As we approach 2025, Hockey News Ottawa reflects on some of the most significant Ottawa Senators stories from the past year. The standout development is the Senators’ long-awaited return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their first appearance in eight years. Unfortunately, they once again faced disappointment in the Battle of Ontario.<\/p>\n
The playoff comeback was undoubtedly the highlight, but other notable events also shaped the Senators\u2019 year. Here\u2019s a recap of key moments from January to April.<\/p>\n
In January, the Senators secured Ridley Greig with a four-year contract extension valued at $3.25 million annually. The 22-year-old forward, part of the promising 2020 NHL Draft class alongside Tim Stuetzle and others, was recognized by GM Steve Staios as a vital component of the team\u2019s future. Greig expressed enthusiasm about growing with the team and pursuing victories.<\/p>\n
Due to injuries to veteran goalies Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg, 22-year-old Levi Melilainen was thrust into the starting goalie role, performing admirably with an 8-3-1 record, a 1.99 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage.<\/p>\n
The Senators also announced two preseason games in Quebec City against the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens, aiming to captivate undecided hockey fans there. However, the introduction of a mascot wearing a mixed Senators-Nordic jersey stirred backlash among some fans eager for NHL\u2019s return to Quebec City.<\/p>\n
Injuries struck again when Nick Cousins sustained a serious knee injury against Toronto, sidelining him for 30 games before a playoff return. Additionally, the NHL named some Senators legends and current players to its Quarterly First and Second Teams, celebrating the franchise\u2019s rich history.<\/p>\n
February saw Melilainen sent down to the minors once Ullmark and Forsberg recovered, as the Senators managed goalie depth for the season. They also commemorated a fun fan moment \u2014 the 10th anniversary of Andrew Hammond\u2019s remarkable \u201cHamburglar\u201d playoff run in 2015. Meanwhile, Ryan Hartman was suspended after a dangerous hit on Tim Stutzle, a reminder of the sport’s intensity and necessary regulations.<\/p>\n
The NHL\u2019s Four Nations Faceoff saw several Senators represent their countries, including Tkachuk and Sanderson for the U.S., and Ullmark for Sweden, highlighting the team\u2019s international talent.<\/p>\n
March was marked by significant trades: Josh Norris was sent to Buffalo along with Jacob Bernard-Docker, while Fabian Zetterlund was acquired from San Jose along with forward Tristen Robbins. These moves were strategic as the Senators aimed to solidify their roster.<\/p>\n
Coach Travis Green hit a milestone, coaching his 400th NHL game, while the Senators staged a dramatic late-season surge with a 7-0-1 run, helping them climb from wildcard contention to playoff qualification.<\/p>\n
This summary captures the excitement and challenges of the Senators\u2019 first quarter of 2025, setting the stage for an even stronger finish from April to June \u2014 a period that promises to be memorable for the team and its fans.<\/p>\n
Fan Take: The Senators’ return to the playoffs after an eight-year drought is a thrilling revival for their fanbase and signifies hope for a bright future. For hockey enthusiasts, this resurgence underscores the unpredictable and inspiring nature of the sport, where perseverance and smart management can reignite a team\u2019s competitive spirit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As we approach 2025, Hockey News Ottawa reflects on some of the most significant Ottawa Senators stories from the past year. The standout development is the Senators’ long-awaited return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their first appearance in eight years. Unfortunately, they once again faced disappointment in the Battle of Ontario. The playoff comeback was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[730],"tags":[734],"class_list":{"0":"post-36003","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-nhl"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}