Whenever free agency starts in the NHL, every team is looking to make a big splash and sign a player that can help improve their team in an instant.
Throughout history, the Ottawa Senators have had their fair share of signing free agents that helped contribute big for the team. From Claude Giroux, to Clarke MacArthur, to Dominik Hasek and more, the Senators have made good splashes in free agency.
The unfortunate part of free agency, is it offers teams to have more free agent busts than steals, and the Senators have had their fair share of free agent busts in each decade. Free agent signings can be tricky and not every team hits the home run with a free agent signing.
Worst free agent signing from each decade in Senators history
When the Senators had signed these four players, they had hoped the free agent signing would make the team better. While the Senators may have made the playoffs with them on the team, the production from the player wasn't the production the Senators had hoped for as well.
1990s- Tom Chorske
Prior to Tom Chorske signing with the Senators, he was a key role player with the New Jersey Devils. Chorske spent from 1991-1995 with the Devils and was a highly underappreciated player.
In the 1993-94 season, Chorske posted a career best 41 points with 21 goals. In the 1994-95 season, Chorske helped the Devils win the 1995 Stanley Cup.
Chorske became available for the Senators to sign in 1995 and they jumped on the opportunity to do so. The Senators had hoped for Chorske to bring his championship leadership over to a Senators team desperately in need of leadership.
Chorske spent two seasons in Ottawa, but didn't have the same production as he had in New Jersey. Chroske didn't record one season of over 30 points in Ottawa. While Ottawa made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 1997, Chorske only recorded one assist in the 1997 playoffs.
After Chorske left, he posted a 35-point season with the New York Islanders in the following 1997-98 season. Chorske was a let down when part of the Senators and the Senators had hoped better.