Silver Seven Does it Matter if the Sens Ever Win the Stanley Cup?

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Yes, yes it does.

If it doesn’t matter to the organization, why should fans put money or invest time into it?

This thread makes me think of Major League with their terrible owner and like 10 fans following the Cleveland team. Why follow if there's no hope at all?

 

[Senscore]

In a cosmic sense? No I suppose not.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[yogibear]

2005 lockout
2006 Turin
Two events that have stolen a cup from us !!!

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I fully expect I will never see the Sens win the Stanley Cup in my lifetime. Given the size of the league, and the size of this market, it's just not going to happen. That being said, I like hockey, and was born, raised, and live in Ottawa. It is what it is. Their are soccer fans that would die for their league 1 team fully knowing they will never win the EPL. There's nothing wrong with loving a team that will never win it all.

European sports is a different animal. There’s no salary cap and no attempt at parity. The same rich teams will always be on top, save for an anomaly like Leicester City.

The NHL has had dynasties in smaller markets. Tampa was an absolute disaster of a franchise 12 years ago with terrible ownership in a questionable market at the time.

Fans in a salary cap league shouldn’t just expect their team to be a door mat.

 

[Sweatred]

Not at all - better off focusing on staying in the playoffs and avoiding Franchise threatening tear downs where 5200 fans attend games for years on end.

Trade the 30 year olds - become Tampa Rays

 

[Big Muddy]

Is this article supposed to be satire?
Win me a Cup, goddamit.

Ya, weird question and weird premise for an article.

 

[thinkwild]

That is a weird question. Maybe they mean: given it is unlikely we have success under Melnyk, will you still be a fan?

That many fans have lost confidence in Melnyks leadership and commitment to win is a large part of our ticket sales problem. A wise owner should know how to fix that.

 

[Back in Black]

Hope it happens during my lifetime!!!!!

 

[bert]

Yuk, what's the damn point then? This can't be serious. These expectations are pathetically low.

 

[NyQuil]

My expectations have cratered as far as winning championships are concerned. So much has to go your way.

I just want to be entertained. Winning helps though.

 

[InTkachukWeTrust]

If I die before we win a cup I’ll be devastated. Im 27….

 

[Silencio]

2005 lockout
2006 Turin
Two events that have stolen a cup from us !!!

Amd Jeff Friesen

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Amd Jeff Friesen

And Chris Kunitz.

 

[senswon]

Be alot cooler if they did......win the cup

 

[swiftwin]

Obviously matters. I don’t want to be watching a mediocre team forever

Are you suggesting there are 31 mediocre teams every season?

 

[swiftwin]

My expectations have cratered as far as winning championships are concerned. So much has to go your way.

I just want to be entertained. Winning helps though.

Pretty much this. This is a 32 team league. It's just not realistic to "expect" a cup. Statistically, that means maybe one cup between now and 2054, probably less since we're a smaller market/budget team.

 

[Egg]

Of course it matters.

A true fan will be a fan through thick and thin.

However to me, to just watch the team never win is like drinking alcohol free beer.

Sure, it tastes and looks the same, but seriously. What's the point?

Especially if you attend games and are emotionally invested into this team.

The whole point of buying alcohol, is the effect. At least for beer.

The whole point to me to pay to watch a team, is the hope they give you they will win a cup.

Without that hope, the point of cheering a competitive hockey team starts to make less sense.

 

[bert]

Pretty much this. This is a 32 team league. It's just not realistic to "expect" a cup. Statistically, that means maybe one cup between now and 2054, probably less since we're a smaller market/budget team.

No one is expecting a cup, however to be ok with never winning one is a horrible mind set. Its a loser mentality that I personally want nothing to do with. I dont care if the odds are stacked against us, I personally do not see the point in cheering for a team if you have no aspirations of achieving the ultimate goal. This is the mind set that has people leaving the games early, or defending terrible decisions by the organization. The market has this mentality then it can trickle down into everything about the organization. Covid has shown us how important fans really are to a teams success and the overall experience.

Are you suggesting there are 31 mediocre teams every season?

31 teams not winning has also never happened outside of 2005. Secondly there is a different winner almost every year, this is saying that this 'fan' is ok with losing every single season? How is that acceptable? The moment it is then this organization is doomed.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

You have to have the hope and belief in fans that it is at least a possibility, or you're in danger territory as a franchise imo.

It's one thing to come up empty year after year, or have the deck stacked against you more than other teams like the Senators are, but to essentially accept having no chance and expecting fans to show up and give a shit would probably end hockey in Ottawa.

 

[NyQuil]

You have to have the hope and belief in fans that it is at least a possibility, or you're in danger territory as a franchise imo.

It's one thing to come up empty year after year, or have the deck stacked against you more than other teams like the Senators are, but to essentially accept having no chance and expecting fans to show up and give a shit would probably end hockey in Ottawa.

I think they have an infinitesimal chance and yet I renew my tickets every year.

We don’t have the financial resources of larger teams meaning that every move has to be absolutely perfect and the timing for contracts impeccable just to have a competitive window, let alone actually win four rounds within that window.

Add a crazy owner to the mix and it would be a miracle.

Provided I still pay my money and go to the games, I don’t think it matters one bit what I think. I don’t work for the Senators.

Maybe my expectations will rise when we actually qualify for the playoffs.

Talking about Cups because we played 20 good games is Leaf Nation territory.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I think they have an infinitesimal chance and yet I renew my tickets every year.

We don’t have the financial resources of larger teams meaning that every move has to be absolutely perfect and the timing for contracts impeccable just to have a competitive window, let alone actually win four rounds within that window.

Provided I still pay my money, I don’t think it matters one bit what I think. I don’t work for the Senators.

That seems reasonable. I would say the runs we've had are evidence enough to show that it's not an infinitesimal chance, but certainly still poor odds. I know I always believed there was a chance, even if it was small and that was enough.

I think we all know the chances of a cup in Ottawa are arguably the lowest in the league based on resources available and small market circumstances, but there have at least still been ups and downs along the way and the runs rejuvenated the fan base and gave hope that they weren't just blowing smoke up our asses.

Maybe what i'm referring to is more of a league wide thing in some other pro sports leagues like Euro soccer or MLB before the luxury tax where parody wasn't the goal and numerous teams know 100% going in that they have no shot, with their management seemingly publicly accepting it as well.

Would you still care and keep going under those circumstances? I know I couldn't tune in if that were the case and would end up just migrating my viewing to teams that are competing for the chip, like I do with the NBA without one favorite team I follow year after year and have done with hockey the last few years while the Senators have tanked.

 

[NyQuil]

If there was no cap, you’re right - it would be like being a mid-to-low table team in the EPL.

You either have to change your benchmark for success or be eternally disapppointed.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

If there was no cap, you’re right - it would be like being a mid-to-low table team in the EPL.

You either have to change your benchmark for success or be eternally disapppointed.

I guess sports is different to all of us too.

Some are fine with just a little entertainment, some need to be emotionally invested with hopes and dreams, some just want to be part of a clan and be social, etc.

 

[MiscBrah]

Yes, it matters, not only for the fans but also for the players and the team. We become invested in the success of the players. It makes me sick that Alfie never won a cup. But that is in the general course of a career (10-15 years). On a season-to-season basis, I don't think it matters as much, but I would like to see the team be more competitive on a yearly basis. It's been a long time since this team was a lock for the playoffs. I would like to get back to that point, and soon.