The Ottawa Senators were just one goal away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, and nobody could have thought that Chris Kunitz's dagger in Game 7 of overtime would be the end of an era in the nation's capital.

On Thursday, the Senators dealt disgruntled captain Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks, after nearly a year of ongoing drama and trade rumors. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun had full details of the trade:

Just like that, perhaps the greatest player in franchise history is out the door. He joins Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley on the list of Senator greats to leave the team on a sour note. Hat tip to owner Eugene Melnyk for that.

Now gone from the 2017 Eastern Conference runner-ups: Captain Karlsson, top forward Kyle Turri (who blamed Melnyk for his trade to the Nashville Predators), sniper Mike Hoffman and Derick Brassard. Four of the top-five scorers from 2016-17 Sens are gone, and you only blame ownership and the front office.

Ottawa was the NHL's second-worst team in 2017-18, only ahead of the Buffalo Sabres. It took one bad year and a toxic locker room to destroy a team that many viewed as up-and-coming.

Hoffman was traded to the San Jose Sharks (later flipped to the Florida Panthers), after his fiancee was accused of harassing Karlsson and his wife, Melinda. The latter filed an order of protection against Hoffman's fiancee, which gave the front office no choice but to trade one of their best forwards.

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Oh, and in case you thought it couldn't get much worse for Ottawa, that's because it doesn't. Top forwards Mark Stone and Matt Duchene are eligible for UFA status next year, and we know just how much ownership refuses to spend on retaining their key players. So there's that.

And by the way, Ottawa gave up their 2019 first-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche in the Duchene trade. That means that the Senators could hand elite prospect Jack Hughes to the Avs on a silver platter, with the first overall pick.

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But take a long look at the Senators right now, and it may not be as bad as you think. Maybe the front office didn't get the return they wanted for Karlsson, but this team is stocked with young talent; there's reason to believe a turnaround could happen quickly.

At this point, Mr. Melnyk may have no choice but to let GM Pierre Dorion open up his wallet and spend whatever it takes to keep Stone and Duchene. You can't let those two forwards walk, and the Senators have more than enough cap space to retain both on long-term deals.

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So maybe Ottawa will have two consistent 50-60 point veteran forwards to build around. Adding speedsters Mikkel Boedker and Chris Tierney (in the Hoffman and Karlsson deals, respectively), were good moves for Dorion. Both have 20-goal potential, and the Senators will be able to keep up with the faster teams.

Ottawa is also bringing back forward Ryan Dzingel, who broke out last season with 23 goals and 41 points. With Karlsson, Brassard and Hoffman long gone, expect more ice time. He'll be a key player going forward.

But it's not Ottawa's current NHL roster that provides hope, but rather the prospect pool. Brady Tkachuk - the fourth overall pick in this year's draft - should make the NHL right away. With his excellent size and frame, Tkachuk should be a consistent 30-goal scorer in the NHL. Consider him a candidate for the Calder Trophy, too.

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The Senators also have a gem on the blue line in prospect Thomas Chabot, who played 63 games last season. The smooth-skating Chabot has plenty of upside on offense, and he should help Senator fans forget about Karlsson in two or three years.

Logan Brown (the 11th pick in 2016), and Colin White (21st overall in 2015), also look poised to play big roles for the Senators. Widely regarded as two of hockey's top prospects, Brown (6-foot-6, 220 pounds), and White should provide ample offense for many years to come.

Maybe they won't contribute much in 2018-19, maybe they will. Either way, Brown and his playmaking skills - coupled with White's terrific skill set - give Senators fans plenty to look forward to.

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This isn't a tear-it-all-down rebuild like the Toronto Maple Leafs did in 2015-16, when there were few impact veteran players on the roster and little young talent to look forward to.

The Senators have the impact forwards (Dzingel, Duchene, Tierney, Boedker and Stone), and a great deal of young talent that should give Ottawa fans lots of hope. Losing Karlsson, Turris and Brassard hurts, but Senator fans can't give up hope.

Think about how dark it was for Maple Leaf fans for a decade following the lockout. Look at where they are now, as Auston Matthews and John Tavares figure to bring home multiple Stanley Cup championships.

Why can't the Senators rebuild like their Ontario rivals? Why shouldn't they go from the ultimate embarrassment to Stanley Cup championship contention in just a few short years?

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