1917–18 Ottawa Senators season

The 1917–18 Ottawa Senators season was the team's first season in the newly formed National Hockey League (NHL) and 33rd season of play overall. The Senators, along with the Montreal and Quebec franchises of the National Hockey Association (NHA), voted to suspend the NHA and form the NHL. Ottawa would finish second and third in the first and second halves of the season, and did not qualify for the playoffs.
==Regular Season==
The Senators began their membership in the new NHL with a 7–4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at The Arena in Ottawa on December 19, 1917. The team would record their first NHL win a week later on the December 26 on the road against the Montreal Wanderers. The Senators would then record their first ever NHL home win 3 days later against the same Wanderers.
The Wanderers withdrew from the league 6 games into the season due to a fire burning down their arena, so that left the NHL with three teams, the Senators, Canadiens and the Torontos. Ottawa picked up Dave Ritchie and Harry Hyland in the dispersal of players. Hyland would become Ottawa's playing coach. Ottawa would finish third in the first half, and second in the second half to miss out on the playoffs.
Cy Denneny would lead the team in scoring with 36 goals, behind only Joe Malone of the Canadiens in league scoring. Goaltender Clint Benedict would win all 9 games for the team, and post a 5.12 GAA.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record	Pts
1 	December 17	Montreal Canadiens	7–4 	Ottawa Senators 	0–1–0 	0
2 	December 22	Ottawa Senators 	4–11 	Toronto 	0–2–0 	0
3 	December 26	Ottawa Senators 	6–3 	Montreal Wanderers	1–2–0 	2
4 	December 29	Montreal Wanderers	2–9 	Ottawa Senators 	2–2–0 	4
5 	January 2 	Toronto 	6–5 	Ottawa Senators 	2–3–0 	4
6 	January 5 	Ottawa Senators 	5–6 	Montreal Canadiens	2–4–0 	4
7 	January 12 	Ottawa Senators 	4–9 	Montreal Canadiens	2–5–0 	4
8 	January 14 	Toronto 	6–9 	Ottawa Senators 	3–5–0 	6
9 	January 16 	Ottawa Senators 	4–5 	Toronto 	3–6–0 	6
10	January 21 	Montreal Canadiens	5–3 	Ottawa Senators 	3–7–0 	6
11	January 23 	Ottawa Senators 	4–3 	Montreal Canadiens	4–7–0 	8
12	January 26 	Toronto 	3–6 	Ottawa Senators 	5–7–0 	10
13	January 30 	Montreal Canadiens	5–2 	Ottawa Senators 	5–8–0 	10
14	February 4 	Ottawa Senators 	2–8 	Toronto 	5–9–0 	10
15	February 6 	Montreal Canadiens	3–6 	Ottawa Senators 	6–9–0 	12
16	February 11	Ottawa Senators 	1–3 	Toronto 	6–10–0	12
17	February 13	Toronto 	6–1 	Ottawa Senators 	6–11–0	12
18	February 16	Ottawa Senators 	4–10 	Montreal Canadiens	6–12–0	12
19	February 23	Ottawa Senators 	3–9 	Toronto 	6–13–0	12
20	February 25	Montreal Canadiens	0–8 	Ottawa Senators 	7–13–0	14
21	February 27	Ottawa Senators 	3–1 	Montreal Canadiens	8–13–0	16
22	March 6 	Toronto 	3–9 	Ottawa Senators 	9–13–0	18
==Player Statistics==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A	Pts	PIM
Cy Denneny 	22	36	0	36 	34
Jack Darragh 	18	14	0	14 	3
Eddie Gerard 	21	13	0	13 	12
Frank Nighbor	9 	11	0	11 	3
Buck Boucher 	22	9 	0	9 	27
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA
Sammy Hebert 	1 	10 	0	0 	0	0 	0 	0.00
Clint Benedict	22	1337	9	13	0	114	1 	5.12
==Roster==
						
Goaltenders
*		
Defensemen
* 
* 
* 
* 
*		
Wingers
* 
* - C
* 
* 
*		
Centres
* 
* 
*GM: Tommy Gorman
*Coach: Eddie Gerard
*Coach: Harry Hyland
==Game Ads==
17-18NHLOttawaGameAd.jpg
==See Also==
* 1917–18 NHL season
==References==
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
==External Links==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
Category:Ottawa Senators (original) seasons
Category:1917–18 in ice hockey
Category:1917–18 in Canadian ice hockey by team