Belleville Senators
{{Short description|American Hockey League team in Belleville, Ontario}}
{{Infobox ice hockey team
| current = 2024–25 AHL season
| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#e4103c 5px solid; border-bottom:#1e191a 5px solid;
| text_color = #1e191a
| team = Belleville Senators
| logo = Belleville Senators logo.svg
| logosize = 215px
| city = Belleville, Ontario
| league = American Hockey League
| conference = Eastern
| division = North
| founded = 1972
| arena = CAA Arena
| colours = Red, black, white
{{color box|#e4103c}} {{color box|#1e191a}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
| owner = Michael Andlauer
| coach = David Bell
| GM = Matt Turek
| captain = Garrett Pilon
| media = AHL.TV (Internet)
CJBQ
| affiliates = Ottawa Senators (NHL)
| website = {{official website|http://www.bellevillesens.com}}
| name1 = New Haven Nighthawks
| dates1 = 1972–1992
| name2 = New Haven Senators
| dates2 = 1992–1993
| name3 = Prince Edward Island Senators
| dates3 = 1993–1996
| name4 = Binghamton Senators
| dates4 = 2002–2017
| name5 = Belleville Senators
| dates5 = 2017–present
|reg_season_titles =
|division_titles = 1 (2019–20)
|conf_titles =
|calder_cups =
}}
The Belleville Senators (colloquially known as the B-Sens) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2017–18 season as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ottawa Senators. Based in Belleville, Ontario, the Senators play their home games at CAA Arena. The franchise was previously based out of Binghamton, New York, as the Binghamton Senators.
History
In July 2016, Broome County officials stated that the Ottawa Senators intended to relocate their franchise, then known as the Binghamton Senators, closer to the parent club for the 2017–18 season despite still having three more years on their lease.{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Jason|date=July 8, 2016|title=Binghamton Sens moving north to Belleville say Broome County officials|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/binghamton-sens-moving-north-to-bellevile-say-broome-county-officials|access-date=July 9, 2016}} On September 26, 2016, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk confirmed that he had purchased the Binghamton team and would be relocating it to become the Belleville Senators for the 2017–18 season with the Binghamton Devils eventually announced to be taking over their lease.{{cite web|date=September 26, 2016|title=Sens Owner Purchases AHL Team Partners W/ Belleville|url=https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/ottawa-senators-owner-eugene-melnyk-purchases-ahl-team-and-partners-with-city-of-belleville/c-282137476|url-status=live|access-date=September 26, 2016|publisher=Ottawa Senators|via=NHL.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927161711/https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/ottawa-senators-owner-eugene-melnyk-purchases-ahl-team-and-partners-with-city-of-belleville/c-282137476 |archive-date=2016-09-27 }} In order to accommodate an AHL team, the City of Belleville approved more than $20 million in upgrades to Yardmen Arena once the Senators agreed to an eight-year lease.{{cite news|date=September 26, 2016|title=Ottawa Senators finalize deal to move AHL team to Belleville from Binghamton|newspaper=Ottawa Sun|url=http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/09/26/ottawa-senators-finalize-deal-to-move-ahl-team-to-belleville-from-binghamton|access-date=September 27, 2016}}
The Senators kept Kurt Kleinendorst as head coach for the franchise's inaugural season in Belleville, but after a 29–42–2–3 record and missing the playoffs, his contract was not renewed.{{cite web|date=May 1, 2018|title=Report: Coach K out as Belleville Senators bench boss|url=http://www.intelligencer.ca/2018/05/01/report-coach-k-out-as-belleville-senators-bench-boss|url-status=live|access-date=May 1, 2018|work=Belleville Intelligencer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502140211/http://www.intelligencer.ca/2018/05/01/report-coach-k-out-as-belleville-senators-bench-boss |archive-date=2018-05-02 }} He was replaced by Troy Mann, the recently released coach of the Hershey Bears.{{cite web|date=June 25, 2018|title=Troy Mann named second head coach in franchise history|url=http://bellevillesens.com/troy-mann-named-second-head-coach-franchise-history/|url-status=live|access-date=June 25, 2018|publisher=Belleville Senators|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626001546/http://bellevillesens.com/troy-mann-named-second-head-coach-franchise-history/ |archive-date=2018-06-26 }} The team improved in the 2018–19 season, finishing in fifth place in the North Division behind the play of younger players Drake Batherson, Logan Brown, Rudolfs Balcers, and Erik Brannstrom.
Led by Josh Norris, Alex Formenton, and Drake Batherson, the B-Sens were leading the North Division when the 2019–20 season was cancelled on May 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had amassed a 38–20–4–1 record and were the best road team in the league having won 23 games and a .790 road win percentage. The B-Sens' 234 goals were the most in the AHL.
The start for the following 2020–21 season was delayed due to the ongoing pandemic. In December 2020, the Senators agreed to a seven-year lease extension with the city of Belleville through the 2026–27 AHL season.{{cite press release|url=https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/belleville-senators-extend-lease-with-city/c-319783586|title=Belleville Senators extend lease with city|first=Matt|last=Tidcombe|publisher=Ottawa Senators|via=NHL.com|date=December 9, 2020}} In January 2021, the league announced a temporary realignment due to the pandemic border restrictions and the B-Sens were placed in an all-Canada division, but had no set start date due to venue usage and restrictions in the province of Ontario. The league eventually announced a start for the teams in Canada for one week after the rest of the league, but without any games initially scheduled in Ontario.{{Cite web|date=February 9, 2021|title=February schedule set for Canadian Division clubs|url=https://theahl.com/february-schedule-canadian-division|url-status=live|access-date=February 9, 2021|publisher=American Hockey League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209220919/https://theahl.com/february-schedule-canadian-division |archive-date=2021-02-09 }} The Belleville Senators started on the road before announcing their home games would be played in Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre for the entire season.{{cite web|date=February 23, 2021|title=Belleville Senators Announce Temporary Relocation For Home Games for 2020-21 Season|url=https://bellevillesens.com/belleville-senators-announce-temporary-re-location/|url-status=live|access-date=February 23, 2021|publisher=Belleville Senators|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223225833/https://bellevillesens.com/belleville-senators-announce-temporary-re-location/ |archive-date=2021-02-23 }}
During the 2022–23 season, Belleville fired Troy Mann as coach on February 2, 2023, while sitting sixth in the AHL's North Division. Assistant coach David Bell was named new head coach.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-fire-longtime-ahl-belleville-coach-troy-mann/ |title=Senators fire longtime AHL Belleville coach Troy Mann |work=Sportsnet |date=February 2, 2023 |access-date=December 15, 2023}}
After the departure of captain Dillon Heatherington in the offseason, on October 8, 2024, Belleville named Garrett Pilon the sixth captain in franchise history.{{cite web |url=https://www.quintenews.com/2024/10/08/341264/ |title=Pilon is the leadership pillar for Belleville |work=Quinte News |last=Durkin |first=Tim |date=October 8, 2024 |access-date=October 8, 2024}}
Broadcasting
The official broadcasting partner of the Belleville Senators is radio station 800 CJBQ. Commentators David Foot and Tim Durkin cover all games. David Foot also has a weekly podcast featuring news on the Belleville Senators and the AHL.
Season-by-season results
| class="wikitable"
|bgcolor="#ffeeaa"|Calder Cup champions |bgcolor="#ddffdd"|Conference champions |bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|Division champions |bgcolor="#ffbbbb"|League leader |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:100%" | ||||||||||||||||
| colspan="11"|Regular season
!colspan="6"|Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season
!Games !Won !Lost !OTL !SOL !Points !PCT !Goals !Goals !Standing !Year !Prelims !1st !2nd !3rd !Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–18 | 76 | 29 | 42 | 2 | 3 | 63 | .414 | 194 | 266 | 6th, North | 2018 | colspan="5"|Did not qualify | ||||
| 2018–19 | 76 | 37 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 82 | .539 | 228 | 228 | 5th, North | 2019 | colspan="5"|Did not qualify | ||||
| 2019–20 | 63 | 38 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 81 | .643 | bgcolor="#ffbbbb"| 234 | 197 | bgcolor="#d0e7ff"| 1st, North | 2020 | colspan="5"|Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2020–21 | 35 | 18 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 37 | .529 | 102 | 111 | 3rd, Canadian | 2021 | colspan="5"|No playoffs were held | ||||
| 2021–22 | 72 | 40 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 84 | .583 | 219 | 218 | 4th, North | 2022 | L, 0–2, ROC | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | 72 | 31 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 72 | .500 | 233 | 258 | 7th, North | 2023 | colspan="5"|Did not qualify | ||||
| 2023–24 | 72 | 38 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 82 | .569 | 209 | 211 | 4th, North | 2024 | W, 2–1, TOR | L, 1–3, CLE | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | 72 | 34 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 79 | .549 | 206 | 223 | 6th, North | 2025 | colspan="5"|Did not qualify | ||||
| style="font-weight:bold;"
| Totals | 538 | 265 | 223 | 29 | 21 | 580 | .539 | 1,625 | 1,712 | colspan=2 bgcolor="#A8A8A8"| | colspan=5| 2 playoff appearances |
Players
=Current roster=
Updated May 11, 2025.{{cite web|title=Belleville Senators current roster|url=https://theahl.com/stats/roster/413/73?league=4|access-date= May 11, 2025|publisher=American Hockey League| date = May 11, 2025 }}
{{Ice hockey team roster |contract=yes}}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Wyatt | last = Bongiovanni | dab = | num = 5 | pos = C | nat = United States | s/g = L | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 24 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Birmingham, Michigan | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Tyler | last = Boucher | dab = | num = 16 | pos = LW | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Scottsdale, Arizona | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Xavier | last = Bourgault | dab = | num = 13 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 22 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = L'Islet, Quebec | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jake | last = Chiasson | dab = | num = 18 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 25 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Abbotsford, British Columbia | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Angus | last = Crookshank | dab = | num = 9 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 2 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = North Vancouver, British Columbia | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Philippe | last = Daoust | dab = | num = 20 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 5 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Barrie, Ontario | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jeremy | last = Davies | dab = Jérémy Davies | num = 4 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 4 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jorian | last = Donovan | dab = | num = 11 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 5 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Calgary, Alberta | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Maxence | last = Guenette | dab = | num = 21 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 28 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Sainte-Foy, Quebec | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Stephen | last = Halliday | dab = Stephen Halliday (ice hockey) | num = 34 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 2 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Ajax, Ontario | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jan | last = Jenik | dab = Jan Jeník | num = 24 | pos = RW | nat = Czech Republic | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 15 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Nymburk, Czech Republic | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Zack | last = MacEwen | dab = | num = 17 | pos = RW | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 8 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | contract = Ottawa | inj = yes | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Oskar | last = Pettersson | dab = | num = 32 | pos = RW | nat = Sweden | s/g = R | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 4 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Halmstad, Sweden | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Garrett | last = Pilon | dab = | num = 22 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 13 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Mineola, New York | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = C | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jamieson | last = Rees | dab = | num = 19 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 26 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Hamilton, Ontario | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Cole | last = Reinhardt | dab = | num = 23 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 1 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Irricana, Alberta | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Tristen | last = Robins | dab = | num = 14 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 15 | acq = 2025 | birthplace = London, United Kingdom | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Donovan | last = Sebrango | dab = | num = 6 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Ottawa, Ontario | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Michael | last = Simpson | dab = Michael Simpson (ice hockey) | num = 31 | pos = G | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = London, Ontario | contract = Belleville | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Mads | last = Sogaard | dab = | num = 40 | pos = G | nat = Denmark | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 13 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Aalborg, Denmark | contract = Ottawa | inj = yes | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Malcolm | last = Subban | dab = | num = 30 | pos = G | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 1993 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 21 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Toronto, Ontario | contract = Belleville | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Djibril | last = Toure | dab = Djibril Toure (ice hockey) | num = 33 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 5 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Dorval, Quebec | contract = Ottawa | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Keean | last = Washkurak | dab = | num = 27 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Waterloo, Ontario | contract = Belleville | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Wyatte | last = Wylie | dab = | num = 38 | pos = D | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 2 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Everett, Washington | contract = Belleville | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}
{{end}}
=Team captains=
{{Div col}}
- Mike Blunden, 2017–18
- Erik Burgdoerfer, 2018–19
- Jordan Szwarz, 2019–20
- Logan Shaw, 2021–22{{Cite web|date=March 1, 2021|title=Logan Shaw Named 4th Captain in Franchise History|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/logan-shaw-named-4th-captain-in-franchise-history/n-5670801|url-status=live|access-date=March 1, 2021|publisher=Belleville Senators|via=OurSports Central|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413035314/https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/logan-shaw-named-4th-captain-in-franchise-history/n-5670801 |archive-date=2021-04-13 }}
- Dillon Heatherington, 2022–2024
- Garrett Pilon, 2024–present
{{Div col end}}
=Team scoring leaders=
''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game average;
| class="wikitable"
|+ style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#e4103c 3px solid; border-bottom:#1e191a 3px solid; color:#000000;" | Points ! Player !! style="width:40px;" class="unsortable"|Pos !! style="width:40px;"|GP !! style="width:40px;"|G !! style="width:40px;"|A !! style="width:4em;"| Pts !! style="width:3em;"|P/G | ||||||
| align="center" style="background:"
| style="text-align:left;"| Egor Sokolov | LW | 240 | 76 | 104 | 180 | 0.75 |
| align="center" style="background:#cfc;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Angus Crookshank | LW | 202 | 77 | 72 | 149 | 0.74 |
| align="center" style="background:#cfc;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Cole Reinhardt | LW | 270 | 54 | 77 | 131 | 0.49 |
| style="text-align:center;background:#eee;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Drake Batherson | RW | 103 | 38 | 78 | 116 | 1.13 |
| align="center" style="background:#cfc;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Maxence Guenette | D | 236 | 27 | 89 | 116 | 0.49 |
| style="text-align:center;background:#eee;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Jake Lucchini | LW | 133 | 39 | 65 | 104 | 0.78 |
| align="center" style="background:#cfc;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Garrett Pilon | C | 130 | 29 | 66 | 95 | 0.73 |
| align="center" style="background:#eee;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Lassi Thomson | D | 202 | 24 | 69 | 93 | 0.46 |
| style="text-align:center;background:
| style="text-align:left;"| Filip Chlapik | C | 146 | 37 | 51 | 88 | 0.60 |
| align="center" style="background:#eee;"
| style="text-align:left;"| Roby Jarventie | LW | 136 | 38 | 48 | 86 | 0.63 |
=Notable alumni=
The following players have played both 100 games for the Belleville Senators and 100 games in the National Hockey League:
{{columns-list|
}}
References
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.bellevillesens.com}}
{{Belleville Senators}}
{{Ottawa Senators}}
{{AHL}}
{{Ontario Sports}}
Category:American Hockey League teams
Category:Ottawa Senators minor league affiliates
Category:Ice hockey teams in Ontario
Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2016