Daniel Alfredsson, the man who essentially became the face of the Ottawa Senators and was one of Toronto’s biggest villains for more than a decade, is now joining the Maple Leafs.
The former Senators captain will join Jim Hiller’s staff as an associate coach in Toronto, creating one of the most unexpected twists in the history of the rivalry.
And former NHL player-turned-analyst Paul Bissonnette has plenty to say about it.
Biz Reacts to Senators Legend Joining Maple Leafs
Alfredsson spent 17 seasons in Ottawa, owns nearly every major franchise record, and has his No. 11 hanging in the rafters.
During the heated playoff battles between the Senators and Maple Leafs in the early 2000s, Alfredsson was one of the players Toronto fans loved to hate. His infamous hit from behind on Darcy Tucker in 2002 only added fuel to the rivalry, while he also famously mocked Mats Sundin’s stick-throwing suspension in 2004 by pretending to toss his stick before a faceoff.
Now, after spending the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Senators, Alfredsson is heading to Toronto.
The move comes shortly after Ottawa traded franchise captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, where he will now play alongside his brother, Matthew.
Within a short period, the Senators have lost their captain and now watched one of the biggest icons in franchise history join their biggest rival.
Bissonnette acknowledged that Ottawa had already been through enough, but he still could not resist taking a shot at the situation.
“I know it’s hard to dump on somebody when they’re down. But my god, you’re top two to three guys, if not like you said, the top guy in the Ring of Honor, other than maybe Chris Neil, he just jumped ship and goes to your arch-nemesis. This is the low of the low for the Ottawa Senators,” Bissonnette remarked.
For Senators fans, Alfredsson is more than a former player; he is the face of the franchise and its rivalry with Toronto. Seeing him join the Maple Leafs may feel like a betrayal, even if the move makes sense professionally.
Owner Michael Andlauer appeared to understand those emotions, offering a respectful but clearly disappointed response. “While I wish he wasn’t joining an arch-rival… He has done so much for our organization and community and he has my full respect,” Andlauer said.
Alfredsson, however, made it clear that the move was about his coaching career.
With his contract in Ottawa having expired, the former Senators star felt that moving to a new organization was the right step for his development. “I have to earn my way to get my experience,” Alfredsson said.
He admitted that he would have loved to stay in Ottawa and potentially become the team’s head coach one day. “But no one stays as the coach forever in one spot, no matter how popular you are… I knew at some point I had to move.”
The best part of the entire saga may be what comes next.
The Maple Leafs play a preseason game against the Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Alfredsson walking out onto the visitors’ bench in Ottawa is going to generate mixed emotions to power the entire province.
