The team is a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
After a changing the management and head coach, the Senators appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 1997.
The Senators won the Presidents' Trophy in the 2002–03 season for placing first in the league overall during the regular season, but they were defeated in the Eastern Conference finals.
The team advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2006–07 season but lost in five games.
In 2016–17, the Senators advanced to the Eastern Conference finals again, but lost in seven games.