Ranking the Greatest Ottawa Senators Players Ever
This piece selects the top players in Ottawa Senators history, placing Daniel Alfredsson first. It also lists Jason Spezza, Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson, and Chris Phillips as notable figures. Alfredsson is cited as the franchise leader in goals, assists, and points, with a long captaincy and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2007.
The Senators entered the NHL in 1992. Daniel Alfredsson became their longest-serving captain, holding the role from 1999 to 2013, and remains the club’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points. He recorded 1,157 points, appeared in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, and had 100 playoff points across 121 games. His number was retired in December 2016.
Jason Spezza arrived as the second overall pick in 2001 and spent 686 games with Ottawa, producing 251 goals and 436 assists. Those totals rank second in franchise history. His 71 assists in 2005-06 remain a team record, and he later captained the Senators in 2013 before being traded to Dallas in 2014.
This ranking may shape how Ottawa hockey fans remember franchise history, especially younger supporters who did not see Alfredsson or Spezza play. It could spark debate among Senators fans and historians about criteria for greatness, statistics versus leadership and playoff moments. Such discussions may strengthen community identity around the team and Stanley Cup-era nostalgia, though they are unlikely to have broad effects beyond sports audiences.