ottawa senators history
ottawa senators history
Ottawa Senators tickets got hot this summer with the announcement of a trade that brought forward Dany Heatley in from Atlanta. Adding goaltender Dominik Hasek only added fuel to the fire. Now throw in some excellent offensive performances in the AHL from a few likely members of the Senators roster like Chris Kelly, Antoine Vermette, and Jason Spezza and you’re looking at a team that could be a force in the Northeast Division. Things are definitely looking good in Ottawa as new head coach Bryan Murray leads his squad into the Corel Centre for his first season. In fact, Ottawa Senators tickets may give NHL hockey fans a first-hand look at a Stanley Cup contender.
The Ottawa Senators rejoined the NHL for the 1992-93 season after an absence of almost 60 years. The new Senators team took on the name of Ottawa’s first National Hockey league team that left town way back in 1934. The Senators take their name from the fact that the Canadian Senate makes their home in Ottawa. The Senators use the image of a Roman centurion as their logo, joined with a red helmet bearing wings. The senators take to the ice decked out in uniforms of black, red, and gold.
Naturally, coming back as an expansion team, the Senators got off to a rough start. After winning 10 games in their inaugural season, the Senators had only 14 victories in 1993-94 and 9 in the shortened season of 1994-95. Although the 1995-96 season gave the Senators only 18 wins, the team began to jell late in the campaign and shocked the NHL with a season ending win over the New Jersey Devils. The Senators’ rookie Daniel Alfredsson also collected the Calder Trophy, as the NHL’s top first-year player.
Success came to the Senators franchise in the 1996-97, as the team finally advanced into the NHL Playoffs for the first time. After putting up 31 wins, the Senators nabbed the 7th seed and faced off against the Buffalo Sabres in the first round. Led by Alexei Yashin and Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators pushed the Sabres to the limit. It would take seven games before Buffalo was able to eliminate the gritty Senators. The experience gained in the NHL Playoffs carried over to the next season. Finishing as the 8th seed, the Senators finally got a win in a postseason series, eliminating the New Jersey Devils in six games. The Washington Capitals ended Ottawa’s season in the second round after a five- game series.
The Ottawa Senators have won three Division Championships in the short time since they returned to the city, winning in 1999, 2001, and 2003. Ottawa has earned eight NHL Playoff berths and advanced to the Conference Finals in 2003, after winning 52 games. After getting past the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa was eliminated by the New Jersey Devils in a seven-game series.
While Ottawa Senators tickets have delivered playoff caliber hockey to the Corel Centre for six straight years, they haven’t delivered a Stanley Cup Finalist. Daring to dream, Bryan Murray has taken a chance on Dany Heatley and Dominik Hasek, banking on the duo to put the Senators over the top and back into the Stanley Cup Finals. It’s a gamble but a good one. Should both players even approach their potential, Ottawa Senators tickets and the Corel Centre could give NHL hockey fans a firsthand look at a Stanley Cup winner.
