After the team was placed to play in Ottawa, Nick Trbovich became the majority owner, with Michel running hockey operations.
Ottawa's most significant signing was Wayne Carleton, who had previously played with the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and California Golden Seals in the NHL.
Ottawa would play very good hockey down the stretch, winning two-thirds of its remaining games, and finished the season at 35-39-4, earning 74 points and the fourth and final playoff position.
Attendance was an issue for the club, as they drew an average of just over 3000 fans per game, competing against the very popular Ottawa 67's OHA team.
The Whalers would close out the series in the fifth game back in New England, as they beat Ottawa 5–4 in overtime to eliminate the Nationals.