2026 is a year of dubious playoff droughts being broken in the Eastern Conference of the NHL.
First, the Buffalo Sabres made it back to the dance for the first time since the Arab Spring, giving the fans in upstate New York something to look forward to other than a month and a half of livable weather.
And now, it's the Ottawa Senators getting back in the mix for the first time since their magical 2017 Eastern Conference Finals run.
Unfortunately, the Red Wings pissed down their legs in the final two-month stretch of the season, or this could have been a triumvirate of disappointed fans being rewarded (sorry, Detroit).
Speaking of being rewarded, the Senators likely won't be making it out of the first round this year thanks to a monstrosity of a fan hype video.
Trigger warning if you cringe easily:
Oh yeah, these guys are getting swept.
They probably thought they were so clever with that little dig at the Maple Leafs, too.
It's not quite as bad as the a cappella nightmare the Illinois glee club gave us, but this is pretty awful.
It's also very well produced, so you know these guys are at least somewhat affiliated with the Sens, and it also means a lot of money went into this.
Ottawa already had an uphill battle, as its opening round opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes, are basically a lock to at least win a first-round playoff series these days.
They didn't need to go and give a worthy opponent more jet fuel to throw on the fire.
You probably could've guessed it, but these guys are getting raked over the coals for ending the Sens playoff run before it even began.
Forget about liberal reporters trying to publicly shame him, I think THIS is the final straw for Brady Tkachuk demanding a trade.
If the Sens get swept in the first round and then lose their franchise cornerstone/team captain as a result of it, these guys should be tied up in the public square so fans can pelt them with tomatoes.
Better luck next year, Ottawa. And keep these aspiring artists far away from your franchise in the future.
