Senators All Time 25th Anniversary Team

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Post on Jan 26, 2025

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Senators All-Time 25th Anniversary Team: A Nostalgic Look Back (and a Few Boneheaded Mistakes I Made Along the Way)

Hey hockey fans! So, the Ottawa Senators just celebrated their 25th anniversary – can you believe it? Time flies, right? I've been a Sens fan since, well, pretty much day one. I remember being a kid, glued to the TV, watching them struggle in those early years. And man, have they struggled. But the highs, oh man, the highs have been amazing. That's why I wanted to share my take on their all-time 25th anniversary team – and yeah, I’ll even share some of my own boneheaded predictions along the way. Consider this my public apology to my fantasy hockey league.

Picking the All-Time Sens Team: A Herculean Task (and a Few Heartbreaks)

Picking an all-time team is tough. Seriously, it’s like trying to choose your favorite child – impossible! There are so many amazing players who've worn the Sens sweater. I spent weeks agonizing over this. Too many amazing players! I mean, where do you even start?

I remember when I was trying to create my own “fantasy” Senators all-time team, back in 2008. I was so sure that Chris Kelly was going to be a perennial all-star. I was so wrong. And don't even get me started on my early predictions for Jason Spezza. I thought he'd become the next Gretzky. Okay, maybe not the next Gretzky, but you get the picture. (Seriously, I still cringe thinking about it.)

The Sens have had their share of legendary players, though. You absolutely have to include guys like Daniel Alfredsson. The Captain. A true legend. His dedication to the team and the city is unmatched. He's a lock for any all-time Sens squad. Then there’s Erik Karlsson, probably the best defenseman in franchise history (and the guy who consistently broke my fantasy hockey team’s point record – thanks, Erik). His offensive prowess was unlike anything I’d ever seen, though that skating style of his probably made his career shorter than it could have been.

The Goalies: A Tale of Two Eras

The goalie position? Another tough one. The Senators haven’t exactly been blessed with a long line of Hall of Fame goaltenders. We've had some good ones, though. Patrick Lalime had some great moments. He was a solid goalie during the Sens’ playoff runs of the early 2000s. But when it comes to selecting the ultimate goaltender, I always end up circling back to Ray Emery. That guy was electric. He was either going to steal you a game, or he was going to give it away – but man, was it exciting!

Forwards: Offense, Offense, Offense!

The forward lines? It's a tough lineup to nail down. There's so much talent to choose from! But when it comes to pure offensive firepower, you have to consider Alexei Yashin. While his departure was controversial, his scoring numbers were undeniable. He single-handedly carried the Senators' offense in some seasons, and sometimes that wasn't enough. Also, Martin Havlat was pure excitement to watch, that guy was dynamic.

Beyond the superstars, there are players that deserve recognition for the part they played in the team's history. Guys like Chris Neil, a warrior who never gave up. Even though their stats may not show it as much, you can't ignore these players when you're considering the full picture of a team's history.

My Final 25th Anniversary Team (and some lessons learned)

Building this team was an incredible experience. Looking back on my mistakes, I've learned a lot about hockey analysis. It taught me to be more patient and to avoid getting too caught up in short-term performance, which led to terrible fantasy team draft picks. And it reminded me of the importance of considering a player's overall impact on the team and not just their individual statistics.

So, here's my (highly debatable) all-time Ottawa Senators 25th anniversary team:

• Goalie: Ray Emery (with a nod to Patrick Lalime)
• Defense: Erik Karlsson, (Insert another solid, all-around D-man here. This is a tough one for me!)
• Forwards: Daniel Alfredsson, Alexei Yashin, (This line is a tough call too, but these are the ones that I would choose)

This is just my opinion, of course. What's your all-time Sens team? Let me know in the comments! Go Sens Go!