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The Ottawa Senators have a rich history that dates back to the early days of the Stanley Cup. That team dissolved before the Original Six and Canada's capital was left without a team for almost 60 years. The new iteration has had great players from Daniel Alfredsson to Erik Karlsson but no championships.
Despite the lack of titles, there are a few great teams in Senators' history. Which team ranks at the top of the list? And what can the 2024-25 team do to crack the list? Let's find out our list of the top ten teams in the history of the Ottawa Senators.
Greatest team in Senators history: 2006-07
The lone Stanley Cup Final appearance in Senator's history came in 2007. They finished with 105 points, good enough for second in the Northeast Division. Their top scorer was Dany Heatley, who scored 50 goals and added 55 assists for a 105-point total. He was one of only two 50-goal scorers in the league, losing the Rocket Richard Trophy to Vincent Lecavlier.
The playoffs began with a matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Senators won the series in five games, shutting the Penguins out in Game 5. Another five-game victory followed in the second round, with three of their four victories coming in one-goal games. The Eastern Conference Final was another 4-1 series win over the first-place Sabres. The Anaheim Ducks won their lone title in a five-game Cup Final.
#2: 2002-03
Coming into 2002-03, the Senators had made the playoffs in six straight seasons but had never advanced past the second round. They responded to their playoff heartbreak with a franchise-record 113 points in the regular season. Marian Hossa led the team with 45 goals and 80 points while Daniel Alfredsson led with 51 assists. They won their division for the third time and advanced to the playoffs.
The Senators faced the New York Islanders, who had a losing record in the regular season. The Islanders won Game 1, but Ottawa took care of them from there, winning the series in five. The second round presented a tough challenge in the Philadelphia Flyers. They disposed of Philly in six games to advance to the Conference Final for the first time. The Devils went up 3-1 in the series, the Senators won games five and six, but New Jersey picked off the seventh game.
#3: 2016-17
The most recent playoff appearance in Senators history is at number three. Ottawa was an afterthought in the pre-season, owning the third-worst odds to win the Stanley Cup. They responded with a 98-point regular season, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division. Defenseman Erik Karlsson led the team with 54 assists and 71 points. Kyle Turris' 27 goals topped the list.
The playoffs began with a matchup against the Boston Bruins. Ottawa won three overtime games to take the series in six, largely thanks to Craig Anderson's .921 save percentage. The Senators beat the Rangers in six games in the second round to set up a series with the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. In Game 7 overtime, Chris Kunitz scored to send the Penguins to the Cup Final.
#4: 2005-06
The Senators came out of the 2004-05 lockout with the second-best odds to win the Stanley Cup at +900. They proved why in the regular season, tying their franchise record with 113 points. Alfredsson and Heatley tied for the team lead with 103 points. Heatley scored 50 goals again and Jason Spezza had a team-high 71 assists. They won the Northeast Division again and were the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Because of their great season, they played the Tampa Bay Lightning, who only managed 92 points, in the first round. The Senators took care of business against the defending champions, winning in five games. In the second round, the Buffalo Sabres advanced by winning four one-goal games in the five-game series.
#5: 2012-13
The 48-game 2013 season was a solid one for the Senators. They put up 56 points, a 95-point pace for a full season, and made the playoffs. Kyle Turris led the team with 12 goals, which is just part of the reason they ranked 26th in goals scored. Their success came from the defense and goaltending, led by Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson.
The playoffs began with a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. The Senators took care of business, winning in five games. Anderson was spectacular, posting a .950 save percentage in the five games to lead them to victory. The second round did not go as well, with the Penguins winning that series in five games. In contrast, Anderson's save percentage was .884 over these five games.
#6: 2001-02
The Senators put together a 94-point regular season in 2001-02. While that was lower than the year before, this ranks ahead of that season because of the way it finishes. They scored the fifth-most goals in the league in '01-'02 thanks to 37 from Alfredsson and 31 from Hossa. Radek Bonk led the team with 45 assists.
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The Senators lost the first game of the playoffs 1-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. They would not lose again in the series, winning three straight games 3-0 and the final game 2-1 in overtime. The winning streak continued with a 5-0 win in the second round against the Maple Leafs. Toronto would take Games Six and Seven to win the series.
#7: 1997-98
The first four teams in Senators' history never cracked 41 points in the regular season. After making the playoffs with a sub-500 record in Jacques Martin's first season, they finally broke through in '97-'98. The 83 points were the most in franchise history to that point. Alexi Yashin was much to thank, with a team-high 33 goals, 39 assists, and 72 points.
In just their second playoff series in franchise history, the Senators beat the Devils in six games. With New Jersey amid a three-title decade, this was seen as a pretty significant upset. The Washington Capitals ended the Cinderella run with one of their own, riding the five-game victory to the Cup Final.
#8: 2000-01
Three years later, the Senators had not won another playoff series. They came out flying in the regular season, putting up a then-franchise record 109 points and winning their division for just the second time. Yashin was dominant again, scoring 40 goals and 44 assists, totaling 84 points, all of which led the team.
The playoffs were very anti-climactic. The Maple Leafs swept the Senators thanks to goalie Curtis Joseph and his .976 save percentage. While this was a disappointing end, the season deserves to be on the list because of their great regular season.
#9: 1998-99
The earliest season on the list is the first 100-point season in Senators history. With 103 points, they won the Northeast Division for the first time and made the playoffs for just the third. A familiar tune plays us out, as Yashin led the team with 44 goals, 50 assists, and 94 points. Their defense was spectacular, allowing the fifth-fewest goals in the league.
A disappointing playoff appearance places this season well down the list. The Senators were swept by the Sabres in the first round, ending the season prematurely. While there were three one-goal games, it was still a bitter end to a great campaign.
#10: 2003-04
A 102-point season rounds out the Senators' top ten list. Marian Hossa led the league's best offense with 36 goals and 82 points. Their 262 goals paired with their top-ten defense led to another playoff appearance. While they were a great team, the playoffs were a disappointment again.
A first-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs proved to be a classic. The Senators won Game Six in double overtime to force a deciding seventh game. The Leafs took Game Seven 4-1 to end the Senators season.
