It’s been a long time, but the Ottawa Senator has finally booked tickets to the Stanley Cup playoffs again. It was their first appearance since 2017, when they suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
At that time, there was no shortage of turmoil within the organization. In fact, a lot of things have happened and it’s hard to remember it all. It was undoubtedly a torture experience for the fan base, but it could be said that it made it even sweeter to go back to the big dance.
That being said, let’s review some of the main stories from that time and how the Senators got to where they are today.
Eugene Melnyk’s antics
Senator’s late boss Eugene Melnyk is not currently a popular fan base for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is on the eve of the NHL 100 classic, when he spoke to the media and hints at a potential franchise relocation, he said he could be forced to relocate the team if attendance didn’t increase.
He also noted that he did not believe in the need of a new downtown arena and suggested potential players’ salaries.
In response to the statements, in March 2018, a group of fans embarked on a GoFundMe campaign to set up billboards around the city with a message from #MelnyKout, conveying their objection to the way the team is at the top.
Many different from the organization
Later that year, more controversy surfaced.
Probably, former captain and franchise legend Daniel Alfredsson commented that he hopes to sell it to new owners to ensure a better future for the franchise, otherwise Daniel Alfredsson will serve as a senior consultant to the organization.
Additionally, Melinda Karlsson, wife of then-Captain Sens, reported that a key part of Mike Hoffman’s 2017 campaign had been traded for a week, with Melinda Karlsson having filed a protective order against Hoffman’s girlfriend, Monica Caryk. This is related to Karlsson, claiming that Caryk has released hundreds of derogatory online messages targeting her and her husband.
With the team appearing to enter rebuild mode and not willing to offer a long-term deal for Karlsson, he was also traded with the San Jose Sharks before the 2018-19 season, but the turbulent year has not yet ended.
Things get worse
In November, several players, including Matt Duchene, Thomas Chabot, Chris Tierney and Chris Wideman, were teased by the cameras of the Senate coaching staff and ridiculed the team’s status while riding Uber on a road trip. Given that the organization is seeking to turn the page and turn toward a promising future, this is clearly not the ideal time to emerge for a story of this nature. But things didn’t stop either.
Mark Stone is another casualty, traded to the Vegas Golden Knights because the team is reluctant to give him a non-moving clause. Then there was Matt Murray, who the team saw as the new pillar between the pipelines, but he didn’t exercise due to injuries and personal circumstances. The season that the team couldn’t overcome was also a bad start.
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There is also the case with Evgenii Dadanov, where the Senator lost his first-round draft pick for failing to reveal his no-trade clause, while Shane Pinto was suspended for 41 games for allowing friends to use his personal gambling app. It’s just an embarrassing blow to a fan base and organization desperate to return to the playoffs. But things started to get better.
Destiny is finally moving in the right direction
Michael Andlauer purchased the team in June 2023 and promised to spend more money on the team and find a new arena. Shortly thereafter, he hired Steve Staios as general manager and long-time executive and former player Dave Poulin to the front desk.
Then in May 2024, Travis Green took over as coach, whose role was to preach defensive responsibilities. To refine the roster, Staios went out in the past offseason and acquired Vezina Trophy champion Linus Ullmark, while also seeking veteran presence to support their young stars. Names like David Perron, Michael Amadio and Nick Cousins are brought into the fold.
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After another bad start to the season, the Senators seem to be gazing at the playoff photos for the ninth straight year. But with Ullmark’s goal and getting a buy from the team with improved defensive performance, the Senator puts himself at the buyer of the deal deadline.
They made a huge trade there, getting a comfortable effort from the Buffalo Sabres, which excelled in new landscape changes and added Fabian Zetterlund at the last minute. Since then, they have never looked back and ended up with their first playoff berth in eight years.
Hope for the future
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and many others have played the playoffs with provincial rivals Toronto Maple Leafs, and it’s also certain that they’ll be fired and ready to go.
It’s been a long time for Senators fans, and no matter how the first round unfolds, the team will be better because eventually gaining some experience and hope for the future, and it’s just the beginning.
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