Ottawa Senators
Second NHL franchise to bear the Ottawa Senators name.
The Ottawa Senators, also known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They play in the NHL’s Eastern Conference as part of the Atlantic Division. Their home games are held at Canadian Tire Centre, which first opened in 1996. The team was founded by Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone and is the second NHL franchise to carry the Senators name. The original Senators were established in 1883, won 11 Stanley Cups, and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934.
After the original franchise moved to St. Louis in 1934 due to financial troubles—operating briefly as the Eagles before the NHL suspended it—Ottawa went without an NHL team for decades. In 1990, following a two-year public campaign led by Firestone, the NHL awarded a new franchise that began play in the 1992–93 season. Firestone, along with colleagues Cyril Leeder and Randy Sexton, believed Ottawa could support an NHL team. Their firm, Terrace Investments, lacked the cash for the expansion fee but devised a plan to use land development to fund it. After finding a site on farmland west of Ottawa in Kanata, they launched a “Bring Back the Senators” campaign, securing over 11,000 season ticket pledges. On December 12, 1990, the NHL approved the franchise.
The new team hired Mel Bridgman as its first general manager and Rick Bowness as head coach. Placed in the Adams Division, they played their first game on October 8, 1992, at the Ottawa Civic Centre against the Montreal Canadiens, winning 5–3. That victory was a rare highlight; the team finished with just 10 wins, 70 losses, and four ties for 24 points, tying the San Jose Sharks for the league’s worst record. Firestone had set a modest goal of avoiding a new NHL record for fewest points, which they achieved. The long-term plan was to finish low for several years to secure high draft picks.
To make the final franchise payment, Firestone sold 50% of Terrace to Rod Bryden, a technology executive. A limited partnership was formed to own the team and a new company, Palladium Corp., to build the arena. Partners included local tech executives and singer Paul Anka, an Ottawa native. By August 1993, Bryden became the sole owner, buying out Firestone. Bridgman was fired after one season, and Randy Sexton took over as general manager. The team finished last overall for the next three seasons.
- Founded
- 1992–93 season
- Division
- Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference
- Home arena
- Canadian Tire Centre (opened 1996)
- Stanley cup final appearances
- 2007
- Presidents' trophy
- 2003
- Division titles
- 4
- Playoff appearances
- 18
Lore & Background
Ottawa had been home to the original Senators, a founding NHL franchise and 11-time Stanley Cup champions. The original Senators' eventual financial losses forced the franchise to move to St. Louis in 1934 operating as the Eagles while a Senators senior amateur team took over the Senators' place in Ottawa. The NHL team was unsuccessful in St. Louis and planned to return to Ottawa, but the NHL decided instead to suspend the franchise and transfer the players. Fifty-four years later, after the NHL announced plans to expand, Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone decided along with colleagues Cyril Leeder and Randy Sexton that Ottawa was now able to support an NHL franchise, and the group proceeded to put a bid together. This effort was supported by key individuals including Jeff Kyle and Mark Bonneau who later became executives with the Senators. Firestone's 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 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 approved a new franchise for Firestone's group to start play in the 1992–93 season.
Reader's Guide
The Ottawa Senators represent a revival of a historic hockey name, returning the NHL to Canada's capital after a 54-year absence. The franchise's early years were marked by a deliberate strategy of finishing low in the standings to secure high draft picks, a plan that produced a core of players including Alexei Yashin, Daniel Alfredsson, and later Jason Spezza. Under coach Jacques Martin, the team adopted a strong defensive philosophy and qualified for the playoffs every season from 1996–97 through 2003–04, winning four division titles and the 2003 Presidents' Trophy. Despite regular-season success, the Senators faced criticism for playoff shortcomings, including four consecutive series losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The franchise's most notable achievement came in 2007, when they reached the Stanley Cup Final but lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. The team has made 18 playoff appearances overall. Off the ice, the franchise experienced financial difficulties, including bankruptcy and emergency financing during the 2002–03 season, yet continued to compete at a high level. The Senators' legacy is one of resilience, rebuilding, and periodic contention, though they have not won a Stanley Cup in their modern incarnation.
Did You Know?
- The original Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup 11 times.
- The new franchise was awarded on December 6, 1990, and began play in the 1992–93 season.
- Daniel Alfredsson won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 1996.
- The Senators lost the 2007 Stanley Cup Final to the Anaheim Ducks in five games.
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