How did the Senators find themselves at such a low point?
The Ottawa Senators were one shot from playing for the Stanley Cup last May. Next to nothing has gone right since.
On and off the ice, the Senators have been an unmitigated disaster in the wake of their 3-2 double overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the National Hockey League’s 2017 Eastern Conference final.
The team stumbled its way to a forgettable 30th-place finish this season, but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what has been an epic faceplant.
Apart from the long losing streaks and abysmal performances, the past year has seen a former player lash out, owner Eugene Melnyk threaten to move the franchise, the uncertain future of captain Erik Karlsson, a minor fan revolt, and an assistant general manager being charged with harassment.
Daniel Alfredsson was also quoted saying he hopes the Senators are sold to ensure their future in the nation’s capital, the club’s plan for a new downtown arena remains very much up in the in the air, and a baby garment featuring the Senators logo was recalled because of a potential choking hazard.
But things hit a stunning new low this week when it emerged Karlsson’s wife has filed an order of protection against the spouse of one of his teammates, alleging harassment and cyberbullying. Melinda Karlsson alleges that Monika Caryk, the longtime partner of Senators forward Mike Hoffman, posted hundreds of derogatory online messages aimed at her and her husband.
“Monika Caryk has uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead,” Melinda Karlsson said in the sworn statement. The Karlssons’ first child, a son named Axel, was stillborn in March.
The allegations and the application for a peace bond, which was filed in court on May 4, were first reported by the Ottawa Citizen.
Melinda Karlsson also claimed that Caryk “uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should ‘take out’ my husband’s legs to ‘end his career.’ ”
It’s hard to envision a worse 12-month span for a team. It’s also important to ask, especially with the NHL draft, free agency and what could be a franchise altering summer just around the corner, “How did the Senators get to this point?”
While the last year has been especially bad the relationship between Melnyk, who saved the club out of bankruptcy in 2003, and fans has been volatile for some time. Things weren’t helped when Senators president Cyril Leeder, a member of the organization since 1992, was abruptly fired in January 2017.
Tom Anselmi took over from Leeder and was tasked with boosting ticket sales and working on the downtown arena project that would see the Senators move to just west of Parliament Hill.
But even as the team surged through the playoffs last spring, ticket sales lagged, with empty seats dotting Canadian Tire Centre for several games.
A few days prior to December’s outdoor game, former Ottawa centre Kyle Turris, who was traded to Nashville in a threeway deal the previous month, said Melnyk was the reason he was no longer in the nation’s capital.
Then on the eve of the outdoor game, Melnyk mused he might have to move the team if ticket sales didn’t improve. The #MelnykOut hashtag was launched on Twitter the same month.
Then Lee was charged with harassing a hotel shuttle driver in Buffalo, N.Y., during the NHL’s pre-draft scouting combine two weeks ago. His court appearance is set for July 6.
The Senators pick fourth at next week’s NHL draft in Dallas, an event where they are sure to get a good player, but will also be faced with uncomfortable questions concerning both Lee and the Karlsson-Hoffman story.