Frank Finnigan - The 'Bring Back The Senators' Campaign

The 'Bring Back The Senators' Campaign

When the NHL planned to expand in 1989, the consortium to obtain a franchise for Ottawa signed Finnigan to be part of the 'Bring Back The Senators' campaign team. Finnigan along with his son Frank Jr., made public appearances on behalf of the campaign. Finnigan was also part of the presentation team to the NHL expansion committee in December 1990. The group was successful and the new Ottawa Senators team began play in the 1992–93 NHL season.

Finnigan died before the new team would play its first game in 1992, for which he was scheduled to drop the puck for the ceremonial face-off. Instead, on opening night the honour went to his son, Frank Jr. to drop the puck. On that night, the team honoured him by retiring the #8 jersey, making him one of three players in NHL history to have his uniform retired by a team for which he never actually played. Finnigan's number was retired 58 years after he finished his NHL career - the longest wait for a player to have their number retired.

The street in front of the main entrance to the Ottawa Senators' arena - Scotiabank Place is named Frank Finnigan Way in his honour. There is also a restaurant inside Scotiabank Place named 'Frank Finnigan's'. A banner honouring his retired number hangs from the rafters also.

At the time of his death, Finnigan was the last surviving member of the Senators Stanley Cup-winning team from the 1926–1927 season, the final season of the 1919–27 Ottawa Senators dynasty and one of only a handful of players still alive from the NHL Senators days. He was also the oldest living NHL player and was scheduled to appear at various NHL functions.