The Long Hiatus (1978–1990)

Lore & Background

The era is best remembered for the relentless efforts of local businessmen, most notably Eugene Melnyk's eventual entry into discussions, but initially driven by groups like the Ottawa Hockey Club and later the expansion committee led by John G. Cullen and others. The narrative of this time is one of political maneuvering in the NHL boardrooms and community fundraising, where the dream of a new franchise battled against economic skepticism. It was a time when the city had to prove it could support an NHL team again before the league would even consider bringing them back.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the old Civic Centre is still, filled only with the hum of ventilation and the distant echo of footsteps on concrete. In a small office cluttered with maps and petition forms, a group of men huddle around a table, their breath visible in the unheated room. They are not players or coaches; they are accountants, lawyers, and schoolteachers united by a single, desperate hope. On the table lies a proposal for an expansion team, a document that will either resurrect a ghost or confirm its death forever.

Reader's Guide

Throughout the early 1980s, local advocacy groups form, arguing that the nation's capital deserves a return to professional hockey. By the mid-1980s, the push gains momentum with high-profile figures entering the conversation. The city begins assessing potential venues and financial backing, realizing that without a new arena or major upgrades, an NHL bid is impossible. The turning point arrives in 1990 when the NHL officially awards expansion franchises to Ottawa and Tampa Bay. This decision ends the hiatus, setting the stage for the construction of the Corel Centre (now Canadian Tire Centre) and the drafting of the first modern roster.

Did You Know?

• The original Senators' name was preserved in the NHL constitution, allowing it to be revived without needing a new trademark application.
• During the hiatus, Ottawa hosted several minor league teams that tried, with limited success, to fill the void left by the NHL departure.
• The 1990 expansion draft that created the modern Senators was conducted alongside the selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• Fan campaigns during this era successfully lobbied city and provincial governments for financial support to build a new arena.