Franchise Best: Ottawa Senators 2002-03 Season

[LastWordArmy]

The Franchise Best Series comes to you to dive into the all-time best single season for every organization. This, of course, includes post-season results. Join us for a look back at some of the most memorable moments in each franchise’s history. Here is the Ottawa Senators‘ best season.

Franchise Best: Ottawa Senators 2002-2003 Season - Last Word on Hockey

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[Sensung]

The Franchise Best Series comes to you to dive into the all-time best single season for every organization. This, of course, includes post-season results. Join us for a look back at some of the most memorable moments in each franchise’s history. Here is the Ottawa Senators‘ best season.

Franchise Best: Ottawa Senators 2002-2003 Season - Last Word on Hockey

Sorry, not the best season.

 

[Karl Prime]

Easily my favourite team of all-time. Centre depth was White, Bonk, Fisher, Van Allen. Defense was Chara, Redden, Phillips, Volchenkov, Leschyshyn/Hnidy, Rachunek. RW was Hossa, Alfie, Havlat, Neil. Arvedson was all-world defensively. Damn Devils broke my 9 year-old heart in Game 7....

 

[Do Make Say Think]

My first season as a full fledged fan after coming back to Canada in 2002.

Good times

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Yep, miss those days when we were elite and the world trembled. A good bounce here and there...the 2005-06 team was really good as well, but less likable for some reason.

 

[Senscore]

Our best team. They could play any style and were the deepest group in the league.

The bounces just didn't go our way.

 

[OmniSens]

As great of a team this was, I simply enjoyed the Pizza/CASH line that much more.

 

[dumbdick]

I liked the pesky sens. Not a good lineup but the most fun I've ever had as a fan.

 

[Beville]

05-06 cup final was our best season...

Shame Hasek broke himself.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

05-06 cup final was our best season...

Shame Hasek broke himself.

The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals featured the Oilers vs Hurricanes.

 

[bert]

Sorry, not the best season.

Was the best team without a doubt.

 

[bert]

Our best team. They could play any style and were the deepest group in the league.

The bounces just didn't go our way.

If lalime made a save games 2 3 or 4 they would have won the cup.

 

[Bileur]

05-06 had a dissapointing result but was the best team IMO.

Nice recap though.

 

[OgieO]

That loss still hurts. We were going to crush the Ducks, Devils barely held on to beat us that series - we outplayed them. Still stings after all these years

 

[Sensung]

Was the best team without a doubt.

Nope. Not actually very close.

The best Sens team ever never got to play a game thanks to a lockout

The 06 team was the 2nd best and well ahead of any team counting on Lalime in big games.

 

[Back in Black]

The good old days before Murray took over GM duties.....

 

[OgieO]

Muckler was the beginning of the end, not Murray. Muckley took a stacked system and decimated it. Murray did okay imo, but not great. Hits and misses. I think he may have been stuck in his ways of size, physicality over speed and skill but he did draft EK at 15 which is one of the best draft picks of the last 10 years (how many other franchise players were drafted outside top 10?). Weak drafts from 12-14 are hurting us right now though, so that's on him. Things look a bit better with the following drafts though.

 

[Beville]

The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals featured the Oilers vs Hurricanes.

Good point, well presented.

Whatever year it was Hasek broke himself and then the year we got to the final.

 

[NyQuil]

Nope. Not actually very close.

The best Sens team ever never got to play a game thanks to a lockout

The 06 team was the 2nd best and well ahead of any team counting on Lalime in big games.

If I recall correctly, the 2003 team actually never gave up a lead for the entire regular season.

2003 was the most dominant team this franchise ever had.

 

[Silencio]

Yeah the 02-03 team was in beast mode all year long. How they lost 3 straight games to the Devils after winning game 1 in OT is still baffling to me.

 

[tony d]

Thanks for posting this, was the season I became a fan. As others have said if we beat the Devils in the East final we win the Cup that year.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

God it hurts so much knowing that we were a goal away twice (in 03 and 17) from playing a beatable opponent in the SCF.

Still remember that image of Hossa having a golden opportunity to get the lead in the final few minutes of Game 7 only to get hauled down.

 

[bert]

Nope. Not actually very close.

The best Sens team ever never got to play a game thanks to a lockout

The 06 team was the 2nd best and well ahead of any team counting on Lalime in big games.

Ridiculous comment. 'The best team ever never got to play a game'.

More to hockey than just talent and skill. Even though this team had it in spades. Chemistry and actually delivering and winning games means something.

 

[bert]

The good old days before Murray took over GM duties.....

Muckler tore that team apart if you were actually following the team.

 

[Back in Black]

Muckler tore that team apart if you were actually following the team.

Murray tore that team apart if you were actually following the team. Muckler bet the future of the team on those trips to the Finals and it cost him his job, when they didn't win.