Daniel Alfredsson (; born 11 December 1972) is a
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
-
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
player. He spent 18 seasons in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL), primarily with the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. He also briefly played for the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
before his retirement in 2014.
Alfredsson was
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Senators, serving from 1999 to 2013. With the Senators, Alfredsson usually played on the first line, which was formerly nicknamed the "CASH" or 'Pizza' line with
centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
Jason Spezza
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' front ...
and left winger
Dany Heatley
Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
, before Heatley's trade to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. He had traditionally been the fourth forward on the ice in the role of pointman on Ottawa's powerplay. One of the league's top two-way players, he holds the Senators' franchise records for goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108) with 1,178 games played. He had played for
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
internationally 14 times, including the
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
gold medal and
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
silver medal-winning
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
teams. He was the 75th player to reach
1,000 career points in the NHL, doing so after scoring three goals in a win over the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
on 22 October 2010.
Alfredsson holds an Honorary Degree from
Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World ...
and was inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame
, logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg
, logo_upright = 0.5
, image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg
, caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992
, map_type =
, former_name =
, established = 1943
, location = 30 Y ...
in 2022.
Playing career
Ottawa Senators (1994–2013)
Drafted 133rd overall in the sixth round of the
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was the 32nd NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Patrik Elias and Eric Boulton, who both played their last NHL g ...
, Alfredsson was a serendipitous pick by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. He had been overlooked by many NHL scouts, but one man in Ottawa's front office,
John Ferguson, saw the potential and pushed management for his selection. Though largely unheralded entering his first NHL training camp, he would go on to win the
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
as rookie of the year in his first NHL season in
1995–96 and was the Senators' representative at the
1996 NHL All-Star Game
The 1996 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at the FleetCenter in Boston on January 20, 1996. The 46th game was originally scheduled to take place in 1995, but the lockout of the 1994–95 NHL season led to its postponement.
Super S ...
. In
1996–97, he improved on his rookie totals and played in the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
again. He finished second in team scoring, contributing to the Senators' first modern qualification to the
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
.
Alfredsson missed the beginning of the
1997–98 season due to a contract dispute. On 24 August 1997, he demanded a trade from the Senators after the five-year contract offered to him was worth $1 million less annually than that teammate
Alexei Yashin
Alexei Valeryevich Yashin (russian: Алексей Валерьевич Яшин; born 5 November 1973) is a Russian former professional ice hockey centre who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Ottawa Senators and New ...
received per season.
Alfredsson eventually signed a new contract on 12 October worth $14 million over four years. After missing the first five games of the season, he was greeted by a standing ovation in his first game back in Ottawa.
Alfredsson would later be named the Senators' representative at the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
for the third consecutive season. During that season, Alfredsson would play in only 55 games, due to the earlier contract dispute and a late season ankle injury. The Senators qualified for the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
again and defeated the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
, but lost to the surging
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
in the second round; Alfredsson scored 7 goals in 11 playoff games.
In the
1998–99 season, Alfredsson missed 24 games due to an injury and was limited to only 11 goals.
The club once again qualified for the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, and Alfredsson hoped to have a good post-season,
but was limited to one goal and three points in a sweep at the hands of the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
. The
next season, he was named
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Senators after Alexei Yashin was stripped of the captaincy for refusing to honour his contract. After two somewhat disappointing seasons, Alfredsson's scoring totals improved, with 21 goals and 59 points in 57 games. In the
2000 playoffs, the Senators met the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Senators would lose the inaugural "
Battle of Ontario
The Battle of Ontario (french: Bataille de l'Ontario) is a National Hockey League (NHL) National Hockey League rivalries, rivalry between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams compete in the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlanti ...
", although Alfredsson contributed three goals in the six-game series.
In
2000–01, Alexei Yashin returned to the Ottawa lineup but the team captaincy remained with Alfredsson, who would score 24 goals and 70 points in 68 games. The Senators again met the Maple Leafs in the first round of the
2001 playoffs, and Alfredsson was limited to one goal in a four-game series sweep by Toronto. In
2001–02, Alfredsson set a personal best with 37 goals and 71 points in 78 games. In the
2002 playoffs, the Senators once again met the now arch-rival Maple Leafs in the second round, where they lost in seven games. Alfredsson led the team in playoff scoring with 7 goals and 13 points in 12 games.
Alfredsson signed a new two-year contract prior to the
2002–03 season. He increased his scoring totals, finishing with 27 goals and 78 points. The club won the
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
that season as the NHL's top regular season team, despite the organization filing for bankruptcy protection, and qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual
Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils. Alfredsson scored 4 goals and 8 points in 18 games.
In
2003–04, Alfredsson finished the season with 32 goals and 80 points in 78 games. The club lost in the first round of the
2004 playoffs to Toronto, and Alfredsson was limited to one goal and three points in the seven-game series. Mid-season, Alfredsson signed a new five-year contract with the Senators.
Like many NHL players, Alfredsson played for a European team during the
2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
. He returned to Sweden to play for
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, previously known as the Frölunda Indians, is a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They currently play in the highest Swedish league, the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), formerly the Elitserien, where th ...
, the team he had played for prior to beginning his NHL career. He played on an all-NHL line with
P. J. Axelsson and
Samuel Påhlsson
Samuel Olof Påhlsson (; born December 17, 1977) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who last played with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Påhlsson spent the majority of his playing career in the National Hockey Lea ...
, helping the club win the Swedish championship. Alfredsson was a major contributor during the playoffs, scoring 12 goals and 18 points in 13 games.
On 5 October 2005, the opening night of the
2005–06 NHL season
The 2005–06 NHL season was the 89th season of operation (88th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season succeeded the 2004–05 season which had all of its scheduled games canceled due to a labor dispute with the Nation ...
, the Senators played the Maple Leafs, with the newly acquired
Dany Heatley
Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
playing on the top line with
Jason Spezza
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' front ...
and
Brandon Bochenski
Brandon Louis Bochenski (born April 4, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey player and politician. He played 156 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams before serving as captain of Barys Astana in the Kontinenta ...
. The Senators were down by a goal with five minutes remaining in the third period, when Alfredsson, replacing Bochenski on the top line, scored the tying goal. This line combination would remain intact and became known as the "CASH line". Later in the same game, Heatley and Alfredsson scored the first goals in a regular season
NHL shootout when they scored against Maple Leafs goaltender
Ed Belfour
Edward John Belfour (born April 21, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of ...
for a 3–2 victory. With Alfredsson scoring in the shootout, he became the first captain in the NHL history to do so. Alfredsson and Heatley's sticks were subsequently sent to the
Hockey Hall of Fame
, logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg
, logo_upright = 0.5
, image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg
, caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992
, map_type =
, former_name =
, established = 1943
, location = 30 Y ...
.
![Daniel Alfredsson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Daniel_Alfredsson.jpg)
Alfredsson capped off the 2005–06 regular season with a career-high 103 points (43 goals and 60 assists) tied for first on the Senators alongside Heatley. Perhaps the best game of his NHL career took place on 3 November 2005 against the longtime rival Buffalo Sabres, in which he scored a then career-high four goals and six points. After a disappointing
2006 playoffs, Alfredsson became the subject of trade rumours from the beginning of the
2006–07 season.
Because of his poor play to start the 2006–07 season, Alfredsson considered retirement in November 2006. However, after switching to using teammate
Chris Kelly's used skates, his performance improved, scoring in the next four games, and ending the season with 29 goals and 58 assists. Alfredsson, notably picky about his skates, would continue to use Kelly's freshly broken-in states until the latter was traded to the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
in 2011.
On 23 December 2006, against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
, Alfredsson scored his 600th career point, scoring two goals and adding an assist. In the
2007 playoffs, Alfredsson was the Senators' leading scorer with 14 goals and 22 points in 20 games. His leadership and strong play helped the Senators as they advanced past the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
, the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres, to reach the
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
for the first time in modern franchise history. He became the first European-born-and-raised captain to lead his team to the Stanley Cup finals. When presented with the
Prince of Wales Trophy
The Prince of Wales Trophy, also known as the Wales Trophy, is a team award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL). Named for Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), it has been awarded for diffe ...
, he touched the trophy while posing with it, which many hockey players consider a form of bad luck.
Alfredsson was arguably Ottawa's best player in the
2007 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2007 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2006–07 season, and the culmination of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Anaheim Ducks and th ...
, which the Senators ultimately lost to the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
in a five-game series. In a controversial incident in game four, an Alfredsson slap shot hit Ducks captain
Scott Niedermayer
Scott Niedermayer (born August 31, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman and current special assignment coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He played 18 seasons and over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devi ...
at the end of the second period, leading to speculation that Alfredsson intended to injure Niedermayer. Alfredsson dismissed the notion, saying that he had glanced up at the clock to see if he had time to move in for a better shot, and then quickly fired in the heat of an important game.
Along with the rest of the Senators, Alfredsson's
2007–08 season was marked by highs and lows. On 24 January 2008, he scored three goals and four assists in an 8–4 victory over the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
, setting the Senators' record for most points in one game. It vaulted him into the NHL scoring lead at the All-Star break. He was named NHL Player of the Week and the week's First Star. Alfredsson and his linemates, Heatley and Spezza, were named to the Eastern Conference
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
roster, although Heatley would not play due to injury. Injuries reduced Alfredsson's playing time and effectiveness in the latter half of the season. First, Alfredsson suffered a hip pointer injury, and on 3 April 2008,
Mark Bell of the Maple Leafs hit him with a shoulder that left Alfredsson on the ice, unable to get up for several minutes. He missed the final game of the regular season and the beginning of the
2008 playoffs; he had played in every modern Senators playoff game up to that point. On 14 April 2008, with the Senators trailing 2–0 in their playoff series to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alfredsson made his return in game three of the series, four weeks earlier than initially expected. He was welcomed with a lengthy standing ovation at
Scotiabank Place
Canadian Tire Centre (french: links=no, Centre Canadian Tire) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in the western suburb of Stittsville. It opened in January 1996 as the Palladium and was also known as Corel Cen ...
. However, the Senators gave up four unanswered goals (three in the third period) to lose the game 4–1. The Senators lost game four 3–1. Afterwards, in an interview on
CBC, he admitted that he had been playing with a ruptured
medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament (MCL), or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. Its primary function is to resist out ...
(MCL).
In October 2008, Alfredsson underwent
arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the jo ...
on his right knee to remove a bone chip and returned less than a week later. On 30 October 2008, Alfredsson signed a new four-year contract with Ottawa worth million. The contract, intended to allow Alfredsson to finish his playing career with the Senators, included a no-movement clause.
The
2008–09 season was a disappointing one for both Alfredsson and the Senators. The team failed to make the
2009 playoffs, and Alfredsson registered only 24 goals and 74 points in 79 games. On 8 July 2009, Alfredsson became the longest-serving active captain in the NHL, as former
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
captain
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu (; born November 23, 1974) is a Finns, Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 NHL season, 1995–96 after th ...
signed with the Anaheim Ducks and former
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
captain
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven Sakic (; born July 7, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played his entire 21-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Named captain ...
announced his retirement.
The
2009–10 season saw Alfredsson's point total dip again as he scored only 20 goals and had 71 points in 70 games. On 6 April, Alfredsson reached an important milestone, playing in his 1,000th regular season NHL game. Even though the Senators lost to Pittsburgh in the first round of the
2010 playoffs, Alfredsson still scored two goals and added six assists to lead the team in scoring (tied with
Matt Cullen
Matthew David Cullen (born November 2, 1976) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with eight teams between 1997 and 2019 with. Cullen won the Stanley Cup three times durin ...
). He later admitted that he had been bothered by a
sports hernia
Athletic pubalgia, also called sports hernia,
core injury, hockey hernia, hockey groin, Gilmore's groin, or groin disruption is a medical condition of the pubic joint affecting athletes.
It is a syndrome characterized by chronic groin pain in a ...
since February, which could explain his reduced effectiveness in the last weeks of the season and the playoffs.
During the
2010–11 season, Alfredsson recorded his 1,000th career NHL point in a victory over the Buffalo Sabres on 22 October 2010.
![Daniel Alfredsson Wings 131101](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Daniel_Alfredsson_Wings_131101.png)
At season's end, Alfredsson underwent back surgery and was released from hospital the same day. At a 14 June 2011 news conference introducing new Senators' head coach
Paul MacLean, Alfredsson stated that the surgery went well and that he was moving around fine.
Alfredsson began the
2011–12 season healthy, but was diagnosed with a
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
for the first time in his career after receiving a blow to the head from
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
forward
Wojtek Wolski
Wojciech "Wojtek" Wolski (; born February 24, 1986) is a Polish-Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, Florid ...
on 29 October 2011. He returned on 11 November after missing five games, in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. On 30 December 2011, against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, Alfredsson scored his 400th career goal, the game winner in overtime. Widely assumed to be a candidate to be moved to a
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
contender at the 2012
NHL trade deadline
In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...
, Ottawa's strong play resulted in Alfredsson not being placed on the trade market. "I was just really happy we didn't have to make that decision", said Alfredsson of the possibility of leaving Ottawa.
At the
2012 NHL All-Star Game
The 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game, (also known as the ''2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game'') took place on January 29, 2012, at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. This edition of the All-Star Game featured the "fantasy draft" format first se ...
held at Scotiabank Place, Alfredsson was captain of "Team Alfredsson", scoring twice within one minute and 31 seconds in a 12–9 loss to "Team
Chara".
In the first round of the
2012 playoffs, Alfredsson and the Senators were eliminated by the first-place New York Rangers in seven games. Speculation was rampant during early summer of 2012 that Alfredsson would announce his retirement, but on 31 July, he confirmed that he would be returning for his 17th season with the Senators.
The
lockout
Lockout may refer to:
* Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage
**Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914
* Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues
**MLB lockout, lock ...
-shortened
2012–13 season was a successful one for Alfredsson and the Senators. The team made the
2013 playoffs despite losing several key players to injury for extended periods, and defeated the rival Montreal Canadiens in the first round. Alfredsson was third in team scoring during the regular season with 10 goals and 16 assists in 47 games, and he led the Senators in scoring through the playoffs with 4 goals and 10 points in 10 games.
At season's end, there was again speculation that Alfredsson might announce his retirement. On 28 June 2013, Senators general manager
Bryan Murray confirmed that he had been informed by agent J. P. Barry that Alfredsson "is committed to play next year for the Senators".
While Alfredsson negotiated a new contract with Ottawa, Boston Bruins' general manager
Peter Chiarelli reached out to him in an attempt to gauge his interest in signing with Boston. Chiarelli attempted to convince Alfredsson that Boston could be a good destination for an older player looking to win a Stanley Cup prior to retirement.
Detroit Red Wings (2013–2014)
On 5 July 2013, after 17 seasons with the Senators, Alfredsson signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. Alfredsson's Ottawa teammates were taken aback by the news.
Alfredsson phoned
Chris Phillips
Chris Phillips (born March 9, 1978) is a Canadian businessman and former professional ice hockey player. Phillips was a member of the Ottawa Senators for his entire career, which began with the 1997–98 season and ended with the 2015–16 seaso ...
so that he would not hear the news at the same time as everyone else; Phillips said he was shocked.
Marc Methot
Marc Philippe Methot (born June 21, 1985) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career, he played for the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Dallas Stars.
Playing career
Am ...
said many teammates were caught off guard. "We all were pretty adamant that he was going to return because he is grounded in this city (Ottawa) and so well-loved that everyone figured something would work out", said Methot.
Ex-Senators' head coach
Jacques Martin, at the time a hockey analyst on
TVA Sports
TVA Sports is a Canadian French-language sports specialty channel owned by the Groupe TVA, a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media. The channel is a general-interest sports network, and the first major competitor to RDS, the only other Fre ...
, compared Alfredsson's departure to
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean Bourque (born December 28, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He holds records for most career goals, assists, and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the James Norris Memorial ...
's decision to move to the Colorado Avalanche from the Boston Bruins to win a Stanley Cup.
Alfredsson confirmed a day later that his decision to leave Ottawa was motivated by a desire to win a Stanley Cup prior to retirement. "I had not won a Stanley Cup and that’s a big priority for me," Alfredsson said.
He later explained that his departure from Ottawa was due to a contract impasse,
though Senators' general manager Bryan Murray had expected Alfredsson to remain in Ottawa.
Alfredsson returned to Ottawa for the first time with the Red Wings on 1 December 2013, and was greeted with a video tribute and loud cheers from the home crowd. He also scored an empty net goal in the Red Wings victory.
The 41-year-old recorded 18 goals and 49 points during his only season with the Red Wings during the
2013–14 season. Back problems kept Alfredsson from attending training camp and starting the
2014–15 season.
On 27 November 2014, Alfredsson announced to Swedish press that he had retired as a player.
Retirement
On 4 December 2014, Alfredsson signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the Ottawa Senators. Alfredsson took part in the pre-game warm-ups and took the ceremonial face-off as the Senators faced the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
, a game the Senators lost 2–1.
During Alfredsson's career with the Senators, he played in 1,178 games, had 426 goals, 682 assists and 1,108 points, all franchise records. Chris Phillips broke Alfredsson's games-played record two months later. On 29 December 2016, Alfredsson became the first player of the current Senators franchise to have his jersey number retired.
International play
Alfredsson has participated in 14 international tournaments for
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
:
*
1995 World Championships (silver medal)
*
1996 World Championships
*
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey ( WCH), or ''1996 World Cup of Hockey'', replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey.
Inaugural ''World Cup of Hockey''
The first edition of the Cup featured eight teams d ...
*
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...
*
1999 World Championships (bronze medal)
*
2001 World Championships (bronze medal)
*
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
*
2004 World Championships (silver medal)
*
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 3 ...
*
2005 World Championships
*
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second t ...
(alternate captain, gold medal)
*
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...
(alternate captain)
*
2012 World Championships (captain)
*
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
(alternate captain, silver medal)
At the 2006 Olympics, Alfredsson set personal highs in goals (5), assists (5) and points (10) and played on the second line with
Mats Sundin
Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...
and
Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik Zetterberg (; born 9 October 1980) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey forward. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL), for whom he would serve as captai ...
. After an injury to
Peter Forsberg
Peter Mattias Forsberg (; born 20 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former assistant general manager of Modo Hockey. Nicknamed "Peter the Great" and "Foppa", Forsberg was known for his on-ice vision and physical pl ...
, Alfredsson took Forsberg's spot as the alternate captain, along with Captain Sundin and defenseman
Nicklas Lidström
Erik Nicklas Lidström (; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detr ...
. Alfredsson was named captain of Sweden for the first time at the
2012 IIHF World Championship
The 2012 IIHF World Championship was the 76th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 4–20 May 2012 in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. This tournament determined the countries' se ...
.
Post-playing career
After retiring as a player, Alfredsson joined the Ottawa Senators as senior advisor of hockey operations.
Alfredsson and the Senators did not agree to a new contract for the 2018 season.
Personal life
Alfredsson married long-time girlfriend Birgitta (née Backman) on 31 July 2004. They are the parents of four sons, Hugo, Loui, Fenix and William Erik. The family resides in Ottawa and
Särö
Särö () is an area in Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 3,165 inhabitants in 2010. It is located south of Gothenburg on the Särö peninsula. Geographically, the peninsula marks the transition from the Bohuslän archipelago i ...
, Sweden. Alfredsson's parents are Hasse and Margareta Alfredsson.
Alfredsson's younger brother Henric Alfredsson played with the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...
's
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's Canadian Centennial, centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's c ...
as a 19-year-old during their
1999 Memorial Cup
The 1999 Memorial Cup took place from May 15–23 at the Ottawa Civic Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was the 81st annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Part ...
-winning season. Henric decided to stay in Ottawa after his junior hockey career with the 67's was complete and now works for the
Ottawa Police Service
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS; French: ''Service de police d'Ottawa'') is a municipal police force in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The OPS serves an area of 2,790 square kilometres and 1,017,449 (2021 census) people alongside several other police f ...
.
On 5 March 2015, Alfredsson was presented with the key to the city by Ottawa Deputy Mayor
Bob Monette
Robert "Bob" Monette (born February 18, 1952) is a politician in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He first joined political life in 1985 when he served on the Cumberland City Council for six years. Monette returned to serve on the Ottawa City Council i ...
;
Mayor Jim Watson was recuperating from a broken pelvis suffered in a snowmobiling accident and was unavailable. The key to the city is the city's highest honour, reserved only for the people who make the greatest impact on Ottawa residents. The honour was in recognition not only of Alfredsson's accomplishments with the Senators, but also for his off-ice leadership and advocacy with the Ottawa Senators Foundation, the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health and the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa.
Alfredsson officially became a Canadian citizen at a special ceremony at the
2016 World Cup of Hockey
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey (abbreviated WCH2016) was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the third installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, 12 years after the second World Cup of Hockey in 2004. It was ...
on 20 September 2016.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
International
Awards
International
NHL
Outside of ice hockey
On 7 June 2016 Alfredsson received an honorary degree from
Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World ...
for his outstanding contributions to Canadian hockey and, in particular, his commitment to the community through philanthropic efforts that include mental health awareness and advocacy for equality of athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation.
On 25 November 2016, he was awarded the
Meritorious Service Cross
The Meritorious Service Cross (french: Croix du service méritoire) is a decoration that is, within the Canadian system of honours, one of the two Meritorious Service Decorations gifted by the Canadian monarch, his or her Governor-in-Council. Cr ...
by
Governor General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...
.
Records and achievements
Records
* Holds the Senators record for regular season goals, assists and points.
* Holds the Senators record for highest +/- rating in a season, set in 2006–07 with +42.
* Holds the Senators record for most points in a regular season game, set in 2007–08, with 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points.
* Holds the Senators playoff records for most games played, goals, assists and points.
Milestones
* Scored the 300th goal of his career on 10 November 2007.
* Recorded the 500th assist of his career on 24 January 2008.
* Played in his
1000th NHL game (all with the Ottawa Senators) on 6 April 2010 against the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
.
* Reached the 1,000-point milestone with a
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
against the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
on 22 October 2010.
* Scored his 400th career goal in
OT against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
on 30 December 2011.
Nominations
*Finished 2nd in Lady Byng Memorial Trophy voting in 2003–04.
*Finished 3rd in
Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey W ...
voting as the best defensive forward in 2005–06.
*Finished 4th in
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...
voting as the NHL's most gentlemanly player in 2005–06.
*Finished in the top 3 in voting for the
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL h ...
in 2011–2012.
Other
* Scored the first shootout goal in NHL history during the 2005–06 season.
* Led the Swedish Gold Medal-winning Olympic hockey team in scoring (with 5 goals and 5 assists in 8 games played) during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
* 10 April 2010 was officially declared as "Daniel Alfredsson Day" in Ottawa, in honour of his 1,000th NHL game.
* Was the first European-born and trained captain to lead his team to the
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
in 2007.
* Improved his point totals for six consecutive seasons from 1998–99 to 2005–06 inclusive, a franchise record.
* Appears on the cover of the
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
version of the EA Sports
NHL 09
''NHL 09'' is the 17th video game in the NHL series released by EA Sports in 2008. This was the final NHL game to be released on the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows.
Online play
Players have the ability to create a player to use in online pl ...
video game.
*Won the first major award in modern Senators history when he was awarded the
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
in 1995–96.
*He has played in 119 of the playoff games of the modern Senators.
*He led the league in goals during the 2006–07 playoffs and tied linemates
Jason Spezza
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' front ...
and
Dany Heatley
Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
with 22 points to lead the league in playoff scoring.
*Daniel Alfredsson became the first player in modern Senators history to have his jersey number retired in December 2016.
*He was elected to the
Hockey Hall of Fame
, logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg
, logo_upright = 0.5
, image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg
, caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992
, map_type =
, former_name =
, established = 1943
, location = 30 Y ...
in 2022.
See also
*
List of Swedes in sports
*
List of NHL players with 1000 games played
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a major professional ice hockey league which operates in Canada and the United States. Since its inception in , 357 players have played at least 1,000 regular season games, varying in amounts between Patrick ...
*
List of NHL players with 1000 points
The List of National Hockey League (NHL) players with 1,000 points is a list of the individual players who have scored at least 1,000 regular season points during their career in the NHL. A point in the NHL is awarded to a player for scoring a g ...
Notes and references
External links
*
Ottawa Senators.com - Career Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfredsson, Daniel
1972 births
Living people
Calder Trophy winners
Detroit Red Wings players
Frölunda HC players
Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
IIHF Hall of Fame inductees
King Clancy Memorial Trophy winners
Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics
National Hockey League All-Stars
National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Naturalized citizens of Canada
Olympic gold medalists for Sweden
Olympic ice hockey players of Sweden
Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Olympic silver medalists for Sweden
Ottawa Senators draft picks
Ottawa Senators players
Ice hockey people from Gothenburg
Swedish expatriate ice hockey people
Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Swedish ice hockey right wingers