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.