An unusual sight greeted fans at a recent Ottawa Senators game: a hot dog suspended in the rafters of the Canadian Tire Centre. The culprit? Ottawa Citizen reporter Natasha Baldin, who was invited to participate in the team's unique in-game promotion.
The 'Hot Dogs from Heaven' Experience
During the Senators' matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 20, 2025, Baldin ascended to the catwalk high above the ice. More than 100 feet below, the game action continued as she prepared for her task. The Senators' promotions team regularly drops items like gift cards and T-shirts, but the plain, condiment-free hot dogs delivered by parachute are the undisputed fan favourite, earning the nickname 'Hot Dogs from Heaven'.
At the first TV timeout of the third period, with the Sens leading, the in-game host prompted the sold-out crowd to 'Look up. Look waaaaay up.' This was Baldin's signal to begin the drop. However, as she learned from seasoned promo team member Matt Hajjar, successfully launching a parachuting wiener is a fine art. The technique requires a specific throw to ensure the parachute inflates and the snack doesn't descend like a missile or, crucially, get caught in the arena's structural beams.
Aiming for the Crowd, Hitting the Rafters
Hajjar, with three years of experience, has developed a strategy of aiming slightly to the right of his target to account for parachute drift. For Baldin, however, the height presented a challenge. 'Aiming involved looking down,' she noted, opting instead to launch her hot dogs into the abyss and hope for the best.
Her first two attempts were successful, with the snacks drifting gently into the hands of eager fans below. Emboldened, she prepared for her third and final launch. Dozens of fans watched, their hands raised in anticipation. The throw, however, did not go as planned.
The Culprit Confesses
The hot dog's parachute failed to catch the air properly, sending the foil-wrapped snack off course. Instead of floating down to a lucky spectator, it became lodged in the rafters of the Canadian Tire Centre, prompting a collective groan of disappointment from the crowd. The stranded hot dog remained visible for the rest of the game, a testament to the reporter's admitted lack of mastery in the precise art of aerial snack delivery.
The incident highlights the unexpected skills required behind the scenes of NHL game entertainment. While promotions like the parachuting hot dogs are designed for simple fan joy, executing them from the rafters demands a steady hand, a good aim, and the courage to look down from a great height.
