2008 Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators finished the 2007-2008 season in second place in the fiercely combative Northeast Division, but were knocked out by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. Many blame the discord between coach John Paddock and goalie Ray Emery, but at least that won’t be a worry for the 2008-2009 season – both of them are out! New coach Craig Hartsburg is expected to return discipline and a sense of team cohesiveness to the Sens, and with the additions of blue-liner Jason Smith and forward Jarkko Ruutu, the 2008-2009 season is looking bright for the Senators. With the second highest attendance rate in the league, tickets to Scotiabank Place never last long. Get yours now and see the Ottawa Senators in action on the ice!

The franchise had made it into nine consecutive playoffs since 1997. Always a bridesmaid, the Senators were poised to go all the way to capture the Stanley Cup, but the Anaheim Ducks only allowed Ottawa one victory, winning the finals 1 to 4. The Senators had the best regular-season record in the NHL in 2002-03, but lost in seven games to the eventual champion New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Senators seem to be running a racket, a racket that churns out dazzling young hockey players who grow into NHL stars. Almost every move works like a charm, including their rare trades: Zdeno Chara and Jason Spezza for Alexei Yashin looks odd; starting goaltender Patrick Lalime came from Anaheim for next to nothing. The organization's quiet efficiency really means numbers on the ice. Ottawa is sometimes accused of plodding through nights of dull, safe hockey. But the sensible game plan conceals an overload of speed, strength and puck handling that leaves most defenders bewildered. If they weren't so passionate about defense, the Senators could probably score at a pace to recall the NHL of the past.