The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The team is a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Senators were granted a franchise in 1990. The team participated in the 1992 NHL expansion draft and the 1992 NHL entry draft and began play in the 1992–93 season. Until 1996, the Senators played in the Ottawa Civic Centre. In 1996, the Senators opened the new Palladium, since renamed the Corel Centre, Scotiabank Place and Canadian Tire Centre. The team finished last overall in the league during its first four seasons. After a changing the management and head coach, the Senators appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 1997.
The Senators won the Presidents' Trophy in the 2002–03 season for placing first in the league overall during the regular season, but they were defeated in the Eastern Conference finals. During the 2004–05 season, the team operated its affiliated teams and office, but the team itself did not play due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. The team advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2006–07 season but lost in five games. In 2016–17, the Senators advanced to the Eastern Conference finals again, but lost in seven games.
Table key +Key of colors and symbolsColor/symbolExplanationStanley Cup championsConference championsDivision champions Led league in points
+Key of terms and abbreviationsTerm or abbreviationDefinitionFinishFinal position in division or league standingsGPNumber of games playedWNumber of winsLNumber of lossesTNumber of tiesOTNumber of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)PtsNumber of pointsGFGoals for (goals scored by the Senators)GAGoals against (goals scored by the Senators' opponents)—Does not apply
Year by year SeasonSenators seasonConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseasonThe result of the playoff series shows the Senators result first regardless of the outcome, followed by the opposing team in parentheses. Finish GP W L TBeginning in 2005, all games have a winner. Ties were eliminated OTBeginning in 1999, overtime (and later shootout) losses are worth one point Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result1992–931992–93WalesAdams6th8410704—24202395—————Did not qualify1993–941993–94EasternNortheast7th8414619—37201397—————Did not qualify1994–951994–95EasternNortheast7th489345—23117174—————Did not qualify1995–961995–96EasternNortheast6th8218595—41191291—————Did not qualify1996–971996–97EasternNortheast3rd82313615—772262347341314Lost in conference quarterfinals, 3–4 (Sabres)1997–981997–98EasternNortheast5th82343315—8319320011562030Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–2 (Devils)Lost in conference semifinals, 1–4 (Capitals)1998–991998–99EasternNortheast1st82442315—103239179404612Lost in conference quarterfinals, 0–4 (Sabres)1999–20001999–2000EasternNortheast2nd824128112952442106241017Lost in conference quarterfinals, 2–4 (Maple Leafs)2000–012000–01EasternNortheast1st82482194109274205404310Lost in conference quarterfinals, 0–4 (Maple Leafs)2001–022001–02EasternNortheast3rd823927979424320812752918Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Flyers)Lost in conference semifinals, 3–4 (Maple Leafs)2002–032002–03EasternNortheast1st82522181113263182181174334Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Islanders)Won in conference semifinals, 4–2 (Flyers)Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Devils)2003–042003–04EasternNortheast3rd8243231061022621897341114Lost in conference quarterfinals, 3–4 (Maple Leafs) 2004–052004–05 Season cancelled due to 2004–05 NHL Lockout 2005–062005–06EasternNortheast1st825221—911331421110553629Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Lightning)Lost in conference semifinals, 1–4 (Sabres)2006–072006–07EasternNortheast2nd824825—9105288222201375947Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Penguins)Won in conference semifinals, 4–1 (Devils)Won in conference finals, 4–1 (Sabres)Lost in Stanley Cup Final, 1–4 (Ducks) 2007–082007–08EasternNortheast2nd824331—894261247404516Lost in conference quarterfinals, 0–4 (Penguins)2008–092008–09EasternNortheast4th823635—1183217237—————Did not qualify2009–102009–10EasternNortheast2nd824432—6942252386241924Lost in conference quarterfinals, 2–4 (Penguins)2010–112010–11EasternNortheast5th823240—1074192250—————Did not qualify2011–122011–12EasternNortheast2nd824131—10922492407341314Lost in conference quarterfinals, 3–4 (Rangers)2012–132012–13EasternNortheast4th482517—65611610410553131Won in conference quarterfinals, 4–1 (Canadiens)Lost in conference semifinals, 1–4 (Penguins)2013–142013–14EasternAtlantic5th823731—1488236265—————Did not qualify2014–152014–15EasternAtlantic4th824326—13992382156241212Lost in first round, 2–4 (Canadiens)2015–162015–16EasternAtlantic5th823835—985236247—————Did not qualify2016–172016–17EasternAtlantic2nd824428—1098212214191184750Won in first round, 4–2 (Bruins)Won in second round, 4–2 (Rangers)Lost in conference finals, 3–4 (Penguins)2017–182017–18EasternAtlantic7th822843—1167221291—————Did not qualify2018–192018–19EasternAtlantic8th822947—664242302—————Did not qualify2019–202019–20EasternAtlantic7th712534—1262191243—————Did not qualify2020–212020–21EasternNorth6th562328—551157190—————Did not qualify2021–222021–22EasternAtlantic7th823342—773227266—————Did not qualify2022–232022–23EasternAtlantic6th823935—886261271—————Did not qualify2023–242023–24EasternAtlantic7th823741—478255281—————Did not qualify2024–252024–25EasternAtlantic4th824530—7972432346241619Lost in first round, 2–4 (Maple Leafs)2025–262025–26EasternAtlantic5th824427—1199278246404511 Lost in first round, 0–4 (Hurricanes)TotalsTotals as of the completion of the 2025–26 season 2,605 1,169 1,115 115 206 2,659 7,514 7,878 161 74 87 378 402 18 playoff appearances
The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 1994–95 NHL lockout. Beginning with the 1999–2000 season, teams received one point for losing a regular-season game in overtime. The season was cancelled because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Prior to the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted a penalty shootout for regular-season games that remained tied after a five-minute overtime period, which prevented ties. The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout. The season was suspended on March 12, 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 NHL season was shortened to 56 games.
All-time records Statistic GP W L T OTRegular season record (1992–present) 2,605 1,169 1,115 115 206Postseason record (1992–present) 161 74 87 — —All-time regular and postseason record 2,680 1,243 1,202 115 206All-time series record: 11–18
See also List of Ottawa Senators (original) seasons
References