The Picture Of The Ottawa Senators Roster From 2017 In Their Current Team's Jerseys Is An Absolute Joke
Has there ever been a bigger fall from grace than the Ottawa Senators? From being a game away from the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017 with a loaded roster with players under contract for the future to being the laughing stock of the NHL.
The Senators were so set for the future in 2017. Between having the top defenseman in the league at the time in Erik Karlsson and being loaded up front on offense with Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Turris, Ryan Dzingel and Derick Brassard amongst others. Now every single one of those players I just named is gone. Every one of them! How can one franchise possibly screw that up so bad?
Frankly, I’m shocked that this joke of a franchise was even able to keep six guys. Cody Ceci, Mark Borowiecki, Zach Smith, Craig Anderson, Bobby Ryan and Jean-Gabriel Pageau are the only players remaining. I mean, let’s call a spade a spade here, I don’t think those guys were the reason they made the cup in 2017. Maybe they should of prioritized a little better, I don’t know.
Some will point the finger at Mike Hoffman’s wife for the collapse of the Sens. For bullying Erik Karlsson’s wife to the point that he wanted to be traded. And once you lose your captain and best player to something like that, it’s all downhill from there. I’m not one to point the finger at her though. I think it’s poor ownership. It starts from the top and the Sens clearly have a couple boneheads running the show there.
Every few months there is another rumor about the Senators leaving town. The team has been trying to get a new arena in the LeBreton Flats neighborhood of Ottawa for a few years now and there have been no signs of an arena. The National Capital Commission is giving Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk until February 28th to negotiate a deal with former business partner John Ruddy or the NCC will look elsewhere with the property. If the Sens lose out on LeBreton Flats, they are fucked and the chances of them moving out of town is much more likely.
Imagine that? Five years after the Senators were a game away from making the Stanley Cup Finals, they now play in Quebec City and are called the Nordiques.