The Tampa Bay Lightning are dominating this year's guide with four ex-Senators on their playoff roster.
With all due respect to Christmas, the one true "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is now upon us. Over the next 48 hours, all eight first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series will be underway. It's the hap-happiest season of all.
Oh sure, for Ottawa Senators fans, it would be even better if their team got a playoff invitation once in a while. But for those looking for a team to cheer for, there's no shortage of Sens content in this year's post-season.
By default, many Ottawans will embrace and root for whichever team is playing the Toronto Maple Leafs. But if you wanted to cheer for the team with the most Ottawa Senators on their roster, here's your handy guide for 2024.
Tampa Bay (WC1) at Florida (D1)
Tampa leads the way with a quartet of former Senators looking for a 2024 ring – Nick Paul, Anthony Duclair, and Tyler Motte (DTD). Austin Watson is only used sparingly, but he's there on Tampa's black aces, and might be inserted into Tampa's lineup if the Battle of Florida gets nasty. The Panthers have Vladimir Tarasenko, the former Senator who was traded last month for a colourful satchel of magic beans. Sorry, we're being told the compensation was actually a third and a fourth-rounder.
Toronto (D3) at Boston (D2)
Not much shaking here. Although, Matt Murray is number four on the Leafs' goaltending chart (dare to dream).
Washington (WC2) at (D1) NY Rangers
Mika Zibanejad is the star former Senator attraction in this series for the Rangers. He's also the only one. For shame.
NY Islanders (D3) at (D2) Carolina
The Islanders have J.G. Pageau (game time decision for game 1) and defenceman Mike Reilly. Although he never played in Ottawa, Carolina has former Sens first rounder Stefan Noesen.
Over to the west...
Vegas (WC2) at Dallas (D1)
The Knights have the same two former Senators who gulped down many litres of alcohol from the Stanley Cup last season: Mark Stone and Michael Amadio. Robin Lehner is technically a Knight still. He's on LTIR. Sorry, the Knights' real, non-loophole LTIR. Dallas has Matt (Ubergate) Duchene and Evgenii (give me back my pick) Dadonov.
Colorado (D3) at Winnipeg (D2)
This one is all Jets. Colorado has no one while Winnipeg heads to battle with defenceman Dylan DeMelo and winger Vladislav Namestnikov.
Nashville (WC1) at Vancouver (D1)
Pius Suter is the only former Senator in this matchup and we're cheating a little, just to have some semblance of Sens content in this series. Ottawa had Suter in their rookie camp in 2017 but let him walk.
Los Angeles (D3) at Edmonton (D2)
Cam Talbot will tend goal for the Kings and try to cool off Edmonton's Connor Brown who had four goals in the final month after snapping a 72-game goalless drought in mid-March. Cody Ceci also rolls out there for the Oilers.
Just for fun, it's your former Sens playoff roster all-star team:
Tarasenko-Zibanejad-Stone
DeMelo-Ceci
Talbot
Looks like our former Sens playoff roster all-star team has two right shot defencemen who play in the top four. And a goalie with a .913 save percentage, who bought a house in Ottawa last season.
Is there an NHL team that could have used some help in those areas this season?