After playoff sweep, Senators left to wonder how far they are from contender status

OTTAWA — Just like last year, the Ottawa Senators made sure to hug goaltender Linus Ullmark after the final horn sounded. And just like last year, the Senators remained near center ice to salute their home fans after their season ended in the Stanley Cup playoffs.Hope lingered amid the emotions of a six-game series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs last spring, when many members of the Senators’ young core were introduced to their first-ever postseason. With this year’s elimination, which came at the hands of the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes in a four-game sweep that ended with Saturday’s Game 4 loss at Canadian Tire Centre, that hope feels more mixed with pressure.Advertisement