"With the new coaching staff this year, I had more of a role and opportunity," Mike Fisher says.

by Todd Anderson

Ottawa Senators centre Mike Fisher has the perfect place to reflect on what he calls a breakthrough season in 2005-06. The seven-year veteran is excited to have the construction of his new waterfront home, located just north of his hometown of Peterborough, Ont., finished this weekend.

"Fishing, boating, I like all that kind of stuff," Fisher said on May 31 during a stop at Scotiabank Place before participating in former Senator Laurie Boschman's Hockey Ministries International golf tournament.

Outdoorsmen like Fisher will tell you the silence that falls over a dense bush, vast field, or flat lake provides the ideal setting for quiet contemplation. Sitting in a boat, in the middle of the lake this summer, Fisher will undoubtedly have plenty of fond memories to look back on from the past season. He set several personal highs, including 22 goals and assists and 44 points.

"With the new coaching staff this year, I had more of a role and opportunity," he says. "It wasn't until after everything was done that I realized I had a decent year. A lot of guys had decent years, and playing with good guys on a good team helps."

The Senators' 1998 second-round draft pick (44th overall) recently returned from a fishing tournament north of Pembroke, Ont., where he and a few friends netted quite a few trout over the four days. Fisher will be in a few more fishing and golf events this summer, as well as several other charity events, but there's one new event he'll be attending for the first time.

On June 22, he will be an honoured guest at the 2006 NHL Awards banquet in Vancouver as a nominee for the Frank J. Selke Trophy. The trophy is an annual award given to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

"It has been a goal of mine to achieve that the last few years," Fisher said of the nomination." It's really neat for me to be recognized as one of the top defensive forwards. It's a real honour."