Unsung Heroes: Recalling 3 Overlooked Ottawa Senators Goalies Who Quietly Shaped the Team's History.
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Ottawa Senators fans have witnessed a revolving door of goaltenders throughout the team's history. While names like Craig Anderson, Patrick Lalime, and Dominik Hasek are easily recalled, several other netminders have donned the Senators jersey, leaving their own unique, though sometimes fleeting, mark on the franchise. These are three such goalies who may have slipped from the collective memory of Sens fans.

Martin Prusek

In the early 2000s, Patrick Lalime held the starting position for the Ottawa Senators, but Martin Prusek served as a reliable backup. The Czech goalie quietly and dependably carried out his duties. Prusek played 48 games over three seasons with Ottawa, recording 28 victories. During the 2003–04 season, he contributed 16 wins. Prusek provided solid support, particularly when Lalime needed rest. Drafted 164th overall in 1999, Prusek played only 57 NHL games but had a strong rookie season, going 12-2-1 with a 2.37 GAA and a .911 save percentage. He returned to Europe before the 2004-05 NHL lockout. While not the anticipated goalie of the future, Prusek provided the team with stability and dependability for a few years.

Ron Tugnutt

Ron Tugnutt, affectionately known as "The Tugger," was a popular and important goalie for the Senators. Tugnutt arrived to the Senators at a time when the franchise was beginning to improve. Some credit him as a key factor in that progress, helping the team reach their first playoff appearance in 1996-97, which started an 11-year playoff streak. Tugnutt played 166 games for the Senators and had a 2.32 goals-against average. In 1998-99, Tugnutt had a 1.79 GAA and a .925 save percentage, finishing fifth in Vezina Trophy voting.

Brian Elliott

Brian Elliott was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the ninth round in 2003. He played with Ottawa for four seasons and was considered their future goaltender for a few years until a trade. In March 2009, he was nominated for rookie of the month. Throughout his career, he participated in two All-Star games. After leaving Ottawa, Elliott had a strong career, serving as a reliable "1A" goalie for the St. Louis Blues. There are now 6 former Senators goalies who have played at least 1 game in the NHL this season, including Elliott.

These three goalies, Prusek, Tugnutt, and Elliott, may not be the first names that come to mind when discussing Ottawa Senators goaltenders, but each made a valuable contribution to the team during their time in Ottawa.


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Eager and inquisitive, Aahana is a journalist with a passion for local human-interest stories and sports. She's quickly learning the art of interviewing, aiming to amplify the voices of everyday people in her community, and enjoys keeping up with the latest in the sports world. Aahana is committed to ethical reporting and believes in the power of storytelling to connect individuals and foster understanding.
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