Ottawa Senators

The second NHL franchise to bear the Ottawa Senators name, revived in 1992.

The Ottawa Senators, officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Canadian Tire Centre, which opened in 1996.

Lore & Background

Founded and established by Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone, the team is the second NHL franchise to use the Ottawa Senators name. The original Ottawa Senators, founded in 1883, won the Stanley Cup 11 times, 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 Senators have made 18 playoff appearances, won four division titles, and won the 2003 Presidents' Trophy. They made an appearance in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final but lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games.

Reader's Guide

The team's early years were marked by struggles, including a 10-win season in 1992–93. Under coach Jacques Martin from 1996, the team adopted a strong defence-first philosophy and qualified for the playoffs every season he coached. Key players from the draft include Alexei Yashin, Daniel Alfredsson, and later Jason Spezza, acquired in a trade for Yashin. The team won its first playoff series in 1998 against the New Jersey Devils.