The Hall Awaits Daniel Alfredsson No More

Alfredsson was the first modern-day Ottawa Senator to have his sweater retired, His familiar no.11 was raised the rafters on December 29, 2016.

While Chris Phillps surpassed Alfredsson as the franchise leader in career games by one, Alfredsson ranks first in all offensive categories.

Daniel Alfredsson (17 seasons)

Regular season

Games – 1178 – 2nd

Goals – 426 – 1st

Assist – 682 – 1st

Points – 1108 -1st

Playoffs

Games – 121 – 1st

Goals – 51 – 1st

Assists – 49 – 1st

Points – 100 – 1st

Among Alfredsson’s many accolades:

Served as Senators’ captain from 1999-2013.

First European-born captain to lead his club to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.

Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year – 1995.

Second Team All-Star 2005.

King Clancy Memorial Trophy recognizing leadership on and off the ice and outstanding contributions to their community – 2011.

Mark Messier Leadership Award – 2012.

Senators’ single-game record-holder in points, registering seven (three goals, four assists) January 24, 2008.

First NHL player to score a shootout goal.

Scored Game 5 Overtime goal on May 19, 2007, to send Senators to the Stanley Cup Final.

Five Olympic Games – winning Gold (2006), Silver (2014).

Seven World Championships – Silver (1995, 2004), Bronze (1999, 2001).

Alfredsson also displayed an honest and charismatic side.

He told this scribe during a 2010 interview for The Hockey News paperback, Blood Feuds. Hockey’s Best-Ever Rivalries, that hit on Toronto Maple Leafs Darcy Tucker that led to his game-winning goal in the 2002 playoffs would’ve been called a penalty in today’s game, “In today’s game, it would’ve been a penalty. At the time (the officials) didn’t call a penalty as it was late in the third period of the playoffs.”

In another incident in which Alfredsson feigned a stick toss into the crowd in Toronto – something Maple Leafs Mats Sundin received a one-game suspension for after breaking a stick in a game in 2004.

Alfredsson said in that same interview. “It wasn’t planned. I had broken three-four sticks in the morning, another three in the game. It just happened to be in Toronto.” 

Alfredsson thought the entire episode was “blown of out of proportion” and that Sundin “thought it was funny.”

There was also the “Probably not” quote when asked by Le Droit’s Sylvain St. Laurent in 2013 if the Senators could come back from a three games to one deficit to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs.

Then Alfredsson left for his final campaign of his playing career in 2013-14, signing with the Detroit Red Wings in free agency. Alfredsson said he wanted to pursue a Cup. That summer in at an event at the Royal Ottawa Hospital, he explained, he had given the Senators a hometown discount and felt he was more deserving of a higher salary to remain in Ottawa – playing his last season of a front-loaded contract for $1 million.

Alfredsson eventually returned to the organization in September 2015, only to leave two years later for family reasons.

To endearment from Senators’ fans continues today, and it’s hoped Alfredsson will re-join the club in due time. Daniel, himself continues to acknowledge his preference to do so. It’s hoped one day he’ll return.

But for now, fans of the team can rejoice that their “Alfie” is the newest honourary member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.