2007 Ottawa Senators

c9777666

Registered User
Aug 31, 2016
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It always struck me as ironic that it was this Ottawa team compared to the run of others they had in that decade which made it to the Cup Finals (especially compared to the 2003-2006 teams).

They downgraded on someways from the prior season- no Chara, no Hasek, no Havlat- and still made the Stanley Cup Finals.

The 2006 team struck me as dominant that season (at least until Hasek got hurt). The 2007 team at times struck me as anything but dominant at times. (Looked very shaky up until Christmas).

But in the playoffs, the team that no longer had Chara/Hasek caught fire.

They beat in succession:

Pittsburgh- most improved team, Crosby/Malkin/Fleury, Hart/Art Ross/Calder

New Jersey- last year at the Meadowlands, 2 seed, Brodeur Vezina, but they had a late season coach firing

Buffalo- best record that year

And they did it in 5 games- the latter 2 series without home ice advantage. With Ray freaking Emery, who will probably never be confused with Patrick Lalime.

We know what happened in the Stanley Cup Finals vs. Anaheim, but it should be noted 3 of the Ducks' wins were by one goal- not exactly 1995/1997 in terms of a lopsided Cup Final scoring wise.

I know that Cup Final gets panned as one of the worst of the past few decades (Got lower ratings than Unhappily Ever After!) but are we sure it was as one-sided as I have heard at times on HFBoards?

Also, how much better might they have matched up with Detroit if the Ducks don't escape game 5 of the West Finals?

And how the heck did they fall apart in 2008? It was basically the same team, yet they collapsed in a way they didn't the prior two years.
 

silkyjohnson50

Registered User
Jan 10, 2007
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Also, how much better might they have matched up with Detroit if the Ducks don't escape game 5 of the West Finals?

The Pizza line vs Datsyuk/Zetterberg would have been a treat to watch for an entire series, not to mention the Hasek vs Ottawa reunion.

Detroit obviously gave Anaheim their best series and challenge that postseason, but Detroit vs Ottawa goes an easy 6-7 games I'm thinking. Detroit's blueline was banged up, missing two of their top 4 (Kronwall and Schneider), so it's not like vs Anaheim where there was basically always a Pronger/Niedermayer on the ice. Additionally, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, while clearly in their prime, were still just on the cusp of peaking - but not quite there yet. I some times wonder if that grueling series and loss to Anaheim helped push them to that next level the following year.

While I think 08 Detroit disposes of 07 Ottawa (and 07 Anaheim,) I think 07 Detroit vs Ottawa would have been a hell of a series and very entertaining with a great display of skill throughout.
 

ICM1970

Registered User
Jan 29, 2012
607
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Ottawa, ON
"And how the heck did they fall apart in 2008? It was basically the same team, yet they collapsed in a way they didn't the prior two years."

Well, I can remember some silly person at the Ottawa Sun at the beginning of that season compared the Senators to the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. You do not do something like that and not upset the hockey gods, I guess.
 

Johnny Engine

Moderator
Jul 29, 2009
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"And how the heck did they fall apart in 2008? It was basically the same team, yet they collapsed in a way they didn't the prior two years."

Well, I can remember some silly person at the Ottawa Sun at the beginning of that season compared the Senators to the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. You do not do something like that and not upset the hockey gods, I guess.

Wasn't that in 2005-06? I remember a lot of histrionic comparisons to the team with Hasek, Chara and others. Mostly the 80s Oilers.
 

ICM1970

Registered User
Jan 29, 2012
607
129
Ottawa, ON
As I remember, those sort of comments were at about the start of 2007-08, the season following Ottawa's advancing to the finals against Anaheim. I do not want to get personal or insulting or argumentative, but I found that sort of immature arrogance among many Senators fans at the time to be insufferable.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,347
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Ottawa, ON
The story behind the 2008 season was that the Sens had the best start to the season since the 1970s Canadiens and it was something that TSN and other media brought up.

The Sens had the best record in the East by the All-Star break with Paddock behind the bench of the East team before the team nose dived and he was actually fired and replaced by Murray (who had moved on to the GM position) before they backed into the playoffs and the Pens exacted revenge for the previous season's first round exit.

The actual comparison was more media driven than anything else.

As for 2007, one factor is the 12 days that the Sens had off between the conference finals and the finals.

Two weeks is just too much time without playing playoff hockey IMO, but hey, that was a terrific Ducks team and they deserve a lot of credit, particularly Niedermayer-Pahlsson-Moen..
 

GuineaPig

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Jul 11, 2011
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Wasn't that in 2005-06? I remember a lot of histrionic comparisons to the team with Hasek, Chara and others. Mostly the 80s Oilers.

No, TSN had a panel mid-way through the season (it wasn't just the Sun!) seriously discussing whether the 2007-08 Sens were the best team ever to take the ice.
 

quoipourquoi

Goaltender
Jan 26, 2009
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No, TSN had a panel mid-way through the season (it wasn't just the Sun!) seriously discussing whether the 2007-08 Sens were the best team ever to take the ice.

We had a lot of red-hot starts since the 2005-06 lockout:

2005-06 Detroit: 15-2-1
2005-06 Ottawa: 19-3-0
2006-07 Anaheim: 25-3-6
2006-07 Buffalo: 20-3-2
2007-08 Ottawa: 16-3-0
2012-13 Chicago: 21-0-3
2013-14 Colorado: 14-2-0

Who am I missing?
 

GMR

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Jul 27, 2013
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The Pizza line vs Datsyuk/Zetterberg would have been a treat to watch for an entire series, not to mention the Hasek vs Ottawa reunion.

Detroit obviously gave Anaheim their best series and challenge that postseason, but Detroit vs Ottawa goes an easy 6-7 games I'm thinking. Detroit's blueline was banged up, missing two of their top 4 (Kronwall and Schneider), so it's not like vs Anaheim where there was basically always a Pronger/Niedermayer on the ice. Additionally, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, while clearly in their prime, were still just on the cusp of peaking - but not quite there yet. I some times wonder if that grueling series and loss to Anaheim helped push them to that next level the following year.

While I think 08 Detroit disposes of 07 Ottawa (and 07 Anaheim,) I think 07 Detroit vs Ottawa would have been a hell of a series and very entertaining with a great display of skill throughout.

I've never seen it that way. Ottawa was a one-line team and Detroit had better secondary scoring. Also, I'll take Hasek over Ray Emery in a big series. I think Detroit would win about as easily as Anaheim did.

I forgot about the injuries to Kronwall and Schneider, but I don't remember the extent of their injuries or potential of return for the Finals. I still think the Wings could put Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom on Ottawa's top line the entire series and nullify them. Maybe even use Draper and Maltby to do so.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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No, TSN had a panel mid-way through the season (it wasn't just the Sun!) seriously discussing whether the 2007-08 Sens were the best team ever to take the ice.

At the time, the Senators had set an NHL record for the best start to a season after 14 games.

GMR said:
I've never seen it that way. Ottawa was a one-line team and Detroit had better secondary scoring. Also, I'll take Hasek over Ray Emery in a big series. I think Detroit would win about as easily as Anaheim did.

I forgot about the injuries to Kronwall and Schneider, but I don't remember the extent of their injuries or potential of return for the Finals. I still think the Wings could put Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom on Ottawa's top line the entire series and nullify them. Maybe even use Draper and Maltby to do so.

The real blow to Ottawa was the inability to establish a consistent forecheck against Pronger, Niedermayer and Beauchemin for the entire series, which was how they dealt with their first 3 opponents.

Anaheim's forwards would run picks on incoming forwards and the Ducks defence would move the puck out before any turnovers could be generated, and they didn't make mistakes.

Personally, I like Ottawa's odds a lot better against that Detroit team than that Anaheim team. Just a better match-up.
 
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Ishdul

Registered User
Jan 20, 2007
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No, TSN had a panel mid-way through the season (it wasn't just the Sun!) seriously discussing whether the 2007-08 Sens were the best team ever to take the ice.
One of those situations where Martin Gerber was easily the best goalie early on in the season and, amazingly, could not keep up that pace over a full season.
 

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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Detroit beats Ottawa in 2007 because once the finals came against Anaheim for whatever reason Heatley and Spezza disappeared. Alfredsson didn't though and played well in the final. But if two thirds of your top line is disappearing that isn't good and I can't see it being any different with Detroit.

That being said, Ottawa was quite good that year, among the best teams since the lockout to lose in the final. I think a lot of us thought that this was going to be the year for Ottawa after all of those heartbreaks. Ottawa finished their series before Anaheim in the semis and the final was 9 days after Ottawa finished the semis. Is that good? I don't know, sometimes it is but I don't remember Ottawa banged up that year and they may have been served better to keep the momentum going as they were rolling through the playoffs. Either way, I am convinced the better team in Anaheim won.
 

ESH

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Jun 19, 2011
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Detroit beats Ottawa in 2007 because once the finals came against Anaheim for whatever reason Heatley and Spezza disappeared. Alfredsson didn't though and played well in the final. But if two thirds of your top line is disappearing that isn't good and I can't see it being any different with Detroit.

That being said, Ottawa was quite good that year, among the best teams since the lockout to lose in the final. I think a lot of us thought that this was going to be the year for Ottawa after all of those heartbreaks. Ottawa finished their series before Anaheim in the semis and the final was 9 days after Ottawa finished the semis. Is that good? I don't know, sometimes it is but I don't remember Ottawa banged up that year and they may have been served better to keep the momentum going as they were rolling through the playoffs. Either way, I am convinced the better team in Anaheim won.

I feel like the top line got split up in the finals when they realized it wasn't working. Maybe I'm wrong though.

On a side note, does anyone know why Heatley was the 1st-team all-star at RW that year? Did he play on a different line than Alfredsson for most of the season? It doesn't seem like a mistake like Ovechkin in 12-13, because Heatley was voted to the 2nd-team LW spot the year before.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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Ottawa, ON
They moved Alfredsson to play with Fisher but that was a few games in.

It turned out that Heatley was playing with badly bruised ribs and pulmonary contusion in the Finals.

Heatley played with Alfie for most of the season.

He was NHL player of the month in January during a period where Spezza. Fisher and Vermette were all injured and Chris Kelly ended up as the first line centre.

It was probably the only time I can remember where he was the undisputed best player on the team.

I remember him getting votes for both LW and RW.
 
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EpochLink

Canucks and Jets fan
Aug 1, 2006
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That playoff run was Alfredsson all the way, Haatley and Spezza (up until the finals), Fisher on lockdown, Volchenkov and Phillips becoming the Steel Curtain on ice. Ray Emery had the playoffs of his life.
 

Voight

#winning
Feb 8, 2012
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Two weeks is just too much time without playing playoff hockey IMO, but hey, that was a terrific Ducks team and they deserve a lot of credit, particularly Niedermayer-Pahlsson-Moen..

Sens were off May19-28... thats not two weeks.

Beides, those 2007 Ducks are one of the best cup winners post lockout. They weren't going to be beat by anybody.

No, TSN had a panel mid-way through the season (it wasn't just the Sun!) seriously discussing whether the 2007-08 Sens were the best team ever to take the ice.

That's actually hilarious and a huge :facepalm: moment.
 

frontsfan2005

Registered User
Mar 26, 2006
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Ontario, Canada
The team collapsed in 2008 when the lack of depth the team had caught up with them.

In the 2006 off-season, Ottawa lost guys like Hasek, Chara, Pothier to free agency and replaced them with Martin Gerber, Joe Corvo and Dean McAmmond (a huge downgrade). The Sens did a salary cap dump, trading Havlat and Smolinski for Tom Preissing and table scraps, and while Preissing had a good 06-07 season, this was a horrible trade and he was gone after one year.

In the 2007 off-season, the Sens traded Peter Schaefer to Boston for Shean Donovan (another horrible trade that was a salary dump), lost Mike Comrie and Tom Preissing in free agency and replaced them with Luke Richardson and Randy Robitaille (another huge downgrade).

The team got off to a hot start in 07-08, thanks to the top line and a red hot Martin Gerber, but when he came crashing down to earth, and Heatley injured, the lack of depth on the team really began the show.

This team was built to win from about 2003 until 2006, and they were strong enough to compete in 2007, but by 2008, their time had passed.

Out of all the Ottawa teams from 2002 until 2007, the 2004-05 version that we never saw most likely would have been their best (Hossa over Heatley in that lineup, Hasek a year younger with no Olympics).
 

SENSational

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Mar 26, 2004
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Ottawa
The team collapsed in 2008 when the lack of depth the team had caught up with them.

In the 2006 off-season, Ottawa lost guys like Hasek, Chara, Pothier to free agency and replaced them with Martin Gerber, Joe Corvo and Dean McAmmond (a huge downgrade). The Sens did a salary cap dump, trading Havlat and Smolinski for Tom Preissing and table scraps, and while Preissing had a good 06-07 season, this was a horrible trade and he was gone after one year.

In the 2007 off-season, the Sens traded Peter Schaefer to Boston for Shean Donovan (another horrible trade that was a salary dump), lost Mike Comrie and Tom Preissing in free agency and replaced them with Luke Richardson and Randy Robitaille (another huge downgrade).

The team got off to a hot start in 07-08, thanks to the top line and a red hot Martin Gerber, but when he came crashing down to earth, and Heatley injured, the lack of depth on the team really began the show.

This team was built to win from about 2003 until 2006, and they were strong enough to compete in 2007, but by 2008, their time had passed.

Out of all the Ottawa teams from 2002 until 2007, the 2004-05 version that we never saw most likely would have been their best (Hossa over Heatley in that lineup, Hasek a year younger with no Olympics).

Yup, that lockout season may have been the best Ottawa team of all time. No more Jaques Martin, prime Hossa, Havlat, Alfie, Chara, Redden, Fisher, Vermette, Spezza, etc. Having a healthy Hasek would be the deal breaker. The 06 season was theirs to lose IMO, and they did just that when Hasek got injured.
 

Franck

eltiT resU motsuC
Jan 5, 2010
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We had a lot of red-hot starts since the 2005-06 lockout:

2005-06 Detroit: 15-2-1
2005-06 Ottawa: 19-3-0
2006-07 Anaheim: 25-3-6
2006-07 Buffalo: 20-3-2
2007-08 Ottawa: 16-3-0
2012-13 Chicago: 21-0-3
2013-14 Colorado: 14-2-0

Who am I missing?

Montreal last season.
 

Terry Yake

Registered User
Aug 5, 2013
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that 05-06 sens team was way better than the 06-07 version. agree about 04-05 though. that version of the sens would have been my pick to win it all

seemed like alfredsson was the only sens forward who showed up in the 07 finals. heatley and spezza were virtually invisible the entire series. but that ducks team was just better in every area. they were chosen to win it all from day one and there was no stopping them
 

IslesFan2017

Registered User
May 29, 2017
94
14
Yeah, I was really surprised that the 2007 Senators made it to the Finals. The 2006 Senators, obviously with the Hasek injury, were not the same and that unfortunately ended their chances, but I was so surprised when they beat the Sabres in 2007 with Ray Emery out-dueling Ryan Miller.

I think that the Red Wings vs. Senators Final in 2007 goes 6 or 7 games, but the Red Wings win because of the disappearance of 2/3 of the Pizza line.
However, that Ducks team really seemed destined to win it all, with nothing able to stop them.
 

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
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"And how the heck did they fall apart in 2008? It was basically the same team, yet they collapsed in a way they didn't the prior two years."

Well, I can remember some silly person at the Ottawa Sun at the beginning of that season compared the Senators to the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. You do not do something like that and not upset the hockey gods, I guess.

The funny thing is that they had the hottest start in NHL history. No joke. The 1977 Habs did not start out as good, observe:

Ottawa 2007-'08 - 16-3-0
Montreal 1976-'77 - 13-3-3
Rangers 2015-'16 - 14-3-2
Toronto 1993-'94 - 12-3-4

19 games in and this was the record for these teams. Ottawa was the best. This is where the comparison came from. Yet they finished barely scraping into the playoffs and believe it or not they went a game below .500 the rest of the season. I thought it was nuts when they first came out with it, and still do.
 

vadim sharifijanov

Registered User
Oct 10, 2007
28,585
15,948
the 2012 canucks reminded me of the mighty then not mighty '08 sens.

they had the #1 PP in the league up to game 41 with 37 PP goals. they were tied with boston for 2nd in the league, one point ahead of chicago, one point behind the rangers. 25-13-3.

then the fateful game #42 against the bruins. 4 PP goals in a 4-3 win. the last goal was stupid cody hodgson's one great moment as a canuck, a huge slapper that handcuffed thomas. bar and in.



but in that game, marchand also low-bridged sami salo, getting himself ejected, then suspended for five games (henrik scored on the ensuing 5 minute PP, the hodgson goal was on the same PP).

but then, with salo out for a month, the canucks scored only 16 PP goals the rest of the year. they went 25-9-6 in the last 40 games, a better record than the first half, but eleven of those wins were in OT or the shootout, compared to just four in the first half. after a slow cup run hangover first month of the season (5-7-1, with one OTW), those 2012 canucks were blowing teams away. in the second half, they were just hanging on.

the real first and second half records (counting the boston game as the first game of the second half)--

RW, OT/SOW, L, OTL
21-4-13-3
15-11-9-6

they ended up still winning the presidents trophy, but it was as weak of a presidents trophy as you'll ever see, especially after duncan keith concussed daniel sedin with flying elbow (minor penalty, five game suspension). the canucks got dusted by the eventual champion kings in the first round (where they scored three PP goals, zero before a clearly still-rattled daniel returned to the lineup, and let in two shorties).

like the '08 sens, that 2012 canucks team was the weakest team they'd had since 2008. no ehrhoff, broken kesler, broken raymond, malhotra playing with one eye, samuelsson traded for david booth's corpse, and at the end concussed daniel. but man, from the end of that hangover-y first month up to the boston game, that team was just steamrolling the league. 20-6-2, with 2 OTWs. then it all went to hell.
 

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