It was in January 1996 when the Ottawa Senators were having another brutal season. The Senators were desperately trying to find a goaltender who can stop the puck.
To find a goaltender, the Senators made a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire Damian Rhodes. At the time in 48 games played, Rhodes had recorded a 20-18-4 record with a 2.64 goals against average and .908 save percentage in his career, which was all spent with the Maple Leafs.
1996 ended rough for Rhodes and the Senators with missing the playoffs, but the following 1996-97 season was the start of the turning point for the Senators organization, and Rhodes was a part to it.
Rhodes helped Senators make playoffs every year from 1997-1999
The 1996-97 season was the first season in Senators history that the team made the playoffs. Rhodes was on the roster and his season was a strong one to contribute. Rhodes recorded a 14-20-14 record with a 2.72 GAA.
Although Rhodes didn't play in the 1997 playoffs for the Senators, his 1997-98 season would be the best of his NHL career. Rhodes recorded a 19-19-7 record with a 2.34 GAA and .907 save percentage. Rhodes would also add five shutouts on the season.
In the first round of the 1998 playoffs, the Senators were matched up against the heavily favored New Jersey Devils, who finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Devils were led by Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur and finished 24 more points ahead of the Senators in the regular season, but it didn't bother Rhodes going up against arguably the best goaltender in NHL history.
Rhodes and the Senators upset the Devils in six games to win the series. Rhodes out dueled the Hall of Fame goaltender to help the Senators pull off one of the biggest round one upsets in NHL history. Although the Senators fell to the Washington Capitals in the next round, Rhodes recorded a 2.14 GAA and .911 save percentage while starting in 10 playoff games in the 1998 playoffs.
The 1998-99 season was Rhodes' last in Ottawa. Rhodes won a career-high 22 games during the season with a 2.44 GAA. Rhodes and the Senators were swept in the first round of the 1999 playoffs by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Buffalo Sabres. Rhodes started two of the games during the series.
Rhodes' tenure in Ottawa ended when he joined the then expansion Atlanta Thrashers ahead of the 1999-00 season. Instead of losing him at the expansion draft, the Senators traded Rhodes to the Thrashers instead. Rhodes played three more seasons in Atlanta, but didn't put the numbers up he did in Ottawa.
During his Senators tenure, Rhodes helped form a solid duo with Ron Tugnutt. Overall as a Senator, Rhodes recorded 65 wins with a 2.56 GAA, .902 save percentage and 11 shutouts in 181 games played. Rhodes is fourth all-time in Senators history in wins and shutouts.