Former Ottawa Senators players are reflecting on the early days of the franchise as the current team prepares for its home opener Tuesday.
Players from that original 1992 team gathered on Monday night to talk about how quickly those 20 years have passed.
"It almost does seem like just yesterday that it was a new franchise and we were taking the ice for the first time," said former defenceman Brad Marsh. "That's the general thought among a lot of guys, ‘Can you believe it's been 20 years?'"
"I think whenever you are on the team and you do something from the ground up and you're there at the beginning, it's a special feeling and brings back lots of memories," said the team's first captain Laurie Boschman.
As the years have passed and the team turned into a contender, both players and residents said the community has grown along with it.
"It's really neat, the team has been such an integral part of the community," Boschman said. "I think Ottawa and the surrounding area have embraced the Senators and I think that's something that's really nice to see."
"There's been a lot of spirit for the Sens and I think that brings Kanata closer together," said resident Sarah Best. "(We have) united love for them even now that they're not doing so well."
Like that expansion team, the 2011 Senators team isn't expected to be a playoff contender.
"They've got that youthful exuberance," Marsh said. "I think maybe not this year but next year we're going to start climbing the ladder and surprise a lot of people."
The Senators host the Minnesota Wild Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., with a red carpet ceremony happening at 4:30 p.m. at Scotiabank Place.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Katie Griffin
