For the past many years there were several things you could count on in Ottawa come the winter. Bickering on Parliament Hill, Beaver Tails on the canal and Dainel Alfredsson leading the Sens into another season. He was their steadying presence, the undisputed leader looked to in big moments and high pressure situations to do something special. I'll never forget that afternoon when he beat Ryan Miller with a quick shot and sent Ottawa to the Stanley Cup finals. I remember walking downtown later that afternoon and evening and the whole city seemed to be in a buzz, (and a little buzzed), a constant commotion of victorious shouts and car horns echoing in celebration. The All star game in Ottawa a few years ago seemed almost dedicated to him as fans chanted his name and sang his praises. The eleven minute marks of every period during home games was met with chants of 'Alfie, Alfie, Alfie!' He was always gracious and took it all in. This love affair seemed destined to go on for ever. He was even expected to join the management team once he hung up his skates. After seeing several key players go down with injury last season Alfie lead the charge as the Sens defied the odds and made the playoffs. They even knocked off the Canadiens and though they bowed out to a powerful Pittsburgh team, fans were excited to see this young club on the rise. They felt they were on the cusp of something special and if Alife could just come back for one more year, with a healthy roster, who knows how far they could go?
Then the announcement came. Alfie would be coming back for one more year! Like man family, friends and fans I took to Facebook and Twitter to express my excitement and was glad for the status quo. The team is young and a leader like that doesn't come along everyday. This was great news for the organization and would surely help the development of the franchise moving forward. It was also a foregone conclusion that when he came back, he'd be in a Sens jersey. Right? Then came another day I won't soon forget. I slept in and woke to hear the news that Daniel Alfredsson would indeed be returning to the NHL. For the Detroit Red Wings. Wait. What? How the hell could this have happened? When did this happen? And who let it? To make matters worse, Detroit, in what seems like some sort of karmic joke, was now in the same division which meant he was now a direct enemy. Et Tu Alfie?
Now, as someone chasing his own crazy dream of becoming a screenwriter I can hardly criticize someone for following their heart, (or perhaps their misguided agent), and doing what they feel is best for them. Alfie even said, in a statement it was a selfish decision, one he made for himself to try and win a Stanley Cup. It would seem unfair and irrational to hate someone for this, but then what part of of being a fan is rational? As Alfie had every right to do what is best for him it is a fans right to be angry. To feel spurned and hurt by his actions. His decision was clearly an indication he didn't feel that this team had what it takes to go all the way so he went looking for someone who did. He found it in Detroit, along with many of his Swedish buddies, and time will tell how this will play out. Many seem to forget Detroit also acquire free agent Stephen Weiss from Florida, a solid player in his own right, and probably should have knocked off Chicago before choking up a 3-1 series lead last year, so logic would say this is the better option, at least for this season, as much as it pains me to admit that.
However, this is a double edged sword. True, if not for the play and veteran leadership of Alfredsson and Sergi Gonchar, now with Dallas, the Sens likely would not have made the playoffs last season, but now this young and very hungry group has even more motivation to take that next step. A chip on one's shoulder can serve to distract or to motivate and it's up to new captain Jason Spezza, and his leaders, like Chis Phillips and Chris Neil, along with Coach Paul MacLean and his staff to ensure that they keep focused on the task at hand. However, the loss of Daniel Alfredsson only serves to remind Sens fans of mistakes past.
This is an organization that has lost the like of Zedeno Chara, Wade Redden (say what you like, at the time they could have got a pretty penny in return) and now it's most storied player, all for the grand total of: zero. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Not a draft pick, not a player to be named later, not even so much as a bag of pucks. The pain caused to the young kid left in tears because he doesn't quite grasp the business aspects of the sport, only that his favorite player is gone and seemingly hates the team will eventually heal, but losing this kind of talent for nothing can damage a franchise for years. In life how we go about conducting ourselves is paramount to the reputation we have, and how this went down has, rightfully, left many in Ottawa with a bitter taste in their mouth.
In fairness, Alfredsson expressed that it was only in the few days leading up to his decision that it even crossed his mind to leave. And while I don't doubt this was the case, why all of a sudden? Why now? Many say his agent JP Berry had a lot to do with this, as money clearly didn't seem to be the issue. No one seemed more surprised than Sens GM Bryan Murray who like the rest of us, assumed it would get done. Owner Eugene Melnyk was livid and though many blame him, I don't really understand that as Alfie would have gotten his money regardless. It's the fact that the organization could have got something in return. Anything. Why not ask at the trade deadline or before your contract expired to be moved? This organization was more than fair to you, why bull this stunt now? Yes you played last year for less than your value, because you made all your money up front, AND the Sens were certainly going to make you well paid again this season. Had he been honest and upfront about all this it would have cushioned the blow and people would have been grateful for what he had done. Think Roy Halliday in Toronto.
Perhaps we'll never know what all went on behind closed doors, and it's sad that a man who meant so much to this city hurt his own reputation in this way. I wish I could say I wish him luck, and though I certainly wish him no ill will, that's childish and petty, let's just say karma's a...
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