The Rise And Fall of The Ottawa Senators: From Heroes to Zeros

In May of 2017, the Ottawa Senators were just a tiny little goal from going to the Stanley Cup Final, and less than two years later, their most important elements that got them that far are gone.
Most of the players that helped the Ottawa Senators reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 are gone or are on the verge of leaving. With captain Erik Karlsson traded to the Sharks, Kyle Turris exchanged in the trade that brought Matt Duchene to Ottawa who is now also gone, Mike Hoffman gone, Derick Brassard departed.

With all those players now traded, the Ottawa Senators went from heroes to zeros in under 700 days. They used to be one of Canada's most fiercest teams, but what caused their downfall?

Firstly, when the expansion draft happened, GM Pierre Dorion went on to protect defenceman Dion Phaneuf instead of protecting defenceman Marc Methot who played his heart out for his hometown team, was taken by the Vegas Golden Knights.

In the Fall of 2017, Kyle Turris, well respected teammate, was traded in the 3-team trade that brought enigmatic centreman Matt Duchene to Ottawa. So right then and there, the Sens lost the heart and soul of the team along with the guy who was the most respected player and most likely the lungs of the team.

In 2018, the Senators trade Dion Phaneuf along with Nate Thompson to the Los Angeles Kings for Marian Gaborik and Nick Shore.

May of 2018, 1-year anniversary of the team's loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

June 12th, 2018, you expect everything except a controversy in the Senators' locker room where captain Erik Karlsson's wife says that she's been harassed by teammate Mike Hoffman's wife. A week later, Mike Hoffman is traded to the San Jose Sharks for nothing. At the draft, the Senators draft Brady Tkachuk, a pick that can be defended, but decide to give the 1st-round pick that they owe the Colorado Avalanche, and make it a 2019 1st-round pick that is looking to be Jack Hughes.

The Matt Duchene trade was a disastrous trade that was going to haunt the Ottawa Senators until the end. And with the weak return the Senators acquired from the Blue Jackets for Duchene and if they re-sign Duchene and make a push for the Stanley Cup that conditional 1st Columbus gave up could be between the 21st and 30th overall.

On September 13th, 2018, Pierre Dorion trades star defenceman Erik Karlsson for a bag of pucks.

On December 6th, 2018, a video shared by an Uber driver showing players including Matt Duchene, mocking assistant coach Martin Raymond's.

That brings us to today, Senators are now last in the NHL, the return that the Senators got for these players are more than hazardous for the organization, unless Dorion wants to win the Calder Cup in the American Hockey League.