Better All-Time Roster: New Jersey Devils Or Ottawa Senators

[DitchMarner]

In these polls, I'm including only players who spent at least two seasons with a franchise on their all-time rosters.

For relocated franchises, I am including worthy players who played for the franchises prior to relocation(s).

Consider how good a player was when he played for the franchise whose roster he's included on. For example: If Fedorov is part of Team Columbus, don't think of him as the 1994 version of the player.


New Jersey Devils defeated Dallas Stars 49 votes to 12 (80.3%) in round one: Better All-Time Roster: Dallas Stars Or New Jersey Devils?

Ottawa Senators defeated San Jose Sharks 58 votes to 31 (65.2%) in round one: Better All-Time Roster: Ottawa Senators Or San Jose Sharks?

New Jersey Devils:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Scott Gomez - Patrick Elias
Taylor Hall - Jason Arnott - Alexander Mogilny
Kirk Muller - Bobby Holik - Zach Parise
John MacLean - Patrik Sundstrom - Lanny McDonald

Scott Stevens - Brian Rafalski
Scott Niedermayer - Viacheslav Fetisov
Ken Daneyko - Bruce Driver

Martin Brodeur
Cory Schneider


Ottawa Senators:

Dany Heatley - Jason Spezza - Daniel Alfredsson
Shawn McEachern - Alexei Yashin - Marian Hossa
Mike Fisher - Radek Bonk - Mark Stone
Magnus Arvedson - Kyle Turris - Martin Havlat

Wade Redden - Erik Karlsson
Zdeno Chara - Thomas Chabot
Chris Phillips - Anton Volchenkov

Craig Anderson
Ron Tugnutt​

Click to read more...

 

[Xspyrit]

Team 1

Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Havlat - Yashin - Hossa
Hoffman - Zibanejad - Stone
Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson

Chara - Karlsson
Chabot - Redden
Phillips - Volchenkov

Anderson
Lehner

Team 2

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Vermette - Stutzle - Duchene
McEachern - Bonk - Arvedson
Michalek - Fisher - C. Brown
Pageau - Foligno

Methot - York
Gonchar - Zub
MacIver - Duchesne
Phaneuf - Ceci

Lalime
Emery

Edit : should find a spot for Daigle?

 

[centipede2233]

The senators have been around for 30 years and that’s the best goaltending they have had? Yikes!

 

[apocalypse]

NJ

 

[wetcoast]

Not that it matters but Paul Martin was a better NJ Dman than Viacheslav Fetisov during their respective times in New Jersey.

 

[NyQuil]

The senators have been around for 30 years and that’s the best goaltending they have had? Yikes!

The best goaltending we had was Dominik Hasek but it doesn’t qualify for the poll.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

The senators have been around for 30 years and that’s the best goaltending they have had? Yikes!

Ray Emery (RIP) almost won a Cup. Ottawa has had some doozy regular season goaltending; but they've come very close to winning 2 Cups with clutch goaltending. That's all that matters really.

 

[Regal]

Surprisingly, Ottawa has the better defense, but Jersey has a bit more forward depth, and Brodeur over Anderson is probably the biggest factor.

 

[Gurglesons]

Jersey

 

[KevinRedkey]

Lalime was a great goalie outside of a few games that he is known for. At his peak, he was the Sens best goalie after Hasek. Not sure why he's not there.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

A lot closer than I expected when I saw the thread title, but still chose NJ.

Goaltending is too big of a different to be outweighed by any small advantages Ottawa might have to NJ

 

[garbageteam]

Rather surprised by the lopsided results. Went with Ottawa if you're getting the very best version of each of the players, but it is very close.

Not sure what the rules are but if peak player performance Ottawa has better forward and D to my eye test. They have 3 of the 4 best forwards and 2 of the best 3 Dmen at their peaks. Goaltending is an absolute mismatch but it's not going to be the difference maker against the imbalance of peak performing talent. A team with the best seasons of Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza, Karlsson and Chara is obscenely good. The only guys I would have in the same tier are Kovalchuk, Mogilny and Niedermeyer and not convinced Brodeur makes up the difference.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Rather surprised by the lopsided results. Went with Ottawa if you're getting the very best version of each of the players, but it is very close.

Not sure what the rules are but if peak player performance Ottawa has better forward and D to my eye test. They have 3 of the 4 best forwards and 2 of the best 3 Dmen at their peaks. Goaltending is an absolute mismatch but it's not going to be the difference maker against the imbalance of peak performing talent. A team with the best seasons of Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza, Karlsson and Chara is obscenely good. The only guys I would have in the same tier are Kovalchuk, Mogilny and Niedermeyer and not convinced Brodeur makes up the difference.

You're joking right? Scott Stevens isn't on the same level as Karlsson and Chara?

 

[BlueBaron]

I voted NJ without thinking. Some of the Ottawa names look nice but weren't anything until on another team.

How do they touch Broduer and Niedermayer?

 

[bert]

The senators have been around for 30 years and that’s the best goaltending they have had? Yikes!

Now you know why they dont have a cup. They did have Hasek then he got hurt and never played again. They likely win the cup if that doesnt happen either, oh the irony.

 

[bert]

I voted NJ without thinking. Some of the Ottawa names look nice but weren't anything until on another team.

How do they touch Broduer and Niedermayer?

Like who? Hossa played 6 seasons and parts of 7, he had 45 goals in Ottawa and was a top 10 player in selke voting. Chara was nominated for a norris and played 4 seasons. The only reason he wasnt a long time sen was the salary cap. Havlat played 5 seasons and like Chara was only let go because of the salary cap. No team has been a larger victim of the cap than the Ottawa Senators. Zibanejads best season was 50 points but thats about the only player you can make an argument against.

Also the roster posted by the OP should be replaced by the one by Xspirit.

 

[The Macho King]

Surprisingly, Ottawa has the better defense, but Jersey has a bit more forward depth, and Brodeur over Anderson is probably the biggest factor.

....

No. Unless you're putting on King Clancy and Eddie Gerard, hard no.

 

[Regal]

....

No. Unless you're putting on King Clancy and Eddie Gerard, hard no.

Disagree if you want, as they’re close, but pretending they’re not is questionable, unless for some reason you’re thinking Fetisov was 80s Fetisov. Karlsson was better than Jersey-era Niedermayer. Stevens was better than Ottawa Chara, but not by much unless we only focus on his one ‘94 season. Redden and Rafalski are a push. Chabot is better than Driver, Phillips was better than Daneyko, and I’d take Volchenkov even over what Fetisov brought to Jersey. Replace him with Martin, and he’s better, but I don’t think it swings back. If you really want to focus on peak ‘03 playoff Niedermayer and ‘94 Stevens, and think Rafalski is better than Redden, then I wouldn’t argue too much. But it would still be reasonably close. Suggesting Ottawa would need to add two all time greats to win is ridiculous

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

NJ, but give Ottawa 2006 Hasek and I'd take them

 

[Sensinitis]

The senators have been around for 30 years and that’s the best goaltending they have had? Yikes!

I mean, the OP's conditions means that you can't include Hasek and Bishop, but Lehner should be on that team.

Goaltending has definitely been one of the Sens issues since they came into the league though.

 

[Masked]

A team with the best seasons of Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza, Karlsson and Chara is obscenely good. The only guys I would have in the same tier are Kovalchuk, Mogilny and Niedermeyer and not convinced Brodeur makes up the difference.

Elias is so underrated and Hall won a Hart with the Devils.

Assen na yo!

 

[Wierzbowski426]

Elias continues to be criminally underrated.

Although its close, I would take Elias over Alfredsson.

 

[Regal]

Elias continues to be criminally underrated.

Although its close, I would take Elias over Alfredsson.

Yea, he was a great player. I don’t know if I’d take him over Alfredsson, but I’ve always considered them the same tier. And his playoff record is really good too

 

[Holymakinaw]

NJD AINEC.