2008–09 Ottawa Senators season
Encyclopedia
The 2008–09
Ottawa Senators
season was the Senators' 17th
NHL season (16th season
of play). The team started the season with a new coach Craig Hartsburg
and numerous personnel changes after narrowly making the playoffs in 2007–08. However, the team had a losing record under the new coach and he was fired in February, replaced by Binghamton Senators
coach Cory Clouston
. The team improved its record under Clouston, but not enough to qualify for the playoffs, ending an eleven-year string of qualifying for the playoffs.
, a long-time Senator, accepted a contract with the New York Rangers. Ray Emery
and Brian McGrattan
, considered bad influences in the dressing room were let go. The Senators re-signed forwards Shean Donovan
, Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette
and made several free agent signings, including Alex Auld
, Jarkko Ruutu
and Jason Smith. After an extended period of negotiations with Andrej Meszaros
failed to produce an agreement, the Tampa Bay Lightning
showed interest in the defenceman, who was a restricted free agent. Unable to provide the draft picks needed to compensate the Senators, a trade was made and the Senators received Filip Kuba
, Alex Picard
, and a first-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
.
would not sign a $3.5 million per year contract with the Senators. He instead became an 'unrestricted free agent' (UFA) on July 1 and signed a six-year, $39 million contract with the New York Rangers
. On June 13, 2008, the Senators named Craig Hartsburg
, coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
, the new head coach after interviewing Bob Hartley
and Peter DeBoer
as candidates. Hartsburg signed a three-year agreement with the Senators.
On June 20, the day of the NHL Entry Draft
, the Senators placed Ray Emery
on waivers and re-signed Chris Kelly to a four-year, $8.5-million contract. At the draft, the Senators selected Erik Karlsson
with their first-round pick (15th overall) and proceeded to select Patrick Wiercioch
(42nd overall), Zack Smith (79 overall), Andre Petersson
(109 overall), Derek Grant
(119 overall), Mark Borowiecki (139 overall), and Emil Sandin
(199 overall).
On July 1, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had signed goaltender Alex Auld
to a two-year contract worth $1 million per season. Auld is expected to serve as a backup to Martin Gerber
for the '08-'09 season.
On July 2, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had re-signed forward Shean Donovan
to a two-year contract at $625,000 per season. The Sens also announced that they have signed forward Jarkko Ruutu
to a three-year contract worth $1.3 million per season.
On July 5, the Ottawa Senators announced that Antoine Vermette
had elected to take the club to salary arbitration. The Senators and Vermette agreed to a two-year deal on July 31.
On July 8, the Senators announced that they had signed defenceman Jason Smith to a two-year, $5.2 million contract.
On July 16, the Senators announced that they will host the Detroit Red Wings in their official home-opener on October 11.
On July 17, the Ottawa Senators and CHUM Radio announced that the club and The Team 1200 had signed a multi-year extension to their agreement to broadcast Senators' games. The original 10-year contract expired at the end of the '07-'08 season.
On July 31, the Ottawa Senators and Antoine Vermette avoided going to arbitration by agreeing to terms on a new two-year contract worth $5.525 million (US). Vermette would make $2.525 million for the '08-'09 season, and $3 million in the '09-'10 season.
On August 29, in a deal similar to the Alexei Yashin
trade in 2001, former first-round pick Andrej Meszaros
was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Filip Kuba
, Alex Picard
, and a first-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
(obtained by Tampa Bay in an earlier deal with the San Jose Sharks). Meszaros was a restricted free agent demanding $1 million more per season than the Senators were willing to pay. After Tampa threatened to offer Meszaros an offer sheet with picks as compensation on August 28, the Senators decided to make a deal with Tampa. Meszaros signed a six year, $24 million dollar contract on August 30 with the Lightning.
On September 2, the Senators made a deal with the Vancouver Canucks
, and traded their defenseman Lawrence Nycholat
for a center-right wing Ryan Shannon
. On the same day, they signed another former Canucks player, Brad Isbister
, who was an unrestricted free agent. On September 27, veteran defenseman Luke Richardson
re-signed a one-year, two-way with the Ottawa Senators for a second season.
, Sweden, against the Frölunda HC Gothenburg team, which Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson
played for before joining the NHL and during the lockout.
The Senators finished the 2008 pre-season with a record of 4–2–0–0.
, Sweden
. The Senators played the Pittsburgh Penguins
twice at the Scandinavium
on October 4 and October 5. The teams split the results, the Penguins winning the first in overtime and the Senators winning the second.
New Senator defenceman Filip Kuba
picked up at least one point in each of the Senators' first eight games of the season, setting the NHL record for consecutive team games with assists from the start of a season by a defenseman. The previous mark of seven was set by Brad Park with the Bruins in 1981–82. All points were assists and Kuba did not score his first goal with the Senators until November 13.
Alexander Nikulin, who had been demoted to Binghamton, threatened to return to Russia unless he was traded. He was traded from Binghamton to the Phoenix Coyotes
' AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage
for Drew Fata
.
For a game on November 22 versus the New York Rangers
the Senators unveiled their new 'third jersey'. Marketed as 'Back in Black', the jersey is primarily black. The Senator's primary logo moves to the shoulders and the nickname 'SENS' is across the front of the jersey.
Prior to that game, the Senators players, the team below the playoff cutoff in the standings for most of October through November, decided to grow moustache
s, similar to the playoff beard
tradition of teams in the playoffs. The team started growing the moustaches following a loss to the Montreal Canadiens
on November 20. The idea originated with Dany Heatley
.
On November 27, the Senators waived Luke Richardson
, a veteran of nearly 20 years in the NHL. He was not picked up by any other team and retired. He had not seen much playing time with Senators, and had been a 'healthy scratch' several times.
From December until early January the Senators took an eight-game road trip as Scotiabank Place was used for the 2009 World Juniors tournament. The team, already well back of a playoff spot received intense scrutiny by the media, believing a 'shake-up' of some kind was imminent. The team only won one game on the road trip, and on January 7, owner Eugene Melnyk was compelled to respond to media reports of the imminent firings of Murray and Hartsburg:
At the end of the road trip on January 8, the club was 13 points behind the eighth and final playoff spot, held by the Buffalo Sabres
. The Ottawa Citizen, launched the 'Tavares Cup' similar in spirit to the 'Daigle Cup' of 1993, to keep track of the bottom five teams in the league, all of which had a chance, at least via the draft lottery, to draft the highly-rated junior. At the time of the start of the 'competition', the Senators were within the lowest five teams in the league.
Also on January 7, forward Jarkko Ruutu received a suspension of two games for biting in an altercation with a Buffalo forward on January 6. It was Ruutu's second suspension of the season, after elbowing a Montreal Canadiens forward earlier in the season.
On January 9, 2009, Brian Elliott
was recalled by Ottawa from Binghamton. He had been named the AHL's goaltender of the month for December. On January 15, 2009, Senators goaltender Martin Gerber
was demoted to the American Hockey League
's (AHL) Binghamton Senators
to a two-week conditioning stint, was placed on waivers and was assigned to Binghamton on January 27. Elliott started six games in a row and remained with Ottawa.
On January 29, less than a month after previous comments to the media about the Senators, Eugene Melnyk responded to media speculation about possible organization changes with another memorable quote:
At the time, the Senators remained near the bottom of the league in 29th place, with the lowest goal-scoring record in the league.
However, only three days later, on February 2, head coach Craig Hartsburg was fired, ending his tenure with the Senators at only 48 games. Following a 7–4 loss to the Washington Capitals
on February 1, Hartsburg had called out his team for not playing hard. Binghamton Senators
head coach Cory Clouston
was elevated to head coach of Ottawa for the balance of the season. Clouston became the fourth head coach to coach the Senators in a year, prompting the media to dub the players as "coach-killers." Assistant coach Curtis Hunt was also let go (he became the Binghamton head coach) and retired defenceman Luke Richardson
joined the coaching staff as an assistant.
On February 12, former coach John Paddock
(who had moved on to coach the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms
) weighed in on the firing, stating that at some point Murray would be held accountable:
Paddock apologized to Murray via e-mail. Murray commented "I'm disappointed and a little bit surprised by it. I'm not sure what purpose he was trying to achieve doing that. He sent me an apology. The only complaint I ever had with John was that I didn't think he worked hard enough at getting himself ready and getting the team ready to play games."
Late in February and early in March, as the season neared the trade deadline, the team still held out hold of making the playoffs although the team remained over 10 points out of a playoff spot, as the team was winning more often with Clouston. The Senators started making some deals, sending Dean McAmmond
and a 2009 first-round pick for Chris Campoli
and Mike Comrie
. By the trade deadline day March 4, Murray admitted to the media that the club would be 'sellers' and had given up hope of making the playoffs. On March 4, Antoine Vermette
was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets
for goaltender Pascal Leclaire
and a draft pick. Martin Gerber
was put on waivers three times and was finally picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs
.
Although the club improved its record under new coach Clouston, including a 10–5–0 record in March, it was not enough to salvage the season. On March 31, following a loss to the Florida Panthers
and a win by the Montreal Canadiens
, the club was eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 1996.
Although eliminated, the team continued to play well, including an nine-game win streak on home ice. By April 8, the team's record under Clouston was 19–10–3 and he was rewarded with a two-year deal to continue coaching the Senators.
#Retired.
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Senators. Stats reflect time with Senators only.
‡Traded mid-season.
After changing coaches and improving play, the Senators were not able to qualify for the playoffs. On March 31, the Senators were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.
Source: senators.nhl.com
|}
in Ottawa • Ontario
.
The Senators continued their affiliation with the Binghamton Senators
of the American Hockey League
and added an affiliation agreement with the Elmira Jackals
of the East Coast Hockey League. In previous years, Elmira had accepted players from Binghamton on a player-by-player basis. The new agreement formalized the arrangement of Elmira as the primary affiliate of Binghamton and the secondary affiliate of Ottawa.
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
season was the Senators' 17th
Ottawa Senators seasons
This is the list of all regular-season and playoff results of the Ottawa Senators ice hockey club of the National Hockey League. Individual NHL and team season articles can be accessed by links under the 'Season' and 'Team' columns of the table....
NHL season (16th season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
of play). The team started the season with a new coach Craig Hartsburg
Craig Hartsburg
Craig William Hartsburg is a retired Canadian professional hockey player and associate coach in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames. He also coached in the Ontario Hockey League. He has previously been an NHL head coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and...
and numerous personnel changes after narrowly making the playoffs in 2007–08. However, the team had a losing record under the new coach and he was fired in February, replaced by Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
coach Cory Clouston
Cory Clouston
Cory Clouston is an ice hockey coach, currently the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He has previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League , the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League , and the Kootenay Ice of...
. The team improved its record under Clouston, but not enough to qualify for the playoffs, ending an eleven-year string of qualifying for the playoffs.
Off-season
It was an off-season of numerous personnel changes. Wade ReddenWade Redden
Wade Redden is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the New York Rangers organization for its American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale. He joined the New York Rangers in 2008 after 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators...
, a long-time Senator, accepted a contract with the New York Rangers. Ray Emery
Ray Emery
Ray Emery , often nicknamed Razor or Sugar Ray, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks. He formerly played for the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey...
and Brian McGrattan
Brian McGrattan
Brian McGrattan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, considered bad influences in the dressing room were let go. The Senators re-signed forwards Shean Donovan
Shean Donovan
Shean Donovan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey Forward. A veteran of the National Hockey League, he played in 951 games spanning over seven clubs.-Playing career:...
, Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:...
and made several free agent signings, including Alex Auld
Alex Auld
Alexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL...
, Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....
and Jason Smith. After an extended period of negotiations with Andrej Meszaros
Andrej Meszároš
Andrej Meszároš is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
failed to produce an agreement, the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
showed interest in the defenceman, who was a restricted free agent. Unable to provide the draft picks needed to compensate the Senators, a trade was made and the Senators received Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
, Alex Picard
Alexandre R. Picard
Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:...
, and a first-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
2009 NHL Entry Draft
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
.
Highlights
On June 5, it was reported that Wade ReddenWade Redden
Wade Redden is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the New York Rangers organization for its American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale. He joined the New York Rangers in 2008 after 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators...
would not sign a $3.5 million per year contract with the Senators. He instead became an 'unrestricted free agent' (UFA) on July 1 and signed a six-year, $39 million contract with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. On June 13, 2008, the Senators named Craig Hartsburg
Craig Hartsburg
Craig William Hartsburg is a retired Canadian professional hockey player and associate coach in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames. He also coached in the Ontario Hockey League. He has previously been an NHL head coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and...
, coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
, the new head coach after interviewing Bob Hartley
Bob Hartley
Robert Hartley is a former head coach in the National Hockey League. He coached the Colorado Avalanche from 1998–2002, period during which he won the Stanley Cup . He also coached the Atlanta Thrashers from the 2003 up until the beginning of the 2007, when he was fired after the Thrashers got off...
and Peter DeBoer
Peter DeBoer
Peter DeBoer is the head coach of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League and current part-owner of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League...
as candidates. Hartsburg signed a three-year agreement with the Senators.
On June 20, the day of the NHL Entry Draft
NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
, the Senators placed Ray Emery
Ray Emery
Ray Emery , often nicknamed Razor or Sugar Ray, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks. He formerly played for the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey...
on waivers and re-signed Chris Kelly to a four-year, $8.5-million contract. At the draft, the Senators selected Erik Karlsson
Erik Karlsson
Erik Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
with their first-round pick (15th overall) and proceeded to select Patrick Wiercioch
Patrick Wiercioch
Patrick Wiercioch is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Wiercioch is a member of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
(42nd overall), Zack Smith (79 overall), Andre Petersson
André Petersson
André Petersson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player, currently contracted by Ottawa Senators in the NHL. He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in round 4, 109th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft....
(109 overall), Derek Grant
Derek Grant
Derek Grant is the drummer for punk band Alkaline Trio, where he replaced Mike Felumlee. He was previously a member of The Suicide Machines, Telegraph, Gyga, Thoughts of Ionesco, Remainder, Walls of Jericho, The Exceptions and Broken Spoke, a side band with Royce Nunley and Jay Navarro...
(119 overall), Mark Borowiecki (139 overall), and Emil Sandin
Emil Sandin
Emil Sandin is a professional Swedish ice hockey player. He is a forward currently playing for Rögle BK in Allsvenskan.He was drafted 199th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.-Career statistics:...
(199 overall).
On July 1, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had signed goaltender Alex Auld
Alex Auld
Alexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL...
to a two-year contract worth $1 million per season. Auld is expected to serve as a backup to Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
for the '08-'09 season.
On July 2, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had re-signed forward Shean Donovan
Shean Donovan
Shean Donovan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey Forward. A veteran of the National Hockey League, he played in 951 games spanning over seven clubs.-Playing career:...
to a two-year contract at $625,000 per season. The Sens also announced that they have signed forward Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu
Jarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....
to a three-year contract worth $1.3 million per season.
On July 5, the Ottawa Senators announced that Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:...
had elected to take the club to salary arbitration. The Senators and Vermette agreed to a two-year deal on July 31.
On July 8, the Senators announced that they had signed defenceman Jason Smith to a two-year, $5.2 million contract.
On July 16, the Senators announced that they will host the Detroit Red Wings in their official home-opener on October 11.
On July 17, the Ottawa Senators and CHUM Radio announced that the club and The Team 1200 had signed a multi-year extension to their agreement to broadcast Senators' games. The original 10-year contract expired at the end of the '07-'08 season.
On July 31, the Ottawa Senators and Antoine Vermette avoided going to arbitration by agreeing to terms on a new two-year contract worth $5.525 million (US). Vermette would make $2.525 million for the '08-'09 season, and $3 million in the '09-'10 season.
On August 29, in a deal similar to the Alexei Yashin
Alexei Yashin
Alexei Valeryevich Yashin is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a member of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League...
trade in 2001, former first-round pick Andrej Meszaros
Andrej Meszároš
Andrej Meszároš is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
, Alex Picard
Alexandre R. Picard
Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:...
, and a first-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
2009 NHL Entry Draft
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
(obtained by Tampa Bay in an earlier deal with the San Jose Sharks). Meszaros was a restricted free agent demanding $1 million more per season than the Senators were willing to pay. After Tampa threatened to offer Meszaros an offer sheet with picks as compensation on August 28, the Senators decided to make a deal with Tampa. Meszaros signed a six year, $24 million dollar contract on August 30 with the Lightning.
On September 2, the Senators made a deal with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, and traded their defenseman Lawrence Nycholat
Lawrence Nycholat
Lawrence Nycholat is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Nycholat currently is a member of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...
for a center-right wing Ryan Shannon
Ryan Shannon
Ryan Patrick Shannon is an American professional ice hockey player. Shannon is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-College career:...
. On the same day, they signed another former Canucks player, Brad Isbister
Brad Isbister
Brad Isbister is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played 541 regular season games in the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach for the Calgary Dinos men's ice hockey team.-Playing career:...
, who was an unrestricted free agent. On September 27, veteran defenseman Luke Richardson
Luke Richardson
Luke Glen Richardson is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Richardson played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League...
re-signed a one-year, two-way with the Ottawa Senators for a second season.
Pre-season
On October 2, the Senators played their first-ever game in Europe, a pre-season exhibition game in GothenburgGothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden, against the Frölunda HC Gothenburg team, which Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson
Daniel Alfredsson
Daniel Alfredsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He is the captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He is considered a leader by example and has been compared to former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman in his value to the Senators...
played for before joining the NHL and during the lockout.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 20 | 7:00pm | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
Scotiabank Place | W, 3–2 |
| September 22 | 7:00pm | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
Madison Square Garden | L, 2–1 |
| September 24 | 7:00pm | Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
Scotiabank Place | W, 3–1 |
| September 26 | 7:30pm | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
Bell Centre | L, 5–0 |
| September 27 | 7:00pm | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
Scotiabank Place | W, 3–1 |
| October 2 | 1:00pm | Frölunda HC Gothenburg | Scandinavium Arena | W, 4–1 |
The Senators finished the 2008 pre-season with a record of 4–2–0–0.
Regular season
The Senators started their season with a pair of games in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The Senators played the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
twice at the Scandinavium
Scandinavium
Scandinavium is the primary indoor sports and event arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. Construction on Scandinavium began in 1969 after decades of setbacks, the arena was built in time for the 350th year anniversary celebration of the City of Gothenburg and was inaugurated on May 18, 1971.Scandinavium...
on October 4 and October 5. The teams split the results, the Penguins winning the first in overtime and the Senators winning the second.
New Senator defenceman Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba
Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
picked up at least one point in each of the Senators' first eight games of the season, setting the NHL record for consecutive team games with assists from the start of a season by a defenseman. The previous mark of seven was set by Brad Park with the Bruins in 1981–82. All points were assists and Kuba did not score his first goal with the Senators until November 13.
Alexander Nikulin, who had been demoted to Binghamton, threatened to return to Russia unless he was traded. He was traded from Binghamton to the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
' AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage
San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:...
for Drew Fata
Drew Fata
Drew Richard Fata is a professional hockey defenceman for the Sparta Sarpsborg of the GET-ligaen. He is the younger brother of Rico Fata, who has played for several NHL teams over the course of his career....
.
For a game on November 22 versus the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
the Senators unveiled their new 'third jersey'. Marketed as 'Back in Black', the jersey is primarily black. The Senator's primary logo moves to the shoulders and the nickname 'SENS' is across the front of the jersey.
Prior to that game, the Senators players, the team below the playoff cutoff in the standings for most of October through November, decided to grow moustache
Moustache
A moustache is facial hair grown on the outer surface of the upper lip. It may or may not be accompanied by a type of beard, a facial hair style grown and cropped to cover most of the lower half of the face.-Etymology:...
s, similar to the playoff beard
Playoff beard
A playoff beard is the practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup. The tradition was started in the 1980s by...
tradition of teams in the playoffs. The team started growing the moustaches following a loss to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
on November 20. The idea originated with Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
.
On November 27, the Senators waived Luke Richardson
Luke Richardson
Luke Glen Richardson is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Richardson played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League...
, a veteran of nearly 20 years in the NHL. He was not picked up by any other team and retired. He had not seen much playing time with Senators, and had been a 'healthy scratch' several times.
From December until early January the Senators took an eight-game road trip as Scotiabank Place was used for the 2009 World Juniors tournament. The team, already well back of a playoff spot received intense scrutiny by the media, believing a 'shake-up' of some kind was imminent. The team only won one game on the road trip, and on January 7, owner Eugene Melnyk was compelled to respond to media reports of the imminent firings of Murray and Hartsburg:
“Contrary to what is being reported today by the media, I have made no decisions with respect to any personnel changes within the Senators organization. Winning remains our No. 1 priority and there is a collective focus by our management, our coaching staff and our players to deliver this to our fans.
I, along with our fans, will do nothing but continue to remain fully committed to our Senators and enthusiastically cheer them on to a successful second half of the season.
This is crunch time. Now, more than ever, is the time to rally behind our team. We don’t surrender half-way though the season.
Every victory from here on in matters. We know it and the fans know it. Period.”
At the end of the road trip on January 8, the club was 13 points behind the eighth and final playoff spot, held by the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
. The Ottawa Citizen, launched the 'Tavares Cup' similar in spirit to the 'Daigle Cup' of 1993, to keep track of the bottom five teams in the league, all of which had a chance, at least via the draft lottery, to draft the highly-rated junior. At the time of the start of the 'competition', the Senators were within the lowest five teams in the league.
Also on January 7, forward Jarkko Ruutu received a suspension of two games for biting in an altercation with a Buffalo forward on January 6. It was Ruutu's second suspension of the season, after elbowing a Montreal Canadiens forward earlier in the season.
On January 9, 2009, Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, 291st overall...
was recalled by Ottawa from Binghamton. He had been named the AHL's goaltender of the month for December. On January 15, 2009, Senators goaltender Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
was demoted to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's (AHL) Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
to a two-week conditioning stint, was placed on waivers and was assigned to Binghamton on January 27. Elliott started six games in a row and remained with Ottawa.
On January 29, less than a month after previous comments to the media about the Senators, Eugene Melnyk responded to media speculation about possible organization changes with another memorable quote:
“Anybody that says we should blow up this organization should get their own bomb and go blow themselves up.”
At the time, the Senators remained near the bottom of the league in 29th place, with the lowest goal-scoring record in the league.
However, only three days later, on February 2, head coach Craig Hartsburg was fired, ending his tenure with the Senators at only 48 games. Following a 7–4 loss to the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
on February 1, Hartsburg had called out his team for not playing hard. Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
head coach Cory Clouston
Cory Clouston
Cory Clouston is an ice hockey coach, currently the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He has previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League , the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League , and the Kootenay Ice of...
was elevated to head coach of Ottawa for the balance of the season. Clouston became the fourth head coach to coach the Senators in a year, prompting the media to dub the players as "coach-killers." Assistant coach Curtis Hunt was also let go (he became the Binghamton head coach) and retired defenceman Luke Richardson
Luke Richardson
Luke Glen Richardson is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Richardson played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League...
joined the coaching staff as an assistant.
On February 12, former coach John Paddock
John Paddock
Alvin John Paddock is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . During his long career in the American Hockey League he won five Calder Cup championships and was inducted into the AHL's Hall...
(who had moved on to coach the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
) weighed in on the firing, stating that at some point Murray would be held accountable:
“I think now he's next in line. We were 14 games over .500 when I was fired. They're seven under now. Somebody needs to take responsibility for that. Whether the coaches he hired and fired were good or not, they're his players and they're either not playing good or can't play, one or the other.” He was then asked which was the case: “The players are not very good, that's the problem.”
Paddock apologized to Murray via e-mail. Murray commented "I'm disappointed and a little bit surprised by it. I'm not sure what purpose he was trying to achieve doing that. He sent me an apology. The only complaint I ever had with John was that I didn't think he worked hard enough at getting himself ready and getting the team ready to play games."
Late in February and early in March, as the season neared the trade deadline, the team still held out hold of making the playoffs although the team remained over 10 points out of a playoff spot, as the team was winning more often with Clouston. The Senators started making some deals, sending Dean McAmmond
Dean McAmmond
Dean McAmmond is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. McAmmond has played in the National Hockey League since 1991 for several teams and is currently a free agent.-Pre-NHL career:...
and a 2009 first-round pick for Chris Campoli
Chris Campoli
Chris Campoli is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens. Campoli previously played with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders.- Junior career :...
and Mike Comrie
Mike Comrie
Michael William "Mike" Comrie is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre.He is married to Hilary Duff.-Playing career:Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School...
. By the trade deadline day March 4, Murray admitted to the media that the club would be 'sellers' and had given up hope of making the playoffs. On March 4, Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette
Antoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:...
was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
for goaltender Pascal Leclaire
Pascal Leclaire
Pascal Leclaire is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Leclaire is currently an unrestricted free agent. Leclaire played three years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and was selected eighth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft...
and a draft pick. Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
was put on waivers three times and was finally picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Although the club improved its record under new coach Clouston, including a 10–5–0 record in March, it was not enough to salvage the season. On March 31, following a loss to the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
and a win by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, the club was eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 1996.
Although eliminated, the team continued to play well, including an nine-game win streak on home ice. By April 8, the team's record under Clouston was 19–10–3 and he was rewarded with a two-year deal to continue coaching the Senators.
Game log
| 2008–09 Game log | |
|---|---|
| Legend: | |
| @ Indicates away game. S Played at Scandinavium Arena, Stockholm, SE. † First game in Sweden is considered a "home" game. |
|
Skaters
| Regular season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ss="wikitable sortable" width="100%"> | ||||||
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
| 79 | 24 | 50 | 74 | +7 | 24 | |
| 82 | 32 | 41 | 73 | -14 | 79 | |
| 82 | 39 | 33 | 72 | -11 | 88 | |
| 71 | 3 | 37 | 40 | +4 | 28 | |
| 78 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 0 | 66 | |
| 81 | 17 | 15 | 32 | -10 | 59 | |
| ‡ | 62 | 9 | 19 | 28 | -12 | 42 |
| 82 | 12 | 11 | 23 | -10 | 38 | |
| 82 | 6 | 16 | 22 | -14 | 66 | |
| 78 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 144 | |
| 53 | 6 | 15 | 21 | -5 | 24 | |
| 35 | 8 | 12 | 20 | -1 | 2 | |
| 76 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 0 | 33 | |
| 47 | 6 | 8 | 14 | -2 | 8 | |
| 53 | 2 | 11 | 13 | -2 | 33 | |
| † | 25 | 5 | 8 | 13 | +4 | 12 |
| 65 | 5 | 5 | 10 | -2 | 34 | |
| 60 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -13 | 146 | |
| 68 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -10 | 36 | |
| ‡ | 44 | 3 | 4 | 7 | +2 | 16 |
| † | 22 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -7 | 6 |
| 50 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -8 | 26 | |
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 0 | |
| 63 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 47 | |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 15 | |
| # | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 2 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Goaltenders
| Regular season | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ss="wikitable sortable" width="100%"> | |||||||||||
| Player | GP | Min | W | L | OT | GA | GAA | SA | SV | Sv% | SO |
| 43 | 2449 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 101 | 2.47 | 1141 | 1040 | .911 | 1 | |
| 31 | 1667 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 77 | 2.77 | 786 | 709 | .902 | 1 | |
| ‡ | 14 | 839 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 40 | 2.86 | 397 | 357 | .899 | 1 |
#Retired.
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Senators. Stats reflect time with Senators only.
‡Traded mid-season.
Playoffs
The Senators attempted to make the playoffs for the 12th straight season. Prior to the season, a majority of predictions by the media placed the Senators to finish in the playoffs in fourth or lower. Some, including the Hockey News' Adam Proteau, placed the team to miss the playoffs. However, if they make the playoffs, Proteau plans to“Commission a musical mash-up consisting of Alanis Morissette and Paul Anka music – and Tom Green’s short-lived professional rap career – and listen to it on repeat for an entire drive from Toronto to Ottawa. And back, even.”The Hockey News, December 11, 2008
After changing coaches and improving play, the Senators were not able to qualify for the playoffs. On March 31, the Senators were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.
Records
- NHL record for consecutive team games with assists from the start of a season by a defenseman (8) - Filip Kuba.
- March 5, 2009 - Jason Spezza scored at 0:12 of the first period to set a new Senators record for the fastest goal from the start of a game.
- April 7, 2009 - won ninth consecutive home game to set new team record.
Milestones
| Regular season | ||
| Player | Milestone | Reached |
| Chris Phillips Chris Phillips Chris Phillips is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He has been a member of the Ottawa Senators for his entire career, which began with the 1997–98 season. He also serves as their alternate captain and is regarded... |
700th NHL game | October 4, 2008 |
| Filip Kuba Filip Kuba Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League... |
First assist with Ottawa First point with Ottawa |
October 4, 2008 |
| Alex Auld Alex Auld Alexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL... |
First game with Ottawa First start with Ottawa First win with Ottawa |
October 5, 2008 |
| Alexandre R. Picard Alexandre R. Picard Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:... |
First goal with Ottawa First point with Ottawa |
October 11, 2008 |
| Chris Kelly | 100th career point | October 18, 2008 |
| Alexandre R. Picard Alexandre R. Picard Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:... |
100th NHL game | October 25, 2008 |
| Dany Heatley Dany Heatley Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002... |
291st career point with Ottawa (passing Shawn McEachern Shawn McEachern Shawn K. McEachern is an American ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is the current head boys' varsity ice hockey coach at The Rivers School, an independent 6–12 school in Weston, Massachusetts.... for 7th on Senators' all-time point scoring list) |
November 6, 2008 |
| Jesse Winchester Jesse Winchester (ice hockey) Graham Jesse Winchester is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Winchester was born in Cornwall and raised in nearby Long Sault... |
First NHL goal | November 6, 2008 |
| Zack Smith | First NHL game | November 29, 2008 |
| Brendan Bell Brendan Bell Brendan Bell is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman currently signed with the New York Rangers.-Junior:Prior to being drafted by the NHL, Bell attended High School at St. Pius X High School . He grew up a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bell played in the CJHL for the Ottawa Jr. Senators where he was... |
First goal with Ottawa First assist with Ottawa First point with Ottawa |
December 3, 2008 |
| Jason Spezza Jason Spezza Jason Anthony Rocco Spezza is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre, an alternate captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League... |
Second career Hat-Trick | December 6, 2008 |
| Dany Heatley Dany Heatley Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002... |
500th career point | December 20, 2008 |
| Jason Smith | First goal with Ottawa First point with Ottawa |
December 20, 2008 |
| Martin Gerber Martin Gerber Martin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien... |
100th game in net for OttawaA | January 8, 2009 |
| Mike Fisher | 500th regular-season NHL game | January 13, 2009 |
| Peter Regin Peter Regin Peter Regin Jensen is a Danish professional ice hockey player with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by Ottawa in the third round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft... |
First NHL game | January 20, 2009 |
| Peter Regin | First NHL goal | January 29, 2009 |
| Daniel Alfredsson | 900th regular-season NHL game | February 1, 2009 |
| Shean Donovan Shean Donovan Shean Donovan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey Forward. A veteran of the National Hockey League, he played in 951 games spanning over seven clubs.-Playing career:... |
900th regular-season NHL game | February 14, 2009 |
| Jason Spezza | 391st point with Senators (passing Marian Hossa Marian Hossa Marián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and... for fifth on Senators' all-time point scoring list) |
February 14, 2009 |
| Jason Smith | 1000th regular-season NHL game | February 17, 2009 |
| Daniel Alfredsson | 350th NHL goal | March 7, 2009 |
| Jason Spezza | 400th point with Senators (passing Radek Bonk Radek Bonk Radek Bonk is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga.-Playing career:... for fourth on Senators' all-time point scoring list) |
March 11, 2009 |
| Brian Elliott | First NHL shutout. | March 29, 2009 |
- ALater demoted to Binghamton and released on waivers, it was also his last game with Ottawa.
Transactions
- May 29, 2008 - re-signed Jesse WinchesterJesse Winchester (ice hockey)Graham Jesse Winchester is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Winchester was born in Cornwall and raised in nearby Long Sault...
- June 2, 2008 - signed Peter ReginPeter ReginPeter Regin Jensen is a Danish professional ice hockey player with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He was drafted by Ottawa in the third round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft...
to entry-level contract. - June 13, 2008 - signed Craig Hartsburg to a three-year contract.
- June 18, 2008 - re-signed Matt CarknerMatt CarknerMatthew Carkner is a Canadian is a professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
to a two-year contract. - June 20, 2008 - placed Ray EmeryRay EmeryRay Emery , often nicknamed Razor or Sugar Ray, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks. He formerly played for the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey...
on waivers. (bought out) - June 20, 2008 - re-signed Chris Kelly
- July 1, 2008 - signed Alex AuldAlex AuldAlexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL...
to two-year contract - July 2, 2008 - re-signed Shean DonovanShean DonovanShean Donovan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey Forward. A veteran of the National Hockey League, he played in 951 games spanning over seven clubs.-Playing career:...
- July 2, 2008 - signed Jarkko RuutuJarkko RuutuJarkko Ruutu ; born August 23, 1975) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Ruutu is currently playing for SM-Liiga team Jokerit. He is the brother of Tuomo Ruutu, currently playing in the NHL on the Carolina Hurricanes, and retired player Mikko Ruutu....
- July 7, 2008 - re-signed Greg MauldinGreg MauldinGreg Mauldin is an American professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League under contract to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
to a one-year, two-way contractTwo-way contractA two-way contract is a professional sports contract which stipulates that an athlete’s salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play in...
. - July 8, 2008 - signed Jason Smith
- July 11, 2008 - signed Mitchell O'Keefe to a one-year, entry-level contract.
- July 11, 2008 - signed Brendan BellBrendan BellBrendan Bell is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman currently signed with the New York Rangers.-Junior:Prior to being drafted by the NHL, Bell attended High School at St. Pius X High School . He grew up a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bell played in the CJHL for the Ottawa Jr. Senators where he was...
to a one-year, two-way contract. - July 11, 2008 - signed Curtis HuntCurtis HuntCurtis Hunt is a retired professional ice hockey player who currently is the head coach for the Regina Pats os the Western Hockey League .-Playing career:...
to a three-year contract. - July 28, 2008 - re-signed Jeff Glass to a one-year, two-way contract.
- July 29, 2008 - re-signed Josh HennessyJosh HennessyJoshua Hennessy is an American professional ice hockey player. Hennessy is currently a member of the Boston Bruins organization. Hennessy most recently played for HC Lugano in 2010/11 and previously for the Ottawa Senators organization....
to a two-year, two-way contract. - July 31, 2008 - re-signed Antoine VermetteAntoine VermetteAntoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:...
to a two-year contract. - August 11, 2008 - re-signed Geoff Waugh to a one-year, two-way contract.
- August 14, 2008 - signed Zack Smith to an entry-level contract.
- September 4, 2008 - signed Brad IsbisterBrad IsbisterBrad Isbister is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played 541 regular season games in the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach for the Calgary Dinos men's ice hockey team.-Playing career:...
to a one-year, two-way contract. - September 27, 2008 - re-signed Luke RichardsonLuke RichardsonLuke Glen Richardson is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Richardson played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League...
to a one-year, two-way contract. - September 27, 2008 - assigned Brad IsbisterBrad IsbisterBrad Isbister is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played 541 regular season games in the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach for the Calgary Dinos men's ice hockey team.-Playing career:...
to Binghamton. Isbister declined and was loaned to EV ZugEV ZugEV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season....
on October 4. - October 30, 2008 - re-signed Daniel AlfredssonDaniel AlfredssonDaniel Alfredsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He is the captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . He is considered a leader by example and has been compared to former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman in his value to the Senators...
to a four-year contract extension. - November 27, 2008 - placed Luke RichardsonLuke RichardsonLuke Glen Richardson is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Richardson played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League...
on waivers. (retired) - January 22, 2009 - placed Martin GerberMartin GerberMartin Gerber is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Växjö Lakers Hockey of the Elitserien...
on waivers. (assigned to Binghamton) - February 2, 2009 - fire Craig Hartsburg as head coach, elevate Cory CloustonCory CloustonCory Clouston is an ice hockey coach, currently the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He has previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League , the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League , and the Kootenay Ice of...
to head coach. - March 4, 2009 - re-signed Filip KubaFilip KubaFilip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League...
to three-year contract extension at $3.7 million per season. - March 9, 2009 - signed free agent Craig SchiraCraig SchiraCraig Schira is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
to three-year entry-level contract.
Source: senators.nhl.com
Trades
| June 20, 2008 |
To Nashville Predators Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... First-round (18th overall) pick in 2008 Draft (Chet Pickard Chet Pickard Chet Pickard is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:... ) Third-round pick in 2009 Draft 2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... First-round (15th overall) pick in 2008 Draft 2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008... (Erik Karlsson Erik Karlsson Erik Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League... ) |
| June 25, 2008 |
To Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... Brian McGrattan Brian McGrattan Brian McGrattan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Fifth-round pick in 2009 2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or... |
| August 29, 2008 |
To Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... Andrej Meszaros Andrej Meszároš Andrej Meszároš is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... First-round pick (from San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... )in 2009 2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or... Filip Kuba Filip Kuba Filip Kuba is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League... Alexandre Picard Alexandre R. Picard Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:... |
| September 2, 2008 |
To Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... Lawrence Nycholat Lawrence Nycholat Lawrence Nycholat is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Nycholat currently is a member of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Ryan Shannon Ryan Shannon Ryan Patrick Shannon is an American professional ice hockey player. Shannon is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-College career:... |
| November 1, 2008 |
To Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... Alexander Nikulin |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Drew Fata Drew Fata Drew Richard Fata is a professional hockey defenceman for the Sparta Sarpsborg of the GET-ligaen. He is the younger brother of Rico Fata, who has played for several NHL teams over the course of his career.... |
| February 20, 2009 |
To New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Dean McAmmond Dean McAmmond Dean McAmmond is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. McAmmond has played in the National Hockey League since 1991 for several teams and is currently a free agent.-Pre-NHL career:... San Jose's first-round pick (previously acquired) in 2009 Draft 2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Mike Comrie Mike Comrie Michael William "Mike" Comrie is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre.He is married to Hilary Duff.-Playing career:Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School... Chris Campoli Chris Campoli Chris Campoli is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens. Campoli previously played with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders.- Junior career :... |
| March 4, 2009 |
To Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... Antoine Vermette Antoine Vermette Antoine Vermette is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-QMJHL:... |
To Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... Pascal Leclaire Pascal Leclaire Pascal Leclaire is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Leclaire is currently an unrestricted free agent. Leclaire played three years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and was selected eighth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft... Second-round pick in 2009 Draft 2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or... |
Free agent acquisitions
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Players lost to free agency
| Player | New team |
| Mike Commodore Mike Commodore Michael Commodore is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:... |
Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| Wade Redden Wade Redden Wade Redden is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the New York Rangers organization for its American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale. He joined the New York Rangers in 2008 after 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators... |
New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
| Cory Stillman Cory Stillman Cory Stillman is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :Stillman grew up in Peterborough, Ontario playing hockey for the Minor Petes program. He also played competitive baseball. In 1989–90, Stillman played for the Peterborough Roadrunners Jr.B... |
Florida Panthers Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... |
| Randy Robitaille Randy Robitaille Randy Robitaille is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League under a professional try-out contract . Robitaille has played for nine teams in the National Hockey League... |
HC Lugano Hockey Club Lugano Hockey Club Lugano, often abbreviated to HC Lugano or HCL, is a professional ice hockey club based in Lugano, Switzerland. The team competes in the National League A and has won seven Swiss championships. The team is the twelfth most attended team in Switzerland for the 2010/11 season with 4,060... |
Waivers
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Roster
Updated March 17, 2009.|}
Draft picks
Ottawa's picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft2008 NHL Entry Draft
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008...
in Ottawa • Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Erik Karlsson Erik Karlsson Erik Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League... |
Defence | Frolunda HC Gothenburg Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... (Sweden Jr.) |
|
| 2 | 42 | Patrick Wiercioch Patrick Wiercioch Patrick Wiercioch is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Wiercioch is a member of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:... |
Defence | Omaha Lancers Omaha Lancers The Omaha Lancers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .From 2002-2009, the Lancers' home ice was the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. Until the 2001-2002 season, the Lancers played at... (USHL) |
|
| 3 | 79 | Zack Smith | Center | Swift Current Broncos Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos... (WHL) |
|
| 4 | 109 | Andre Petersson André Petersson André Petersson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player, currently contracted by Ottawa Senators in the NHL. He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in round 4, 109th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.... |
Forward | HV71 Jonkoping (Sweden Jr.) | |
| 4 | 119 | Derek Grant Derek Grant (ice hockey) Derek Grant is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Binghamton Senators in the American Hockey League... |
Center | Langley Chiefs Langley Chiefs The Langley Rivermen are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at Langley Events Center.-History:... (BCHL) |
|
| 5 | 139 | Mark Borowiecki | Defence | Smiths Falls Bears Smiths Falls Bears The Smiths Falls Bears are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. They were original members, but then left Smiths Falls in 1976... (CJHL) |
|
| 7 | 199 | Emil Sandin Emil Sandin Emil Sandin is a professional Swedish ice hockey player. He is a forward currently playing for Rögle BK in Allsvenskan.He was drafted 199th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.-Career statistics:... |
Forward | Brynas IF Gavle (Sweden Jr.) |
Farm teams
- Binghamton SenatorsBinghamton SenatorsThe Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
(American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
) - Elmira JackalsElmira JackalsThe Elmira Jackals are an ice hockey team that play in the ECHL. Their home games are played in First Arena in Elmira, New York and they refer to themselves as "the beasts of the east"...
(East Coast Hockey League)
The Senators continued their affiliation with the Binghamton Senators
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and added an affiliation agreement with the Elmira Jackals
Elmira Jackals
The Elmira Jackals are an ice hockey team that play in the ECHL. Their home games are played in First Arena in Elmira, New York and they refer to themselves as "the beasts of the east"...
of the East Coast Hockey League. In previous years, Elmira had accepted players from Binghamton on a player-by-player basis. The new agreement formalized the arrangement of Elmira as the primary affiliate of Binghamton and the secondary affiliate of Ottawa.