The Ottawa Senators (French: Les Sénateurs
d'Ottawa) 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 (NHL). The
Senators play their home games at the 20,500 capacity Scotiabank
Place (originally named the 'Palladium', and later the 'Corel
Centre').
Founded and established by Ottawa real
estate developer Bruce Firestone, the team is the second NHL franchise
to use the Ottawa Senators nickname. The original Ottawa Senators,
founded in 1883, had a famed history, winning 11 Stanley Cups
and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934. On December 6, 1990,
after a two year public campaign by Firestone to return the NHL
to Ottawa, the NHL awarded a new franchise, which began play in
the 199293 season. The team has had two changes of ownership,
from Firestone to Rod Bryden in 1993 due to the arena development
process and its financing, and subsequently to Eugene Melnyk after
the team filed for bankruptcy in 2003.
On the ice, the club finished last in the
league for its first four seasons. Today, the club is among the
most successful teams in the league in the standings, qualifying
for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the past 11 seasons, and in attendance.
The club won the Presidents' Trophy in 2003, and the Prince of
Wales Trophy in 2007. The team has several all-star players and
one of the league's top lines, the 'CASH' or 'Pizza' line of Daniel
Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley.