In memory of competitive Ottawa Senators teams of days gone by...

With the Ottawa Senators loss to the Carolina Hurricanes last night, the ride is officially over: According to SportsClubStats, the Senators are officially eliminated from the 2011 NHL playoff race. Sure, we all saw it coming from a mile away, but the fact that it is now official, well, it comes with a certain level of finality.

With that in mind, we here at Silver Seven have composed a hymn of mourning, in memory of the competitive Senators squads of years gone by. But with some lights appearing at the end of this tunnel, in the form of key prospects and ample draft picks, we pray that this mournful tone is simply a temporary one.

(To the tune of 'Amazing Grace')

Amazing once, how sweet the sound
of puck on net, it's true
The only time we hear it now
Is when teams score on you

Through the Gerber years and Redden too,
Heatley's whiny trade request
We've gnashed our teeth and stuck with you
You repaid us with this mess

(Many more verses after the jump... )

We've worn our Sens jerseys with pride
We've cheered and we've believed,
But now you suck, you can't win games
If you did, we'd be relieved.

Alfie has promised much to us
A Cup, we've been assured
So many years, we've waited now
How long must we endure?

A Sens fan I will always be
I'm there through loss and win
But it would be nice to have company
With me on the bandwagon

Please win some games so we can be
Proud to wave our Sens flags
'Cuz if you don't we may be forced
To borrow Leafs' fans paper bags

Special thanks go to Nikki for composing the above hymn. It should be noted much of this was written before the Brian Elliott trade, when the picture looked far more bleak than it does today. Still, much of the sentiment remains.