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This article discusses the original Ottawa Senators franchise. For the modern-day (1992-current) franchise, see Ottawa Senators. The Ottawa Senators (aka. Ottawa Silver Seven) were a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa from 1893 to 1934. They competed in the National Hockey League from 1917 until the franchise relocated to St. Louis, Missouri after the 1933-34 NHL season. Founded: 1893 Folded: 1934 Arena: Dey's Arena (1907-1920), Ottawa Arena (1920-1934) Uniform colours: Red, black and white Stanley Cups won: 9; 1909, 1910 (2), 1911 (2), 1920, 1921, 1923, 1927 Glory years (1893-1927) Generally acknowledged by hockey historians as the greatest team of the early days of the sport, the original Ottawa Senators franchise played in the first season during which the Stanley Cup was challenged in 1893. They competed in numerous leagues: Amateur Hockey Association, the Canadian Amateur Hockey League and the National Hockey Association prior to the National Hockey League's formation in 1917. The team's first recorded senior league game took place on January 7th, 1893, where it was defeated by the Montreal Victorias 4-3. The key matchup in that first season was against the Montreal AAA on February 18th, when the AAA defeated the Senators 7-1, thus securing the one game margin of victory which led to Lord Stanley of Preston awarding the initial Cup to the AAA. The Senators won a total of nine Stanley Cups dating back to when the Cup was still a "challenge trophy". The team had several nicknames -- most famously, the Silver Seven in the early years that made reference to the seven-man hockey played at the time -- but for the most part they were generally known as the "Ottawas" or the Senators. They won four more Cups in their NHL days, three against western league teams. Their last Stanley Cup win in 1926-1927 against the Boston Bruins marked the first year that the NHL gained sole ownership of the trophy, which meant for the first time teams outside the league could no longer issue a challenge to compete for the title. Up until their final Stanley Cup in 1927 they had won more championships, more games and had more Hall of Famers than any team to date in organized hockey. Decline (1927-34) The term "small-market franchise" is by no means a new one. The NHL's expansion into the United States left Ottawa as the NHL's smallest market by far. The Senators sought financial relief from the league as early as 1927. They had to sell their star right wing Hooley Smith to the Montreal Maroons for $22,500 and the return of former star Punch Broadbent to pay debts. In 1929-30, the team had to transfer a scheduled home game to Atlantic City due to declining attendance in Ottawa. With the onset of the Great Depression, the team had to slowly sell its stars to other clubs, which included the famous King Clancy deal that sent the star defenseman to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs for an unprecedented $35,000, following which the team fell into last place for the first time in their history. The team would suspend operations and sit out the entire 1931-1932 season. Returning after a one year hiatus but depleted of talent, the Senators finished last in the two seasons that followed. The once-proud franchise barely survived the 1933-34 season, and it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that the team's last game would be a 3-1 loss to the equally strapped New York Americans. The league, however, was not willing to lose another team a year after the Philadelphia Quakers suspended operations (but, as it turned out, never returned). It persuaded the Senators' backers to move the franchise to St. Louis, where it was renamed the Eagles. However, the team only played one season (1934-35) before folding for good. The last active Senators players were Syd Howe and William Hollett, who played their last NHL games in 1946. This franchise has no ties to the modern-day Senators franchise, except for a certificate that was issued by the NHL with the new Senators franchise, proclaiming re-instatement to the league. However, banners honouring the original Senators' eight Stanley Cups hang from the rafters of Scotiabank Place. Career Leaders List of Stanley Cup final appearances Season-by-season record (NHL only) QF = Quarter Final, CD = Canadian Division Modern Franchise The NHL's planned 1992 expansion had several strong contenders, but businessman Bruce Firestone put together an energetic bid to bring the NHL back to Ottawa, using the last surviving original Senator, Frank Finnigan, as its public face. The new-look Senators won one of the two slots (along with the Tampa Bay Lightning) and began play in 1992. See Ottawa Senators. Hockey Hall of Fame|Hall of Famers Team Captains See also | |||||||
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