The Hockey New Year arrived late Saturday night, with as much anticipation by some fans as the ball drop at Times Square in New York City.

Once the Mountain of paper work was completed, with the Memorandum Of Understanding signed between the NHL and its players to complete the CBA, the season was unleashed in a torrent: game schedules, player trades, player releases . . . and in Ottawa, Day 1 of mini-camp Sunday with an array of bells and whistles to appease angry fans.

If the lockout hurt, and it did, on a variety of fronts, the Senators have treats for the afflicted: Extra game tickets for season ticket holders, a chance for subscribers to meet their hockey heroes face to face; merchandise discounts and free entrance for fans 14 and under for four games, including the Home Opener on Jan. 21 versus the Florida Panthers. Did we mention the free parking on the first night (lots 5, 6, and 9) and $1 popcorn for kids in seven of 10 nights?

With NHL teams beholding to their lifeblood source after what Senators owner Eugene Melnyk termed a “brutal” 119-day lockout, there has never been a better time to be a fan. The hockey club was out in force to remind everyone of that Sunday morning – with the entire roster looking on from the back, a full court press was executed by Melnyk, club president Cyril Leeder, head coach Paul MacLean and captain Daniel Alfredsson, after which about 2,500 enthusiastic fans poured into Scotiabank Place to watch the first camp practice.

One woman cried when a TV reporter asked her how it felt to see the Senators back on the ice, an emotional reaction to a four-month withdrawal from the game. As another pitch to fans, camp skates will be open to the public all week, leading up to game one in Winnipeg Jan. 19 versu the Jets.

“Ready for More (Toujours Plus!),” as the new slogan says.

Melnyk said he thinks of himself as more of a fan-owner than business operator, adding how pleased he was the lockout was over, if only so he didn’t have to make do with watching ECHL games any more.

As usual, Melnyk is thinking big with his squad, even as he cautioned that this is just Year 2 of a rebuild. Had they survived Game 7 of the quarterfinals against the New York Rangers, according to the owner, the Senators believed they could have gone a long way in the 2012 playoffs.

“We saw who won the Stanley Cup last year (the 8th place Los Angeles Kings), and many of the (Senators) players thought we were a much better team.” Take that, L.A.

Regaining fan loyalty won’t be a slam dunk, Melnyk acknowledged, but the greatest lure is “for these players to come out every night, and . . . deliver you a winning team. That is the best possible gift I can think of . . . if we can do that, we’ve accomplished more than any free hot dog or anything else we can give away.”

According to coach MacLean, the key is to “get our identity back,” by which he meant a reputation as a young, hard-working team that “plays 200 feet.

“Winning is fun, but it’s hard to do,” MacLean said. It will be that much harder without standout defenceman Jared Cowen, who watched the first skate from the sidelines, recovering from hip surgery expected to keep him out of action all season.

At 40, captain Alfredsson is back, though, rested and healthy — vowing the players are highly motivated to give this community the kind of hockey team it deserves.

“I can’t wait to put on a Senators jersey again and skate out at Scotiabank Place and really find out if I’m too old or if I can still keep up with these young guys,” Alfredsson said. For many fans here, watching No. 11 in what could be his final NHL season is reason enough to let lockout bygones be bygones.

How will fans respond on Jan. 21 when the home gates open on the season? Leeder said his hope is for a “full building,” but he admitted “we’re not sure what’s going to happen.” Tickets for the first 10 home games go on sale Monday.

“As we move forward, we know it’s going to be important to earn back the trust of our fans, and that starts with our most committed fan base – our season seat owners,” Leeder said. More than half of Ottawa’s season ticket holders have been with the club for more than 10 years, and some for as long as 20.

Sunday’s all-in crowd to watch simple camp drills might be a small study sample, but would suggest fans here have desperately missed the local heroes and will welcome them back.

Once the action starts on the 19th, it will barely stop, with 48 games packed into three months ending in late April. Playoff ‘races’ begin Saturday, as the Senators and 29 other teams play every other night on average in a compressed slate.

“It’s the last man standing,” Melnyk said. “Who can survive such a grueling schedule?

We’ll know soon enough.

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Tags: Alfredsson, freebies, Melnyk, Sens