffees before a game, and that’s normal. (For Game 1) I had like half a coffee, and my hands were shaking. I was like, ‘What is going on?’
"Just the excitement is totally different. If anyone was lucky enough to be in any of those rinks, it was so special. Now I get why everyone says playoffs are the best, and it truly is. Playing in those atmospheres and seeing how excited the city of Ottawa gets around the team during that time was something I’ll never forget. I’m looking forward to many more of those for sure.”
How valuable will that playoff experience be for you and the team moving forward?
“Anytime you can have anyone on your team with some playoff experience is awesome. For a lot of us, it was our first time, so after being there and playing in it, going forward you’ll know what to expect more. I think it’s only going to help us. I think more in Game 1, the nerves were there, but obviously, we were just a bounce away in Game 2 and 3 from leading the series. But that’s hockey. We’re looking forward to seeing if we can make some noise this year.”
You finished with 68 points, a career high. How do you evaluate your season personally?
“Yeah, no, it was a pretty solid season. I think personally I’m always looking to be more consistent throughout the whole schedule. No matter how many points I had, going into the summer you’re always looking to get better and tweak things. That was my mindset this summer, just working on my overall game, being more consistent. Solid year, but I’m just looking forward to this year. Obviously, it would be nice starting now with (Dylan) Cozens. I thought we left off on a good stretch last year, and it’ll be nice to get in early, figure out who I’ll be playing with, and get the chemistry going.”
Looking ahead, what’s the optimism level around this group heading into a new season?
“Yeah, I think last year it was so hard to even get into the playoffs, and it’s not going to be any easier next year. Everyone in our division got better. The competition is going to be there every single night, and it’s up to us to just do what we did last year — be more consistent, stay in games. Kind of the same recipe as last year, hopefully even better. It’ll be tough to make it again, but we’ll take it a day at a time.
"Obviously, we want to win, and we’re going to do our best to do that.”
Listen to Drake Batherson's full interview with Steve Warne on The Sens Nation Podcast
By Steve Warne
This article was first published at THN.com/Ottawa
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