Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators play their home games at the 19,153 seat (20,500 capacity) Scotiabank Place (originally named the 'Palladium', and later the 'Corel Centre') which they opened in 1996.

Founded and established by Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone, the team is the second NHL franchise to use the Ottawa Senators nickname. The original Ottawa Senators, founded in 1883, had a famed history, winning 11 Stanley Cups and playing in the NHL from 1917 until 1934. On December 6, 1990, after a two year public campaign by Firestone, the NHL awarded a new franchise, which began play in the 1992–93 season. The team has had two changes of ownership, from Firestone to Rod Bryden in 1993 due to the arena development and its financing, and subsequently to Eugene Melnyk after a 2003 bankruptcy. In 2009, the club was valued by Forbes Magazine at $197 million.

The club played most of four seasons in the 10,000 seat Ottawa Civic Centre and finished last in the league in all four seasons. Since then, the team has had success, qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs in twelve of the past thirteen seasons, four division titles, the Presidents' Trophy in 2003 and appeared in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. The success has been reflected in attendance. The club has averaged over 18,000 fans per game since 2005–06, peaking at 19,821 in 2007–08.

History
Ottawa had been home to the original Senators, a founding NHL franchise and eleven-time Stanley Cup champions. After the NHL expanded to the United States in the late 1920s, the original Senators were not able to make enough money in Ottawa (the smallest NHL city) to offset the increased costs. The club started selling players for cash to survive, but eventually the losses forced the franchise to move to St. Louis in 1934 operating as the Eagles. The team was unsuccessful in St. Louis, and was permanently suspended after just one year.



Fifty-four years later, after the NHL announced its plans to expand by two teams, Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone decided along with colleagues Cyril Leeder and Randy Sexton that Ottawa was now able to support a NHL franchise, and the group proceeded to put a bid together. His firm, Terrace Investments, did not have the liquid assets to finance the expansion fee and the team, but the group conceived a strategy to leverage a land development. In 1989, after finding a suitable site on farmland just west of Ottawa in Kanata on which to construct a new arena, Terrace announced its intention to win a franchise and launched a successful "Bring Back the Senators" campaign to both woo the public and persuade the NHL that the city could support an NHL franchise. Public support was high and the group would secure over 11,000 season ticket pledges. On December 12, 1990, the NHL granted franchises to Firestone's group, as well as a group in Tampa, Florida, to start play in 1992.

1992–1996: First seasons
The new team hired former NHL player Mel Bridgman, who had no previous NHL management experience, as its first General Manager in 1992. The team was initially interested in hiring former Jack Adams Award winner Brian Sutter as its first head coach, but Sutter came with a high price tag and was reluctant to be a part of an expansion team. When Sutter was eventually signed to coach the Boston Bruins, Ottawa signed Rick Bowness, the man Sutter replaced in Boston. The new Senators played their first game on October 8, 1992, in the Ottawa Civic Centre against the Montreal Canadiens with lots of pre-game spectacle. The Senators would defeat the Canadiens 5–2 in one of the few highlights that season. Montreal would eventually finish the season with a Stanley Cup victory. Following the initial excitement of the opening night victory, the club floundered badly and would eventually tie with the San Jose Sharks for the worst record in the league, winning only 10 games with 70 losses and 4 ties for 24 points, three points better than the NHL record for futility. The Senators had aimed low and considered the 1992–93 season a small success, as Firestone had set a goal for the season of not setting a new NHL record for fewest points in a season. The long term plan was to finish low in the standings for its' first few years in order to secure high draft picks and eventually contend for the Stanley Cup.

Original General Manager Mel Bridgman was fired after one season and team president Randy Sexton took over GM duties. Firestone himself soon left the team and Rod Bryden emerged as the new owner. The strategy of aiming low and securing a high draft position did not change. The Senators finished last overall for the next three seasons. Although 1993 first overall draft choice Alexandre Daigle wound up being one of the greatest draft busts in NHL history, they chose Radek Bonk in 1994, Bryan Berard (traded for Wade Redden) in 1995, Chris Phillips in 1996, and Marian Hossa in 1997, all of whom would become solid NHL players and formed a strong core of players in years to come. Alexei Yashin, the team's first ever draft selection from 1992, emerged as one of the NHL's brightest young stars. The team traded many of their better veteran players of the era, including 1992–93 leading scorer Norm Maciver, and fan favorites Mike Peluso and Bob Kudelski, in an effort to stockpile prospects and draft picks.



As the 1995–96 season began, star centre Alexei Yashin refused to honor his contract and did not play. In December, after three straight last-place finishes and a team which was ridiculed throughout the league, fans began to grow restless waiting for the team's long term plan to yield results, and arena attendance began to decline. Rick Bowness was fired in late 1995 and was replaced by Prince Edward Island Senators head coach Dave Allison. Allison would fare no better than his predecessor, and the team would stumble to a 2–22–3 record under him. Sexton himself was fired and replaced by Pierre Gauthier, the former assistant GM of Anaheim. Before the end of January 1996, Gauthier had resolved the team's most pressing issues by settling star player Alexei Yashin's contract dispute, and hiring the highly regarded Jacques Martin as head coach. While Ottawa finished last overall once again, the 1995–96 season ended with renewed optimism, due in part to the upgraded management and coaching, and also to the emergence of an unheralded rookie from Sweden named Daniel Alfredsson, who would win the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 1996.

1996–2004: Jacques Martin era
Martin would impose a "strong defence first" philosophy that led to the team qualifying for the playoffs every season that he coached, but he was criticized for the team's lack of success in the playoffs, notably losing four straight series against the provincial rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Martin outlasted several general managers and a change in ownership.

In 1996–97, his first season, the club qualified for the playoffs in the last game of the season, and nearly defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the first round. In 1997–98, the club finished with their first winning record and upset the heavily favoured New Jersey Devils to win their first playoff series. In 1998–99, the Senators jumped from 14th overall in the previous season to 3rd, with 103 points—the first 100-point season in club history, only to be swept in the first round. In 1999–2000 despite the holdout of team captain Alexei Yashin, Martin guided the team to the playoffs, only to lose to the Maple Leafs in the first Battle of Ontario series. Yashin returned for 2000–01 and the team improved to win their division and place second in the Eastern Conference. Yashin played poorly in another playoff loss to the Maple Leafs and on the day of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, he was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt, and the second overall selection in the draft, which Ottawa promptly used to select centre Jason Spezza.



Without Yashin, the 2001–02 Senators regular season points total dropped, but in the playoffs, they upset the Philadelphia Flyers for the franchise's second playoff series win. This led to a second round series with Toronto, and the third straight loss to the Maple Leafs. Despite speculation that Martin would be fired, it was GM Marshall Johnston who left, retiring from the team, replaced by John Muckler, the Senators' first with previous GM experience.

In 2002–03 off-ice problems dominated the headlines, as the Senators filed for bankruptcy in mid-season, but continued play after getting emergency financing. Despite the off-ice problems, Ottawa had an outstanding season, placing first overall in the NHL to win the President's Trophy. In the playoffs they came within one game of making it into the finals. Prior to the 2003–04 season, pharmaceutical billionaire Eugene Melnyk would purchase the club to bring financial stability. Martin would guide the team to another good regular season but in the first round the Leafs would again defeat the Senators, leading to Martin's dismissal as management felt that a new coach was required for playoff success.

2004–present: Bryan Murray era
After the playoff loss, owner Melnyk promised that changes were coming and they came quickly. In June 2004, Anaheim Ducks GM Bryan Murray of nearby Shawville, became head coach. That summer, the team also made substantial personnel changes, trading long-time players Patrick Lalime and Radek Bonk, and signing free agent goaltender Dominik Hasek. The team would not be able to show its new lineup for a year, as the 2004–05 NHL lockout intervened and most players playing in Europe or in the minors. In a final change, just before the 2005–06 season, the team traded long-time player Marian Hossa for Dany Heatley.

The media predicted the Senators to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2005–06, as they had a strong core of players returning, played in an up-tempo style fitting the new rule changes and Hasek was expected to provide top-notch goaltending. The team rushed out of the gate, winning 19 of the first 22 games, in the end winning 52 games and 113 points, placing first in the conference, and second overall. The newly formed 'CASH' line of Alfredsson, Spezza and newly acquired Dany Heatley established itself as one of the league's top offensive lines. Hasek played well until he was injured during the 2006 Winter Olympics, forcing the team to enter the playoffs with rookie netminder Ray Emery as their starter. Without Hasek, the club bowed out in a second round loss to the Buffalo Sabres.



2006–07: Trip to the Stanley Cup finals
In 2006–07, the Senators reached the Stanley Cup Finals after qualifying for the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons. The Senators had a high turn-over of personnel and the disappointment of 2006 to overcome and started the season poorly. Trade rumours swirled around Daniel Alfredsson for most of the last months of 2006. The team lifted itself out of last place in the division to nearly catch the Buffalo Sabres by season's end, placing fourth in the Eastern Conference. The team finished with 105 points, their fourth straight 100 point season and sixth in the last eight. In the playoffs, Ottawa continued its good play. Led by the 'CASH' line, goaltender Ray Emery, and the strong defence of Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov, the club defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, the second-ranked New Jersey Devils, and the top-ranked Buffalo Sabres to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.




 * First Stanley Cup finals in the capital in 80 years

The 2006–07 Senators thus became the first Ottawa team to be in the Stanley Cup final since 1927 and the city was swept up in the excitement. Businesses along all of the main streets posted large hand-drawn 'Go Sens Go' signs, residents put up large displays in front of the their homes or decorated their cars. A large Ottawa Senators flag was draped on the City Hall, along with a large video screen showing the games. A six-story likeness of Daniel Alfredsson was hung on the Corel building. Rallies were held outside of City Hall, car rallies of decorated cars paraded through town and a section of downtown, dubbed the 'Sens Mile', was closed off to traffic during and after games for fans to congregate.

In the final, the Senators now faced the Anaheim Ducks, considered a favourite since the start of the season, a team the Senators had last played in 2006, and a team known for its strong defence. The Ducks won the first two games in Anaheim 3-2 and 1–0. Returning home, the Senators won game three 5–3, but lost game four 3–2. The Ducks won game five 6–2 in Anaheim to clinch the series. The Ducks had played outstanding defence, shutting down the 'CASH' line, forcing Murray to split up the line. The Ducks scored timely goals and Ducks' goaltender Giguere out-played Emery.

2007–08: Stanley Cup hangover
The Senators made major changes in their hockey staff during the off-season. On June 17, 2007, general manager John Muckler was fired; he had been in the last year of his contract. Head coach Bryan Murray was promoted to GM. On July 5, 2007, he hired his nephew Tim Murray as assistant GM, followed by the promotion of assistant coach John Paddock to head coach on July 6, 2007. On August 15, goaltending coach Ron Low was named as assistant coach and Eli Wilson was named goaltending coach. Assistant coach Greg Carvel retained his duties.

On November 5, 2007, the Ottawa Senators set a franchise record eighth straight win with their victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. On November 6, six Senators were named to the All-Star Game ballot: Daniel Alfredsson, Ray Emery, Dany Heatley, Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and Jason Spezza, the most from any one team in the NHL. The CASH line was named to the All-Star roster in its entirety: Alfredsson to the starting lineup and Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza as reserves. On January 24, 2008, Alfredsson recorded a franchise record 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) against the Tampa Bay Lightning, taking over the NHL scoring lead momentarily.

After the hot start, a prolonged slump through January and February occurred during which the Senators won only 7 of 21 games, and Murray fired head coach Paddock and assistant coach Ron Low on February 27, 2008, taking over the coaching duties himself. After the coaching switch, team performance improved, but did not match the performance of the beginning of the season. A playoff spot was in doubt until the Senators' last game of the season, a loss to Boston, but the team qualified due to Carolina losing. After all other games were played, the team ended up as the 7th seed and faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round, a repeat of the 2006-2007 Eastern Conference quarter final. The Senators lost the series 4–0, the third time they were swept in a first-round series. The result, after going to the finals the previous season, led to speculation by the media that the team would make a large change in personnel before next season, including the buying out of Ray Emery and the Senators not re-signing their free agents.

2008–09: season of turnover
After a disappointing 2007–08 season, Senators' management promised change, and in the off-season fulfilled that promise with changes both in coaching and on-ice personnel. On June 13, 2008, the Senators named Craig Hartsburg, who had been head coach of the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, as the new head coach, signing him to a three-year contract. The Senators also named Curtis Hunt, formerly of the Regina Pats, as assistant coach. On the player side, the first change was the buy-out of troubled goaltender Ray Emery's contract following a difficult season. Long-time Senator Wade Redden left via free-agency, and 2007–08 trade acquisitions Mike Commodore, Cory Stillman, and Martin Lapointe were not re-signed. Brian McGrattan and Andrej Meszaros were traded, Meszaros following a contract dispute. From the free agent market, the Senators signed goaltender Alex Auld, defenseman Jason Smith, and agitating forward Jarkko Ruutu. In exchange for Meszaros, defencemen Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and a 2009 first round pick (later dealt for defenseman Chris Campoli) were acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

To start the 2008–09 season, the Senators played their first-ever games in Europe, starting in Gothenburg, Sweden, playing Daniel Alfredsson's former team Frolunda HC. The Senators then began the regular season with two games in Stockholm, Sweden against the Pittsburgh Penguins, splitting the results in a 4-3 overtime loss and a 3–1 win. The Senators struggled throughout the first half of the season having the lowest number of goals scored in the league. Following a disappointing 17-24-7 start, the Senators fired Hartsburg on February 1, 2009, following a 7-4 loss to the Washington Capitals. He was replaced by Cory Clouston, the head coach of their farm team in Binghamton, NY. The team showed almost immediate improvement under Clouston, playing above .500 for the remainder of the season. Though much improved, the team was unable to make up for its poor start, and was officially eliminated from playoff contention on March 31. The team continued to play well, winning nine games in a row at home. On April 8, Clouston was rewarded with a two-year deal to continue coaching the Senators.

2009–10 season: Return to the playoffs
After the season had concluded, word was leaked that star forward Heatley had demanded a trade, placing GM Murray in a precarious position. On June 30, a deal to Edmonton was finalized, but Heatley rejected it by refusing to waive his no-trade clause. On September 12, 2009, Heatley was traded, along with a 5th round pick in 2010 NHL Entry Draft, to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forwards Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo, as well as a second round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. Michalek would play well for the Senators, but Cheechoo struggled and was demoted to the Binghamton Senators before having his contract bought out in the off-season.

On January 13, 2010, Bryan Murray relieved goaltending coach Eli Wilson of his duties. Immediately afterward, the team went on a team-record 11-game winning streak. The streak propelled the team to the top of the North-east division standings and a top-three placing for the playoffs. The team was unable to hold off the Sabres for the division lead, but qualified for the playoffs in the fifth position. For the third season in four, the Senators played off against the Penguins in the first round. A highlight for the Senators was winning a triple-overtime fifth game in Pittsburgh, but the team was unable to win a playoff game on home ice, losing the series in six games.

Logo and jersey design
The team colours are red, black and white, with added trim of gold. The team's away jersey is mostly white with red and black trim, while the home jersey is red, with white and black trim. The club logo is officially the head of a Roman general, a member of the Senate of the Roman Empire, projecting from a gold circle. The original, unveiled on May 23, 1991, described the general as a "centurion figure, strong and prominent" according to its designer, Tony Milchard.

The current jersey design was unveiled on August 22, 2007, in conjunction with the league-wide adoption of the Rbk EDGE jerseys by Reebok for the 2007–08 season. The jersey incorporates the original Senators' 'O' logo as a shoulder patch. At the same time, the team updated its logos, and switched their usage. The primary logo, which according to team owner Eugene Melnyk, "represents strength and determination" is an update of the old secondary logo. The old primary logo has become the team's secondary logo and only appears on Senators' merchandise.

On November 22, 2008, the Senators unveiled a new third jersey in a game versus the New York Rangers. Marketed with the slogan 'Back in Black' in reference to the black "away" jerseys the team wore during its first several seasons, the jersey is primarily black, while the team's other traditional colors of white and red are also integrated. The Senators' primary "centurion figure" logo moves to the shoulders. The front features the word 'SENS' in white with red and gold trim, as a new primary logo.



Attendance and revenues
On April 18, 2008, the club announced its final attendance figures for 2007–08. The club had 40 sell-outs out of 41 home dates, a total attendance of 812,665 during the regular season, placing the club third in attendance in the NHL. The number of sell-outs and the total attendance were both club records. The previous attendance records were set during the 2005–06 with a season total of 798,453 and 33 sell-outs. In 2006–07 regular season attendance was 794,271, with 31 sell-outs out of 41 home dates or an average attendance of 19,372. In the 2007 playoffs, the Senators played 9 games with 8 sell-outs and an attendance of 181,272 for an average of 20,141, the highest in team history.

On October 29, 2008, a Forbes Magazine report valued the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club at $207 million, (13th highest in NHL) with an operating income of $4.7 million on revenues of $96 million in 2006–07. Revenues were the team's highest in its history, while operating income was down from 2006–07 when the Senators had more playoff games. The gate receipts for the 2006–07 season were $50 million. Forbes estimates that the organization has a debt/value ratio of 63%, including arena debt. Eugene Melnyk bought the team for $92 million in 2003.

Arena entertainment
At many home games the fans are entertained both outside and inside Scotiabank Place with a myriad of talent - live music, rock bands, giveaways and promotions. The live music includes the traditional Scottish music of the 'Sons of Scotland Pipe Band' of Ottawa along with highland dancers. Before and during games, entertainment is provided by Spartacat, the official mascot of the Senators, an anthropomorphic lion. He made his debut on the Senators' opening night: October 8, 1992. Anthems are usually sung by Ontario Provincial Police Constable Lyndon Slewidge.

Sens Army
The fans of the Senators are known as the Sens Army. Like most hockey fanatics, they are known to dress up for games; some in Roman legionary clothing. For the 2006-2007 playoff run, more fans then ever before would wear red, and fan activities included 'Red Rallies' of decorated cars, fan rallies at Ottawa City Hall Plaza and the 'Sens Mile' along Elgin Street where fans would congregate.

Sens Mile
Much like the Red Mile in Calgary during the Flames' 2004 cup run and the Copper Kilometer in Edmonton during the Oilers' 2006 cup run, Ottawa Senators fans took to the streets to celebrate their team's success during the 2006-07 playoffs. The idea to have a 'Sens Mile' on the downtown Elgin Street, a street with numerous restaurants and pubs, began as a grassroots campaign on Facebook by Ottawa residents before Game 4 of the Ottawa-Buffalo Eastern Conference Final series. After the Game 5 win, Ottawa residents closed the street to traffic for a spontaneous celebration. The City of Ottawa then closed Elgin Street for each game of the Final.

Broadcasting and media
On television, home and away games are broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet within the Ottawa River valley and Eastern Ontario. Rogers Sportsnet also broadcasts Senators games in the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador as part of its 'Sportsnet East' network. CBC's Hockey Night in Canada and TSN broadcast the Senators nationally in Canada.

Starting in the 2006–07 seasons, several games were only available in video on pay-per-view or at local movie theatres in the Ottawa area. The "Sens TV" service was suspended as of September 24, 2008, but it may return for 2009–10.

On radio, all home and away games are broadcast on a network of local stations in eastern Ontario. The 'flagship' radio station is the Ottawa station Team 1200, which produces the broadcasts and provides the play-by-play announcers. The Team 1200 audio is available over the Internet, and games are simulcast from the NHL main web site. Dean Brown is widely regarded as "the voice of the Ottawa Senators", and he provides play-by-play for most Senators' games broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada, and the Team 1200.

Team captains
Source: Ottawa Senators 2009–10 Media Guide, p. 206.

Lamb, Shaw and Dineen were co-captains for the 1993–94 season.

General managers
Source: Ottawa Senators 2009–10 Media Guide, p. 206.

Hall of Famers

 * Roger Neilson - Senators assistant coach & head coach (2001–03), was inducted (as a Builder) on November 4, 2002, for his career in coaching.

Retired numbers

 * 8 - Frank Finnigan, on opening night, October 8, 1992. Finnigan was honoured for his play from 1923 through 1934 for the original Ottawa Senators (as a right wing, 1923-31 & 1932-34). He was the last surviving Senator from the Stanley Cup winners of 1927 and participated in the 'Bring Back The Senators' campaign.
 * 99 - Wayne Gretzky, on February 6, 2000. Gretzky's sweater number was retired league-wide by the NHL.(Source:

Season-by-season record
For the full season-by-season history, see List of Ottawa Senators seasons

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes


 * Last five seasons

Records as of end of the 2008–09 NHL season.


 * All-time

As of the end of the 2008–09 season.

Team scoring leaders
These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history, post-1992, after the 2009–10 season:

''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game average;

* current Senators player''

Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season. Totals contain only games played for Ottawa.

Sources: † A. B. C.

NHL awards and trophies
Presidents' Trophy
 * 2002–03

Prince of Wales Trophy
 * 2006–07

Calder Memorial Trophy
 * Daniel Alfredsson: 1995–96

NHL Plus/Minus Award
 * Wade Redden: 2005–06 (shared with Michal Rozsival of the New York Rangers)

Jack Adams Award
 * Jacques Martin: 1998–99

NHL All-Rookie Team
 * Daniel Alfredsson: 1995–96
 * Sami Salo: 1998–99
 * Marian Hossa: 1998–99
 * Martin Havlat: 2000–01
 * Andrej Meszaros: 2005–06

NHL First All-Star Team
 * Dany Heatley: 2006–07

NHL Second All-Star Team
 * Alexei Yashin: 1998–99
 * Dany Heatley: 2005–06
 * Daniel Alfredsson: 2005-2006

Team records
Source: