A Comparison of Florida Panthers vs Ottawa Senators

The Panthers and the Senators are not just two top NHL teams to watch but also teams with a storied history and a lot of potential.

Both were founded in the 1990s and based in Florida and Ottawa respectively, the Panthers and the Senators are hot tickets for the upcoming championships. 

But just how different or similar are the Panthers and the Senators? 

Origins 

The Florida Panthers were formed in 1993 by business magnate Wayne Huizenga who already had experience in owning an NFL and MLB team. The team was announced on April 20, 1993, and its logos and uniform were unveiled on June 15 of that year. By the 1993/1994 NHL season, the team had fully launched. 

The Senators were formed in 1992 after the city of Ottawa had gone 54 years without an NHL team of its own due to financial constraints. Then, three real estate entrepreneurs Bruce Firestone, Cyril Leeder and Randy Sexton began a campaign dubbed “Bring Back the Senators” to convince the NHL that Ottawa could support its own team. This worked, and the Senators began playing in the 1992/1993 season.

Tournament Wins 

In their history, the Florida Panthers have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs seven times and in 2023, won their first-ever Stanley Cup Final game. This victory saw the team defeat the  Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime. While the team have yet to win a Stanley Cup, they’ve won a conference championship, a President’s Trophy, and three division championships. 

The Ottawa Senators also have an impressive history behind them. They have made 16 playoff appearances so far and have won four division titles. In terms of trophies, they have won a Presidents’ Trophy, a conference championship, and 4 division championships. They made it to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Anaheim Ducks.

Head-to-Head Results

Many times over the years, the Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Sentaors have taken each other on head-to-head. In total, the two have played against each other 109 times and the Senators have a record of 57-46-3-3 against them, meaning they have won 53.75% of the time.

The Senators have also enjoyed a 9-game winning streak against the Panthers which lasted from March 27, 2010, to February 15, 2012. And while the two teams have never played head-to-head in an NHL playoff game, they have most recently met in the 2022/2023 season where they played 3 games. The three games ended with the Panthers winning 66.6% (2 games) of them and the Senators winning 33.3% of them (1 game).

Current Roster

The reason why the two teams have been able to secure so many wins is thanks to their impressive rosters. With the Florida Panthers, you have captain Aleksander “Sasha” Barkov, who is widely considered one of the best defensive forwards in the game and even won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2021. You also have other impressive players like Samuel Bennett and Michael Benning, who won the Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament.

The Senators also have an impressive selection of players, including captain Brady Tkachuk and Foundation Player Award winner Travis Hamonic. They also boast Mathieu Joseph, who helped the Tampa Bay Lightning to win two back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

Needless to say, both teams have a hoard of impressive talents behind them.

Victory Odds

While many fans believe in both the Panthers’ and Senators’ chances of coming out on top, the story isn’t the same when comparing the two teams’ odds of winning next year’s Stanley Cup. 

The Panthers are somewhat favored among online bookmakers to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. By examining each online sportsbook in more detail, you’ll find they initially enter the running with +1400 odds at most of them, well ahead of the season starting in October. They’re only just behind last year’s champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, who are sitting at +1200 to repeat their winning performance in the coming season. 

As for the Senators, things are not looking so promising according to online sportsbooks. As of the writing of this article, the Senators have +4400 odds to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. This puts them just behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks, who are both currently at odds of +4000. 

Conclusion

The Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators have been in the NHL since the 90s and are both on the ballot to perform well at the 2024 Stanley Cup. Coming from simple beginnings, both teams have cultivated a loyal following over the years and things are just starting to heat up.

With impressive selections of players, a history of victories behind them, and the support of the fans, we just might see one of these two clench the trophy after all. 

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