Eugene Melnyk had unwavering belief in the Ottawa Senators, expressing it boldly and with his characteristic bravado. This conviction made the Senators` late owner a prominent figure in the league. Until his passing in 2022, he firmly maintained that Ottawa would once again become a playoff contender.
In 2020, Melnyk confidently stated, `I truly believe that we are a Stanley Cup winner within four years. It can happen any time, but within four years.`
This declaration was audacious and perfectly reflected Melnyk`s personality. At that time, Ottawa had not reached the postseason since their Game 7 defeat in the 2017 Eastern Conference finals. The team had transitioned from being on the verge of the Stanley Cup Final to enduring consecutive losing seasons.
Melnyk supported his bold words with a comprehensive 112-page plan, developed with then-general manager Pierre Dorion, outlining how Ottawa would achieve the high standard he had set. They were prepared to invest up to the salary cap to realize his vision.
The specifics of that document may remain undisclosed. However, it is evident that Ottawa significantly underperformed in meeting Melnyk`s expectations.
For seven long years, the Senators struggled, experiencing both highs and lows. But now, finally, they have achieved a breakthrough.
The Senators have officially reclaimed their status as playoff contenders, securing the Eastern Conference`s first wild-card spot on Sunday.
Their qualification wasn`t elegant; Ottawa clinched their spot following a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, due to the Montreal Canadiens` victory over the Detroit Red Wings on the same night, the Senators qualified regardless.
As they say, they don`t ask how, only how many, right?
But in all seriousness, how did the Senators accomplish this? It`s a complex story. However, several key factors propelled Ottawa to overcome their challenges and brought them closer to potentially fulfilling Melnyk`s prediction of a championship-caliber future.
`It`s a good first step for this group,` said GM Steve Staios regarding reaching the postseason. `I`m really excited for our players. From day one when they came into training camp, you could see that there was this motivation.`
The Senators did not return to the playoffs during Melnyk`s lifetime. Dorion, who joined the Senators just before their remarkable run to the conference finals, also failed to lead Ottawa back to the postseason before his dismissal in 2023.
Ottawa`s dramatic fall from Eastern Conference favorites to bottom-dwellers was perplexing. The Senators finished the 2017-18 season in 30th place, marking the beginning of a surprisingly rapid rebuild. Star defenseman Erik Karlsson was traded to San Jose in September 2018, preceding a dismal season that led to the departure of Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel. All three veterans were traded by the 2019 deadline. By March 2019, the Senators were in last place, and head coach Guy Boucher was fired. Ottawa was in desperate need of change.
DJ Smith took over as Ottawa`s coach for the 2019-20 season, aiming to revitalize the young Senators. Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, and Drake Batherson were already part of the lineup, and by 2020, Ottawa had drafted first-round picks Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson.
Dorion escalated the rebuild in 2022, trading for Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, and signing free agent Claude Giroux to strengthen the Senators` prospects. However, Ottawa missed the playoffs again the following season by six points.
DeBrincat, however, had seen enough. He informed the Senators of his reluctance to sign a long-term contract, leading Dorion to trade him to Detroit. Talbot was also not retained. Suddenly, the Senators were experiencing significant turnover from almost every angle. Following Melnyk`s death in 2022, the franchise was sold to businessman Michael Andlauer in June 2023. A new chapter had begun, but it started turbulently.
Early in the 2023-24 season, Ottawa was penalized by the league and lost a first-round draft pick due to their invalidated 2021 trade involving Evgenii Dadonov and the Anaheim Ducks. This penalty cost Dorion his position in November 2023. Staios, then president of hockey operations for Ottawa, also assumed GM responsibilities.
Amidst the off-ice turmoil, the Senators` on-ice performance was dismal. Their poor 11-15 record led to Smith`s dismissal in December, replaced by former coach and team advisor Jacques Martin. Despite Ottawa`s young talent, the Senators slumped again, finishing seventh in the Atlantic Division.
Subsequently, three key philosophical changes propelled them from the bottom to the postseason, with the long-term belief that this is just the start of a new era of contention.
Ottawa Trusted the Process
Stutzle was candid after the Senators secured their postseason spot, likely voicing what many of his teammates were thinking.
`We`ve been through some s— here,` Stutzle admitted after the loss to Columbus. `Some tough years. I`m just really proud of the guys, how we`re all hanging in here. I don`t think there`s a team who deserves it more than us. I think we worked really hard this year.`
Ottawa`s current success is made more meaningful by their recent challenging history.
When Thomas Chabot debuted with the Senators in 2016-17, they had missed the playoffs only four times since 1996-97. The young defenseman anticipated frequent postseason appearances in the NHL. Instead, it took over 500 career games before Chabot was guaranteed his first opportunity to play in the playoffs.
`You`re not going to see me smile a whole lot after a loss,` Chabot joked after the Senators clinched their spot, `but, man, it feels great.`
Tkachuk understands this sentiment. The Senators` captain has played over 500 professional games and accumulated over 400 career points. He has strived to lead Ottawa to the postseason in previous seasons, but they have consistently fallen short. Tkachuk`s dedication to the Senators has never been questioned, especially when trade rumors surfaced earlier this season.
In early February, as the Senators were climbing the standings, media reports linked Tkachuk to the New York Rangers.
Andlauer was angered by this and even considered requesting a league investigation into the Rangers for potential tampering. Tkachuk responded with his performance on the ice, continuing to lead the Senators. The situation was a distraction for the team, conflicting with their internal strategy of leveraging their young core for a playoff return.
However, these young stars couldn`t achieve this alone. Veterans like Giroux and David Perron have been crucial in supporting the team`s development with their leadership. Giroux, since joining as a free agent in 2022, has proven his enduring skill, scoring 35 goals and 79 points the following season. The 35-year-old continues to play a significant offensive role and provides stability during challenges.
`Some games maybe we weren`t at our best. But we`ve been finding ways,` Giroux noted. `When you`re not playing your best and you`re finding ways to win, that`s a good sign. You can just tell that everybody wants to play the right way. It`s fun to play that way.`
Giroux also brings valuable playoff experience, although limited in the past decade. Since the 2012-13 season with Philadelphia, Giroux has reached the postseason only five times, most recently with Florida in 2021-22. He is still seeking his first Stanley Cup.
Perron won a Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and reached the Cup Final with Vegas the year before. He understands what`s needed to reach that pinnacle. While it`s uncertain if the Senators will go all the way this year, taking the first step toward that ultimate goal is a vital stage in Ottawa`s progress.
`I`ve won [before], but I see other guys like Claude, and so many other guys [who haven`t],` Perron said. `You want to do it for them. You want them to experience a run, you want to give that experience to the younger players.`
Ottawa steadily positioned themselves for this opportunity. The difficult years have strengthened the team`s key players, and they are determined to make the most of this chance.
Ottawa Found the Right Coach
The Senators needed a fresh perspective to complement their new owner and general manager. Travis Green, hired in May 2024, was the chosen leader.
Green quickly recognized Ottawa`s readiness to move past their losing streak.
`From day one, they were open-minded, and open to wanting to win badly,` Green stated. `They`re open to coaching, and it`s the whole team. That`s not always the case.`
Green`s coaching experience included a full-time role with the Vancouver Canucks from 2017 to 2021 and an interim position with the New Jersey Devils in 2023-24.
He referred to the Senators` receptiveness to coaching after they navigated their most challenging period of the season – a 5-8-1 stretch in November that could have derailed their playoff aspirations.
`[That] was a big part of our season,` Green explained. `It`s one thing to say you`re open to coaching. It`s another thing to do it. Being able to have an honest conversation and players be open to hearing things they do not necessarily want to hear. But there are certain parts of every player`s game where they must be a little better. [Then they have to] agree with it, and then try to do it.`
In turn, Green has received praise from Ottawa`s management for his leadership.
`The vision that Travis had, and how he`s been able to coach this group and turn it from where we were last year to be able to play the type of hockey to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs [is huge],` Staios commented.
Green`s ability to shift Ottawa`s mindset and implement a winning structure was crucial in realizing the organization`s playoff goals. Staios was confident in Green`s ability to guide the Senators toward winning. While many coaches can design strategies, Green`s effectiveness lies in how players have embraced and executed his approach, ultimately changing Ottawa`s trajectory.
`I know how badly they want to win,` Green said. `You don`t always get into the playoffs, but being on the side of our room, I truly felt like this group was willing to do whatever it took to take the next step. Now we`ve gotten there.`
Ottawa Fixed Its Defense, and Got the Right Goaltending
This was the Senators` masterpiece: a complete commitment to the defensive aspect of their game.
Ottawa needed to solidify both ends of the ice to reach the playoffs. Green provided the strategy, and the players diligently implemented it.
`I`ve learned a lot from [Green], especially [with] the defensive side of things,` Tkachuk acknowledged. `It`s easy to see now when he shows the mistakes that we`ve made and how we can correct them.`
Again, Ottawa`s patience played a role. The Senators didn`t begin the season as defensive specialists. They started with an 11-12-2 record, ranking 26th overall and eighth in goals against per game (3.20).
Emotions were intense and often escalated. However, Green maintained his principles and supported his players as they internalized his teachings. Green`s confidence in transforming Stutzle, Tkachuk, and others into well-rounded players underscored his faith in their potential. The Senators` core simply needed to commit.
`He`s got a unique way of being hard and holding players accountable,` Staios said of Green. `But also developing that relationship and having a real honest, open line of communication.`
Eventually, Ottawa made progress. In the subsequent 25 games from early December through January, the Senators demonstrated significant defensive improvement, going 15-8-2 and allowing the second-fewest goals per game in the league (2.20).
Overall, Ottawa has improved dramatically. They reduced their goals allowed per game at 5-on-5 from 2.34 last season to just 1.84 this season. The Senators have 21 wins this season when being outshot by their opponents, ranking fourth in the NHL. This is more than their combined total for the previous two seasons.
Ottawa needed to be defensively sound because their offense wasn`t always reliable. The Senators rank 22nd in scoring this season (2.89 goals per game) and 30th in even-strength goals (131). Their 15th-ranked power play (22.8%) has been helpful at times.
Regardless, Green is establishing a sustainable system in Ottawa, not a temporary fix. This is building a foundation for the Senators to consistently contend for the playoffs annually. Ottawa`s defensive improvement is attributed not only to Green and the forwards but also to their finally dependable goaltending.
Ottawa had cycled through numerous goalies during their seven-year playoff drought. Craig Anderson had the most starts (133) before leaving in 2020. There were unsuccessful attempts with Matt Murray and Talbot. Anton Forsberg (130 starts) tried to fill the gaps, and Joonas Korpisalo also had a brief, unsuccessful period with the Senators.
It wasn`t until June that Ottawa acquired the right No. 1 goalie. Staios negotiated a deal with Boston to acquire Linus Ullmark, who immediately signed a four-year extension, committing to the organization.
Ullmark had just won the Vezina Trophy in 2023 and shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman. Boston`s decision to prioritize Swayman benefited Ottawa. Notably, the Senators are in the playoffs this season, while Boston is positioned for a top-5 draft pick.
Despite injury challenges, Ullmark has been a reliable presence in net, a significant upgrade for Ottawa. Last season, the Senators had a team save percentage of .879. This season, Ullmark has a 24-14-3 record, with a .911 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average. These are the third-most wins for a goalie in their first full season with Ottawa. Ullmark has also been an excellent partner to Forsberg, who has also improved his stats this season (10-12-2, .904 SV% and 2.66 GAA).
Now, Ullmark aims for the Senators` tandem to excel in the playoffs. He remembers long playoff droughts from his seven years with the Buffalo Sabres. While he experienced playoff hockey for three years with Boston, he empathizes with Ottawa teammates who are now entering this stage.
`I`m happy now that the guys now that have been there for a long time,` Ullmark said. `Like [Chabot] and [Tkachuk], for example, to have been there the longest, and now have an opportunity to play really meaningful games and get into a position where you can battle for the Cup.`
Ottawa might not win the Stanley Cup this season or in the near future. The crucial point is they are now officially contenders. This is all Chabot wanted when he joined Ottawa – to be an active participant in late spring hockey, not just an observer.
Finally, for the Senators, that aspiration has become a reality.
Rupert Hartwell