Senators by the Numbers: #28

Mark Osiecki D 1992-1993

Born in Burnsville, Minnesota in 1968, Osiecki was drafted 187^th overall by the Calgary Flames in 1987. Traded to Ottawa by Calgary for Chris Lindberg in the summer of 1992, his time in the capital was brief. He was placed on waivers midway through the franchise's first season. Following his retirement in 1995, he began his coaching career in the USHL. He worked as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin for several years. Most recently, Osiecki was the head coach for Ohio State University.

Jeff Lazaro LW 1992-1993

Born in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1968, Lazaro was undrafted out of the University of New Hampshire before signing with the Boston Bruins. The Senators claimed him from the Bruins in the 1992 Expansion Draft and he split the season between the Senators and their AHL affiliate. His season in Ottawa was his last in the NHL and Lazaro finished his career in Austria with Graz 99ers and in Germany with the Ratingen Lions. Lazaro currently works in health insurance in New Orleans.

Bill Huard LW 1993-1994

Born in Welland, Ontario in 1967, Huard was an undrafted free agent playing with the Carolina Thunderbirds of the ECHL when he caught the eye of the New Jersey Devils in 1989-90. Huard wore two different numbers with the Senators and was previously featured at #20. His professional career ended after just 2 games with England's London Knights when he returned to North America because of a family health scare.

Steve Duchesne D 1995-1996, 1996-1997

Born in Sept-Îles, Quebec in 1965, Duchesne was undrafted after a successful junior career with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1984. Known throughout his career as an offensive defenseman, Duchesne was a 3-time all-star and won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Part of the package the Flyers sent to Quebec for Eric Lindros, he was acquired by the Senators in 1995 for Ottawa's 2^nd round pick (Cory Sarich) in the 1996 draft. He scored one of the most important goals in Senators history, scoring the marker that clinched the Sens first ever playoff spot. His 19 goals in 1996-1997 set a franchise record for goals by a defenseman in a single season - a record he now shares with Erik Karlsson. He was traded in the off-season for Igor Kravchuk, in August, 1997. Currently, Duchesne lives in Texas with his family, coaches the U18 Dallas Stars Midget Major AAA hockey team, and owns the Allen Americans, a CHL team.

Denny Lambert LW 1997-1998

Born in Wawa, Ontario in 1970, Lambert was undrafted after three seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He signed as a free agent with the expansion Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He signed as a free agent with the Senators in July, 1996. During his first season with the team he wore #42. After two seasons in the capital, he was claimed by Nashville in the 1998 Expansion Draft. He was the head coach of the Greyhounds for three seasons until 2011.

Stephen Leach RW 1998-1999

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1966, Leach was drafted 34^th overall by the Washington Capitals in 1984. He played his high school hockey at Matignon High School, where he won four consecutive state championships and was teammates with future MLB Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine. A member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team, he was signed as a free agent by Ottawa in October, 1998. He retired in 2000 and coached the Valley Jr. Warriors '99 Elite Squad, which sounds like a team of teenage assassins.

Ted Donato LW 1998-1999

Born in Boston in 1969, Donato was drafted 98^th overall by the Bruins in 1987. An offensive star with Harvard, he was the MVP of the 1989 Frozen Four tournament and helped lead the Crimson to a national championship. He represented the United States at the 1992 Winter Olympics. He played for 8 teams during his NHL career and was acquired from the Islanders by Ottawa for a 4^th round pick (#123 Preston Mizzi). Donato's time in Ottawa was brief; he was traded to the Mighty Ducks (along with the rights to Antti-Jussi Niemi) June 18, 1999 for Patrick Lalime. He is the first NHL player to appear on The Price Is Right, filming a segment of the show during spring break, 1990. After successfully making it to Contestants' Row, Donato made it all the way to the Showcase Showdown; unfortunately, he was easily outbid by a woman named Janella. Since 2004, he has served as the head coach of the Harvard University hockey team.

Joe Juneau C 1999-2000

Born in Pont-Rouge, Quebec in 1968, Juneau was drafted 81^st overall by the Boston Bruins in 1988. A college star with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Juneau had a 4.0 grade point average and earned an aeronautical engineering degree in just 3 years despite a language barrier. Marred in a contract dispute with the Bruins, Juneau spent a year with the Canadian National Team and won a silver medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. An offensive star during his time in Boston, Juneau was signed by Ottawa in 1999 to provide an offensive boost in the absence of the suspended Alexei Yashin. Injuries shortened his career and robbed him of much offensive potential. After his retirement in 2004, he was a partner and account manager at Harfan Technologies. Juneau has since worked promoting hockey and education to youth, first in Fairbanks, Alaska and since 2007, in Kuujjuaq, Quebec where he works with Inuit youth.

Todd White C 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2003-2004

Born in Kanata, Ontario in 1975, White played junior hockey for the Kanata Valley Lazers in the CJHL and received a scholarship from Clarkson University. Despite being a Hobey Baker finalist, he went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1997. He signed with the Senators in 2000 and spent for years in Ottawa before being traded to the Minnesota Wild for a 4^th round pick. Since retiring in 2011, he has worked as an instructor for Rink Eye hockey school.

Martin Lapointe RW 2007-2008

Born in Ville St. Pierre, Quebec in 1973, Lapointe was drafted 10^th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1991. When he retired in 2008, he was just 9 games shy of 1,000 for his career. A useful depth player during his time in Detroit, he won two Stanley Cups with the Red Wings (1997, 1998). He provided the highlight of the night at a game I attended at the United Center in December, 2007. Toward the end of an eventual Hawks victory against the Predators, a dejected Nashville fan threw a catfish on the ice. Lapointe responded by skating over to the prone fish and calmly stick-handled it towards the Zamboni entrance. Dealt to Ottawa at the trade deadline in 2008 for a 6^th round pick, he played 18 games for the Sens and added 4 more in the playoffs before retiring. He was hired as a pro scout for the Blackhawks in December, 2009 and won his 3^rd Cup with the team in 2010. Last summer he made the move with Marc Bergevin to Montreal where Lapointe serves as Director of Player Development.

Zenon Konopka C 2011-2012

Born in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario in 1981, Konopka played four seasons with the Ottawa 67's, winning the Memorial Cup in 1999. Undrafted, he signed for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. After 3 seasons in the lower league, he made the Mighty Ducks in 2005-2006. Konopka spent one season in Ottawa, signing as a free agent in 2011. He currently plays for the Minnesota Wild.

Matt Kassian LW 2012-2013

Born in Edmonton in 1986, Kassian was drafted 56^th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2005. He made his NHL debut in 2010-11 and was traded to the Senators March, 2013 for a 6^th round pick in 2014.

Best #28: Steve Duchesne

It was close, with Todd White providing a surprising amount of competition, but ultimately, this offensive defenseman gets the nod. Duchesne provided big production from the back end playing for Jacques Martin - no easy achievement. Anytime you share a record with Erik Karlsson that's good enough for me.

Worst #28: Matt Kassian

I could have picked any one of Osiecki, Huard, Leach, or Konopka but Kassian wins this dubious honour because of how much he plays despite how little he brings.

Who wore it best?