Senators legend names the greatest team in Senators history

The Ottawa Senators played their first season in the NHL in the 1992-93 season. The first season was one of the worst in NHL history when the team went 10-70-4. It wasn't until 1997 where the team made the playoffs for the first time.

Ottawa had to gain respect from the rest of the NHL after being a door mat for the first four years of existence. Since 1997, Ottawa has made three Eastern Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Final.

The question rings: what Senators team is the best in franchise history? Former defenseman Chris Phillips, who played all 17 years of his career with the Senators and has his number retired by the Senators, gave his answer on what team is the best, and it could shock people.

Chris Phillips names 2003 Senators team as the best in franchise history

Phillips was recently on the Locked on Senators Podcast. A question was asked to him of: what is the best team in Senators history? Phillips named the 2003 team as the best.

"03, that was arguably, that might have been the best team," Phillips said.

One key thing that makes the 2003 Senators the best team in franchise history is the 2003 team is the only Senators team to win the President's Trophy. The Senators went 52-21-8-1 for 113 points in 2002-03. The only other time the Senators only Senators team statistically can come close to 2003 was the 2005-06 team. Ironically, the 2006 Senators won 52 games and had 113 points.

In 2003, the Senators had 10 players on their team with at least 30 points. Marian Hossa led the Senators with 45 goals and 80 points. Goaltender Patrick Lalime had a 39-20-7 record with a 2.16 goals against average and .911 save percentage. Lalime also had an impressive eight shutouts too.

Some might not feel the 2003 team was better because they didn't make the Stanley Cup unlike the 2007 team who did, but you can't deny the Senators in 2003 were a powerhouse with their depth. The Senators lost Game 7 at home in the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals to the New Jersey Devils. Phillips scored one of the biggest goals in Senators history in Game 6 in overtime to force a Game 7. In 2007, the Senators were the fourth seed in the East with 105 points.

There was a four-year stretch that featured four talented Senator teams. The Senators each had over 100 points every season but couldn't get over the hump to win it all. Despite being close to winning one Stanley Cup, Phillips knows that the Senators were talented in each of the four seasons.

"There was that stretch from like, you know, 03 to 07, where, you know, was that close to being a dynasty," Phillips said. "And it seems almost embarrassing to say that it could've been a dynasty when you don't even have one. But, we were that good and that close."

Had the 2004-05 lockout never happened, the Senators would've had a good chance to go far in the 2005 playoffs. Looking back on the lockout, Phillips said, "That hurt."