NHL To Announce Ottawa Senators Quarter-Century Team: Who Makes The List?

As the Ottawa Senators continue to re-live Groundhog Day, it’s getting harder and harder to visualize an end to it. But there’s no question that the past remains crammed with great moments, memories, and players. Later this month, the NHL will reportedly roll out the nostalgia and select an all-quarter-century team for each of its member clubs, honouring the best players from the millennium’s first 25 years.

According to TSN’s Chris Johnston on Insider Trading last week, members of the media, along with retired players and executives, will vote on each team’s top six players at forward, top four on defence, and top goaltenders from January 1, 2000 to present day.

Selections will begin to trickle out at the end of this month and continue into January. The Senators have some obvious choices and a few that will spark debates. Here’s our list.

Forwards

Daniel Alfredsson (2000-2013)

Alfie holds the Senator team records for career goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108) with 1,178 games played. ‘Nuff said, praise Alfie.

Jason Spezza (2002-2014)

Spezza holds Senator team records for career goals, assists, and points by players not named Daniel Alfredsson. Another easy choice.

Marian Hossa (2000-2004)

Now things start to get a little trickier due to lack of longevity. But Marian Hossa was the complete package. High skill, blazing fast, good at both ends, and deceptively tough to knock off the puck.

Dany Heatley (2005-2009)

He was also here for a good time, not a long time. Trade demands and diminished roles aside, we simply cannot ignore two 50-goal seasons, still the only ones in Senator history.