Building a Senators all-time starting lineup based on a single season
Throughout franchise history, the Ottawa Senators have had skilled players play for the franchise. It's no secret, that some players were better than others.
Some players in Senators history have established themselves more than others and produced spectacular seasons. Some might ask who would crack the Senators all-time starting lineup if it was to be based on one season for each position.
The starting lineup that the Senators would produce for an all-time team would competitive against many others in the NHL, but which seasons by a Senators player were better than others to crack the starting lineup?
Building a Senators all-time starting lineup based on a single season
With many players to select and start at six different positions, it offers as a challenge to pick one season from the others. However, some seasons by Senator players were more memorable than others. Six positions need to be filled and the filling will begin in goal.
Goaltender- 2002-03 Patrick Lalime
While Craig Anderson is the only goaltender to record over 200 wins as a Senator, there is one season by a goaltender in Senators history that will atop all the others. That would be Patrick Lalime's 2002-03 season.
Lalime spent five seasons with the Senators and his 2002-03 season is by far the best. Lalime's 39 wins is still to this day the most by any goaltender in Senators history in a single season. Lalime would record a 2.16 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. To add more to his dominant season, Lalime finished with eight shutouts, which is also another Senators single season record.
Lalime made the 2003 NHL All-Star Game and the Senators would win the 2003 President's Trophy due to Lalime's season. 2003 was the only time the Senators won the President's Trophy, and Lalime's teammate Chris Phillips named the 2003 team as the best in Senators history.
Although Lalime and the Senators lost in a heartbreaking seven-game series at home to the New Jersey Devils in the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals, Lalime's 2002-03 season goes down in Senators infamy.
Defenseman- 2006-07 Chris Phillips
As far as defensemen goes for the starting lineup, it's important to have one defenseman that plays more offense and one that plays more defense than the other. For the defensive side, Chris Phillips would be the best selection. Of all of Phillips' 17 seasons, his 2006-07 season would be the best to choose from.
From an offensive standpoint, Phillips' 26 points in 2006-07 was the most in a single season for his career. Phillips recorded a career-high 18 assists and also recorded eight goals, but Phillips' presence was known heavily on defense.
Phillips had the best +/- rating of his career with a +36 as well. Phillips would play on the penalty kill and have the ability to block shots, clear pucks out, play physical and bring leadership.
Phillips' defense was so important at all times for the Senators, and it helped them reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. Phillips will forever be a Senators legend, and his 2006-07 season is a reason why he's a Senators legend.
Defenseman- 2015-16 Erik Karlsson
It's no secret that Erik Karlsson would crack the starting lineup for his offensive skills as a defenseman. Karlsson won the Norris Trophy twice as a Senator in 2012 and 2015. However, his best season as a Senator came in a season that he didn't win the Norris Trophy.
That season would be the 2015-16 season. Karlsson set a then career-high 82 points, which is the record for most points in a single season by a Senators defenseman. Karlsson's 66 assists that season would also lead the NHL. As a defenseman, that is quite an impressive feat to accomplish.
Even with having the best season of his career at the time statistically, Karlsson would come in second place for the 2016 Norris Trophy and lose out to Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings. Had the Senators make the playoffs in 2016, the voting may have ended up differently in Karlsson's favor.
Karlsson will forever be one of the best players in the NHL from the 2010s for his accomplishments. The 2015-16 season would be the best season for Karlsson statistically in a Senators jersey.
Left Wing- 2006-07 Dany Heatley
You can't talk Senators starting lineups and not bring up Dany Heatley in the discussion. While Heatley was a Senator for only four years, his tenure in Ottawa was memorable with back-to-back 50-goal seasons, but one season was better than them all.
That would be Heatley's 2006-07 season. Along with scoring 50 goals for the second consecutive season, Heatley set a Senators record for most points in a single season with 105. Heatley's record breaking season would come just one season apart after he and Daniel Alfredsson each recorded 103 points in the 2005-06 season.
For Heatley to break his own record with Alfredsson is very impressive in just one season. Ten of Heatley's 50 goals would be game-winning goals, which led the NHL. Heatley's +/- rating was a +31 which was +2 better than in 2005-06.
Heatley was a key part of the Senators' run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals along with playing with Alfredsson and Jason Spezza on the same line. Without Heatley on the team, it would've been a tougher path for the Senators to make the Stanley Cup Finals.
Right Wing- 2005-06 Daniel Alfredsson
Just like Dany Heatley, you must talk about Daniel Alfredsson cracking the starting lineup. Alfredsson spent 17 years with the Senators, and the 2005-06 season was the best of them all.
Alfredsson recorded a 103-point season along with Dany Heatley, which tied a record for most points in a single season by a Senator. Alfredsson also posted career-highs in goals with 43 and assists with 60. The 2005-06 season was the only season in which Alfredsson recorded 100 points or more.
The captain was a big part of the Senators winning 52 games and earning 113 points in the same season. Both those numbers are tied in Senators history for the most along with the 2002-03 season when that team had the same amount of wins and points.
Although the Senators fell in the second round of the 2006 playoffs to the Buffalo Sabres, Alfredsson's 2005-06 season will forever be remembered by the Senators.
Center- 1998-99 Alexei Yashin
Some may have immediately expected Jason Spezza to be at the center position along with his teammates Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. However, the center position will be filled by Alexei Yashin for his 1998-99 season.
While some Senator fans might be bitter about Yashin's end of his Senators tenure to this day, but they can't deny how dominant his 1998-99 season was. Yashin made the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, and he did it in spectacular fashion.
Yashin set career-highs in goals with 44, assists with 50 and points with 94. Yashin's 94 points would stand as the Senators record for most points in a season until Heatley and Alfredsson each recorded 103 points in the 2005-06 season.
Yashin would also finish second in MVP voting in 1999. Some might have highly expected Spezza to be in the starting lineup because of his Senators longevity, but Spezza was playing alongside two All-Stars that helped him produce points. In the 1998-99 season, Yashin only had two teammates who finished with 50 points or more.
Yashin carried the offensive load to help the Senators win their first division title in 1999. Although Yashin only played one more season after 1999 with the Senators, his 94-point season will always go down in Senators history.
manual