TSN’s Ottawa Senators All-Time Team Throughout Its History

On May 6, 2020, the All-Time Ottawa Senators Team was named as part of TSN’s Hockey’s All-Time 7 Project where TSN is naming all-time teams for each of the seven Canadian NHL Teams. And, on each team, TSN named 21 players, a head coach, and a GM.

The Ottawa Senators All-Time Team Members

Goalie Alec Connell

The Stanley Cup-winning Alec Connell had 43 shutouts in three seasons (1925-28), which were 16 more than any other goalie during that period and 13 more than Patrick Lalime’s 30, which are most for the second edition of the Senators.

Goalie Craig Anderson

Craig Anderson holds franchise goalie records for games and wins.

Related: Why the Ottawa Senators Would Relish a June NHL Entry Draft

Left-Defenseman Wade Redden – Right-Defenseman Erik Karlsson

Wade Redden was a national team level fixture on the blue line and the perfect complement to Erik Karlsson, who’s still an elite defenseman and one of the greatest offensive defensemen in NHL history.

Left-Defenseman King Clancy – Right-Defenseman Zdeno Chara

Five-foot-7 King Clancy is 14 inches shorter than to 6-foot-9 Zdeno Chara. According to TSN, Clancy was in the conversation for NHL MVP four seasons before being sold to Toronto, while Chara was in the conversation for the Norris Trophy three seasons before signing with the Boston Bruins as a free agent.

Left-Defenseman Chris Phillips – Right-Defenseman Anton Volchenkov

Shutdown Pair: Chris Phillips (aka The Big Rig) is the all-time Senators’ franchise leader in games played and Anton Volchenkov led the NHL in blocked shots from 2005-06 through 2009-10.

Left-Winger Dany Heatley – Center Jason Spezza – Right-Winger Daniel Alfredsson

Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson were nicknamed the Pizza Line because their scoring exploits resulted in free pizza for fans. The line had amazing chemistry, even though they had different skill sets. Together, they displayed a variety of scoring skills such as goal-scoring, playmaking, puck-handling, and creativity.

Left-Winger Cy Denneny – Center Frank Nighbor – Right-Winger Marian Hossa

Because Marian Hossa was reputed to be one of the game’s most complete players, he would have no problem fitting in with these early 20th-century goal scorers Denneny and Nighbor. Hossa might one day be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Left-Winger Shawn McEachern – Center Alexei Yashin – Right-Winger Mark Stone

Alexei Yashin was the modern-day Senators’ first big star, even though he wasn’t that happy playing in Ottawa. Shawn McEachern could score goals, and more recently Mark Stone was a great two-way player for the team.

Left-Winger Magnus Arvedson – Center Mike Fisher – Right-Winger Chris Neil

The Senators’ Checking Line included “Magnus the Machine” Arvedson and Mike Fisher, who were both Top 5 finishers in Selke Trophy voting. Chris Neil was a physical force who piled up three times as many penalty minutes (2,522) as runner-up Phillips (756).

Related: Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk: Competing for a Leadership Role

Foundational Player – LD George Boucher

Boucher was a member of the National Hockey Association (NHA) early version of the Senators for two seasons before playing 12 seasons with the NHL Senators. He led all defensemen in points and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. One team official from the 1920s bestowed high praise on Boucher: “[He] is what I know to be an honest player and an honest sportsman.”

Head Coach – Jacques Martin

The all-time franchise leader in regular-season and playoff victories won the Jack Adams Award in 1999 and led the Senators to the Presidents’ Trophy in 2003. However, the rival Toronto Maple Leafs made life tough for Martin, as they beat the Senators four times in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

General Manager – Bryan Murray

Ottawa Valley legend Murray compiled a gaudy .664 point percentage in two seasons behind the Senators’ bench – advancing and losing to Anaheim in the 2007 Cup final before joining the front office the following season. He served as GM for nine seasons before turning over the reigns to Pierre Dorion in 2016. Murray died of colon cancer in 2017.

The Last Cuts

Patrick Lalime has the lowest playoff goals-against average (1.77) of any goalie with at least 40 playoff games in the Modern Era.

Goalie: Patrick Lalime, 1999-04
Left-Defense: Marc Methot, 2012-17
Right-Defense: Jason York, 1996-01
Left-Winger: Mike Hoffman, 2013-18
Center: Radek Bonk, 1994-04
Right-Winger: Martin Havlat, 2000-06