2015–16 Ottawa Senators season

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2015–16 Ottawa Senators
Division5th Atlantic
Conference11th Eastern
2015–16 record38–35–9
Home record21–14–6
Road record17–21–3
Goals for236
Goals against247
Team information
General managerBryan Murray
CoachDave Cameron
CaptainErik Karlsson
Alternate captainsChris Neil
Chris Phillips
Kyle Turris
ArenaCanadian Tire Centre
Average attendance18,084 (94.4%)
Minor league affiliate(s)Binghamton Senators (AHL)
Evansville IceMen (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsMike Hoffman (29)
AssistsErik Karlsson (66)
PointsErik Karlsson (82)
Penalty minutesChris Neil (165)
Plus/minusJean-Gabriel Pageau (+17)
WinsCraig Anderson (31)
Goals against averageAndrew Hammond (2.65)

The 2015–16 Ottawa Senators season was the 24th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] The Senators, along with all other Canadian teams, failed to make the playoffs. A major trade was made during the season to bring Dion Phaneuf to the Senators and improve the team defence, but the team was not able to make a run to secure a playoff spot. Two significant faults in the team were noted by the media: the club allowed 247 goals, third-highest in the league. Secondly, the team's penalty-killing unit ranked 29th in the league. One day after the regular season, general manager (GM) Bryan Murray stepped down and assistant GM Pierre Dorion became GM. Head coach Dave Cameron and the coaching staff were fired two days later.

Off-season[]

Leading up to the off-season, the media frequently speculated about what the Ottawa Senators would and could do with their surplus of goaltenders. They had recently signed Andrew Hammond, who had had an outstanding 2014–15 season, to a three-year contract and college graduate Matt O'Connor to an entry-level contract. They already had starter Craig Anderson, who was signed until the end of the 2017–18 season, and backup Robin Lehner, considered to be an outstanding future starter, who was signed until the end of the 2016–17 season, and prospect Chris Driedger in the minors.

The logjam at the goaltending position was resolved on June 26, when general manager Bryan Murray completed a trade that saw Robin Lehner and forward David Legwand go to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 21st overall pick (acquired by Buffalo from the New York Islanders in the Matt Moulson-Thomas Vanek trade) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The Senators would use the pick to select right winger Colin White, who played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program's under-18 team. White is committed to attend Boston College beginning in the fall of 2015. The inclusion of Legwand in the trade was done to free up salary cap space to re-sign several players.

On June 27, Murray completed another trade, sending defenceman Eric Gryba to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for prospect forward Travis Ewanyk and a fourth-round 2015 draft pick, 107th overall, which the Senators used to select defenceman Christian Wolanin of the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Wolanin will play for the University of North Dakota in the 2015–16 season.[2]

On July 7, the Senators re-signed Luke Richardson to a one-year contract extension to remain head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, for the 2015–16 season. Richardson has been head coach of Binghamton since the 2010–11 season. In his first season at the helm, he led Binghamton to a 44–24–1–7 record, placing them fourth in the Eastern Conference. The team would end up winning the 2011 Calder Cup.[3]

On July 26, an arbitrator awarded RFA right-winger Alex Chiasson a one-year contract worth $1.2 million. TSN Hockey Insider Frank Seravalli reported that Chiasson asked for a $2.475 million in his hearing that occurred on July 23 while the Senators countered with a $1 million offer.[4]

On August 3, an arbitrator awarded RFA left-winger Mike Hoffman a one-year contract worth $2 million. Hoffman submitted a request for a one-year contract worth $3.4 million while the Senators offered a one-year, $1.75 million contract.[5]

On September 5, the Canadian Press reported Senators defenceman Chris Phillips had suffered a major setback in his return to action after having back surgery back in April 2015. Phillips confirmed the report by informing Ottawa Sun sports columnist Bruce Garrioch that he cracked a disc in his back and there is currently no timetable for his return.[6]

On September 17, the Senators announced that Daniel Alfredsson had returned to the organization. He will be the team's senior advisor of hockey operations. He reports to Bryan Murray.[7]

Pre-season[]

The Ottawa Senators played an eight-game preseason schedule beginning on Monday, September 21, 2015, and finishing on Saturday, October 3, 2015. The schedule featured split squad games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. It also featured a game against the Carolina Hurricanes taking place in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Regular season[]

The Senators began their season on the road in Buffalo, against the Sabres at the First Niagara Center. The home opener took place at the Canadian Tire Centre on October 11, 2015, against the Montreal Canadiens. The team concluded the home part of their schedule on April 7, 2016, against the Florida Panthers. Their final game of the regular season took place on April 9, 2016, at TD Garden in Boston.[8]

On Sunday, October 11, 2015, rookie goaltender Matt O'Connor made his NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens in a 3–1 loss. The goaltender for the Canadiens that night was rookie goaltender Mike Condon. This marked the first time that two NHL rookie goaltenders made their NHL debuts in the same game since October 14, 1967 when Wayne Rutledge of the Los Angeles Kings faced Doug Favell of the Philadelphia Flyers.[9]

In February 2016, the Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs made a sensational trade of nine players and a draft pick. The Senators acquired Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf, plus Matt Frattin and three prospects, in exchange for Jared Cowen, Colin Greening, Milan Michalek, prospect Tobias Lindberg and a second-round 2017 draft pick. The two rival teams interests coincided for a rare trade between the two. The Maple Leafs wished to trade Phaneuf to rid the team of his contract. Similarly, the Senators wanted to move Cowen and Greening and Michalek. After the trade, Cowen revealed he had requested a trade; he had become a regular healthy scratch for the team. Greening had lost his NHL job, but had a one-way contract, and Michalek had a relatively high $4 million per season contract.[10] Frattin was not transferred from the AHL Toronto Marlies to Binghamton, he remained with the Marlies on a loan.

Playoffs[]

The Senators failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, after being eliminated on March 30, 2016.

Standings[]

Atlantic Division
Pos Team GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 y – Florida Panthers 82 47 26 9 40 239 203 +36 103
2 x – Tampa Bay Lightning 82 46 31 5 43 227 201 +26 97
3 x – Detroit Red Wings 82 41 30 11 39 211 224 −13 93
4 Boston Bruins 82 42 31 9 38 240 230 +10 93
5 Ottawa Senators 82 38 35 9 32 236 247 −11 85
6 Montreal Canadiens 82 38 38 6 33 221 236 −15 82
7 Buffalo Sabres 82 35 36 11 33 201 222 −21 81
8 Toronto Maple Leafs 82 29 42 11 23 198 246 −48 69
Source: National Hockey League[11]
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division
Eastern Conference Wild Card
Pos Div Team GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 ME x – New York Islanders 82 45 27 10 40 232 216 +16 100
2 ME x – Philadelphia Flyers 82 41 27 14 38 214 218 −4 96
3 AT Boston Bruins 82 42 31 9 38 240 230 +10 93
4 ME Carolina Hurricanes 82 35 31 16 33 198 226 −28 86
5 AT Ottawa Senators 82 38 35 9 32 236 247 −11 85
6 ME New Jersey Devils 82 38 36 8 36 184 208 −24 84
7 AT Montreal Canadiens 82 38 38 6 33 221 236 −15 82
8 AT Buffalo Sabres 82 35 36 11 33 201 222 −21 81
9 ME Columbus Blue Jackets 82 34 40 8 28 219 252 −33 76
10 AT Toronto Maple Leafs 82 29 42 11 23 198 246 −48 69
Source: National Hockey League[12]
x – Clinched playoff spot

Schedule and results[]

Pre-season[]

Regular season[]

2015–16 Regular Season[22]

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Players[]

Statistics[]

Final stats[104]

Scoring
Goaltenders
Regular Season[106]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Craig Anderson 60 60 3,477:08 31 23 5 161 2.78 1,915 .916 4 0 2 0
Andrew Hammond 24 21 1,382:19 7 11 4 61 2.65 712 .914 1 0 0 2
Matthew O'Connor 1 1 58:02 0 1 0 3 3.10 34 .912 0 0 0 0
Chris Driedger 1 0 31:49 0 0 0 0 0.00 11 1.000 0 0 0 0

Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Senators. Stats reflect time with the Senators only.
No longer with team.
Bold/italics denotes team leader in that category.

Awards[]

Regular Season
Player Award Awarded
Erik Karlsson NHL All-Star game selection[107] January 6, 2016
Erik Karlsson NHL Second Star of the Week[108] February 8, 2016
Craig Anderson NHL Third Star of the Week[109] February 22, 2016

Milestones[]

Player Milestone Date
Kyle Turris 400th NHL game October 10, 2015
Matt O'Connor 1st NHL game
1st NHL start
October 11, 2015
Milan Michalek 700th NHL game October 11, 2015
Erik Karlsson 400th NHL game October 11, 2015
Chris Wideman 1st NHL game October 17, 2015
Chris Neil 900th NHL game October 22, 2015
Max McCormick 1st NHL game October 22, 2015[110]
Kyle Turris 100th NHL goal October 31, 2015
Bobby Ryan 400th NHL point October 31, 2015
Craig Anderson 100th win as a member of the Ottawa Senators November 3, 2015
Jean-Gabriel Pageau 100th NHL game November 5, 2015
Chris Wideman 1st NHL goal
1st NHL point
November 7, 2015
Shane Prince 1st NHL goal November 25, 2015
Marc Methot 100th NHL point November 28, 2015
David Dziurzynski 1st NHL assist December 6, 2015
Mark Stone 100th NHL point December 14, 2015
Ryan Dzingel 1st NHL game December 22, 2015
Max McCormick 1st NHL assist
1st NHL point
December 29, 2015
Fredrik Claesson 1st NHL game December 30, 2015
Curtis Lazar 100th NHL game December 30, 2015
Alex Chiasson 200th NHL game December 30, 2015
Bobby Ryan 200th NHL goal January 4, 2016
Chris Wideman 1st NHL assist January 4, 2016
Max McCormick 1st NHL goal January 7, 2016
Craig Anderson 200th NHL win January 16, 2016
Patrick Wiercioch 200th NHL game January 24, 2016
Ryan Dzingel 1st NHL assist
1st NHL point
February 6, 2016
Ryan Dzingel 1st NHL goal February 16, 2016
Nick Paul 1st NHL game February 16, 2016
Nick Paul 1st NHL assist
1st NHL point
February 18, 2016
Nick Paul 1st NHL goal February 23, 2016
Zack Smith 100th NHL point February 27, 2016
Mike Hoffman 100th NHL point February 27, 2016
Marc Methot 500th NHL game March 6, 2016
Bobby Ryan 600th NHL game March 23, 2016
Cody Ceci 200th NHL game March 30, 2016
Ben Harpur 1st NHL game March 31, 2016
Buddy Robinson 1st NHL game April 5, 2016
Erik Karlsson 100th NHL goal April 5, 2016
Ben Harpur 1st NHL assist
1st NHL point
April 5, 2016
Fredrik Claesson 1st NHL assist
1st NHL point
April 5, 2016
Buddy Robinson 1st NHL goal
1st NHL point
April 7, 2016
Zack Smith 400th NHL game April 9, 2016
Buddy Robinson 1st NHL assist April 9, 2016
Team Milestone Date
Ottawa Senators 5000th goal in franchise history
(Scored by Jean-Gabriel Pageau)
October 11, 2015
Ottawa Senators 800th win December 14, 2015
Ottawa Senators 1800th game February 20, 2016

Records[]

Team Record Date
Ottawa Senators Franchise record for most shots allowed in one period (27) December 12, 2015
Player Record Date
Mika Zibanejad Franchise record for scoring the quickest hat-trick (2:38) February 27, 2016

Transactions[]

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