‘Alfie is forever an Ottawa Senators’: Michael Andlauer on Alfredsson’s departure to Leafs

In a stunning turn of events, longtime Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson has left the organization, where he was an assistant coach for the past three seasons, to become an associate coach with his Battle of Ontario rivals in the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In response to Alfredsson leaving the organization, Senators owner Michael Andlauer released a statement.

“One of the first moves we made after taking over the franchise was bringing Daniel Alfredsson back into the fold as an assistant coach in December of 2023,” Andlauer said. “I quickly learned that Alfie embodied all the characteristics of what it meant to be an Ottawa Senator.
While I wish he wasn’t joining an arch rival, Alfie is forever an Ottawa Senator and the door will always be open for his return. He has done so much for our organization and community and he has my full respect.”

Alfredsson was one of three coaching hires made by the Leafs along with John Gruden and Brad Werenka, as the Leafs reconfigure their coaching staff under incoming head coach Jim Hiller.

Alfredsson had spent the past three seasons on the Senators’ coaching staff as an assistant coach, as well as a development coach in the 2023-24 season. He had also worked with the Senators as a senior advisor from 2015 to 2017.

Alfredsson is better known for his time as a player, where he spent 17 seasons with the Senators (13 of them as captain) and one with the Detroit Red Wings. During his 18-year career, he had 444 goals and 713 assists for 1,157 points in 1,246 regular season games and 51 goals and 49 assists for 100 points in 124 playoff games. He also won the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 1996.

Alfredsson is the Senators’ all-time leader in goals, assists and points in both the regular season and playoffs. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.