Top player from each decade the Senators traded away that they gave up on too quickly
Since the Ottawa Senators began their existence in the 1992-93 season, the franchise has yet to win a Stanley Cup. Even with not winning one Stanley Cup, the franchise has had many good players play for the franchise.
However, the Senators have had good players that have played for the franchise that they gave up on too early. Once some players left, some of their careers took off or dropped off in disappointing fashion.
In each decade, the Senators had talented players that they traded away too early. If some of these players had stayed in Ottawa, the direction of the Senators franchise could've ended up differently.
Top player from each decade the Senators gave up on too quickly that they traded away
Every decade has had good moments and bad moments. While the 2020s has been a disaster with missing the playoffs every year, one player the Senators gave up on quickly still has been productive since leaving after a trade.
2020s- Alex DeBrincat
For the first five seasons of his career, Alex DeBrincat was a stand out player with the Chicago Blackhawks. As the 2021-22 season concluded, both the Senators and Blackhawks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017.
With the Senators being desperate and the Blackhawks rebuilding, DeBrincat was traded by the Blackhawks to the Senators. DeBrincat appeared to be a missing piece to the Senators for them to make the playoffs.
While DeBrincat would record 66 points, the Senators finished in the bottom of the NHL and missed the 2023 playoffs. Then problems hit the Senators with DeBrincat.
DeBrincat didn't want to sign a long-term contract with the Senators. As contract issues grew, the Senators would trade DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings, and would sign a four-year, $31.5 contract extension with Detroit. Last season with Detroit, DeBrincat recorded 67 points and made the All-Star Game.
Although the 2020s decade is close to halfway done and the Senators haven't made the playoffs in seven years, DeBrincat would be the top player from the decade that the Senators gave up on too early. If a shorter deal was signed in Ottawa, the DeBrincat trade wouldn't have looked worse at the time.
2010s- Mika Zibanejad
At the 2011 NHL Draft, the Senators held the sixth overall pick in the draft. The 2011 NHL Draft was filled with talent, and the Senators would draft Mika Zibanejad with the sixth pick. Zibanejad would only play nine games in the 2011-12 season.
Over the next four seasons, Zibanejad kept improving and recorded higher point totals in every season. Zibanejad would contribute to help the Senators reach the playoffs in 2013 and 2015. In the 2015-16 season, Zibanejad record career-highs in goals with 21, assists with 30, and points with 51.
Even though Zibanejad kept improving, the Senators appeared to have seen enough of Zibanejad. The Senators would trade Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round pick in exchange for Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round pick from the New York Rangers.
Brassard recorded a 60-point season and 58-point season in his final two seasons with the Rangers. In the 2016-17 season, Brassard would only record 39 points for the Senators. In the following 2017-18 season, Brassard's tenure ended in Ottawa as he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In New York, Zibanejad's career took off immediately. Zibanejad has recorded three 70-point seasons, one 80-point season and one 90-point season. Zibanejad also has recorded two 50-assist seasons and one 40-goal season.
Since the 2017-18 season, the Senators have yet to make the playoffs and the Rangers have made the playoffs four times and have made two Conference Finals over the past three seasons.
2000s- Martin Havlat
Martin Havlat was drafted by the Senators with 26th overall pick in the 1999 NHL Draft. It would only take one season after his draft year for Havlat to get playing time in the NHL.
Havlat made an immediate impact with the Senators in the 2000-01 season with making the NHL All-Rookie Team and finishing third for the Calder Trophy.
Over the next three seasons, Havlat recorded a higher point total in each season. The 2003-04 season would be Havlat's best with the Senators as he recorded 68 points and scored 31 goals. If the 2004-05 NHL Lockout never happened, the Senators could've seen a 70-point season from Havlat.
The 2005-06 season was Havlat's final season with the Senators as he recorded just 16 points in 18 games as he dealt with a shoulder injury. In the 2006 offseason, Havlat would have his Senators tenure end as he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
In his first season in Chicago, Havlat made the 2007 NHL All-Star Game, but the Senators did reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, the Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. If Havlat was on the 2007 Senators, Havlat would've given the Senators an extra offensive push.
Over the next 10 seasons, Havlat recorded a career-high 77 points in the 2008-09 season and would make another All-Star Game in 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Wild.
Havlat was a home grown Senator and is still in the top 10 in significant Senators categories. A home grown player traded away that made two All-Star Games after being traded is a gut punch to the franchise.
1990s- Damian Rhodes
Damian Rhodes began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a quality backup goaltender. In the middle of the 1995-96 season, the Senators and Maple Leafs worked out a trade to send Rhodes to the Senators. Rhodes was destined to be a full-time starter, but had to earn it in Ottawa.
Following the trade, Rhodes finished the 1995-96 season with a 2.77 goals against average and .904 save percentage in 36 games played with the Senators.
In the next three seasons, Rhodes' began to see high flashes as the Senators made the playoffs for the next three seasons. After recording a 2.72 goals against average in the 1996-97 season, Rhodes would have big seasons over the next two seasons.
In the 1997-98 season, Rhodes went 19-19-7 with a 2.34 goals against average in 50 games played, and the Senators won a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. In the 1998-99 season, Rhodes went 22-13-7 with a 2.44 goals against average in 45 games played, and the Senators won the Northwest Division for the first time. However, the Senators would end the Rhodes era as the 1990s came closing to an end.
The new expansion Atlanta Thrashers would begin their existence in the 1999-00 season. Instead of losing him at the expansion draft, the Senators traded Rhodes instead.
In Atlanta on a bad team, Rhodes struggled for the next three seasona and was bought out following the 2001-02 season. In every season in Atlanta, Rhodes finished with a goals against average of at least 3.40.