Daniel Alfredsson

Daniel Alfredsson
Born	(1972-12-11) December 11, 1972 Gothenburg, Sweden
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Ottawa Senators
National team	Sweden
NHL draft	133rd overall, 1994 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	1995–present

Daniel Alfredsson (born December 11, 1972) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player. He is the captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered a leader by example and has been compared to former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman in his value to the Senators. A right winger with the Senators, Alfredsson usually plays on the first line, which was formerly nicknamed the 'CASH' or 'Pizza' line with centre Jason Spezza and left winger Dany Heatley, before Dany Heatley's trade. He has traditionally been the fourth forward on the ice in the role of pointman on Ottawa's powerplay. He is one of the league's top two-way scorers, and he holds the Senators' franchise records for goals (355), assists (566), and points (921) with 932 games played. He has played for Sweden internationally twelve times, including the 2006 gold medal winning Olympic squad.

Playing career

Drafted 133rd overall in the sixth round in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Alfredsson was a serendipitous pick by the Senators. 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 as rookie of the year in his first NHL season in 1995–96 and was the Senators' representative at the NHL All-Star Game. In 1996–97, he improved on his rookie totals and played in the All-Star Game again. He finished second in team scoring, contributing to the Senators' first modern playoff qualification, which ended in a first-round elimination.

Alfredsson started the 1997–98 season late because of a contract dispute. He signed a new deal on October 12, 1997, for $14 million over four years. Although he missed the first five games of the season, he was greeted with a standing ovation in his first game back. Alfredsson was named the Senators' representative at the All-Star Game for the third consecutive season. During the season, Alfredsson injured his ankle forcing him to play in only 55 games. The Senators qualified for the playoffs again and defeated the New Jersey Devils, but lost to the Washington Capitals. Alfredsson scored seven goals in 11 playoff games.

In 1998–99, Alfredsson missed 24 games because of injury, and was limited to 11 goals. The club again qualified for the playoffs, and Alfredsson hoped to have a good postseason, but was limited to one goal and three points in a sweep by the Buffalo Sabres. The next season, he was named captain when Alexei Yashin was stripped of the captaincy after refusing to honor his contract. Alfredsson's scoring totals improved from the previous season, with 21 goals and 59 points in 57 games. In the playoffs, the Senators met the Toronto Maple Leafs Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Senators lost this first "Battle of Ontario", although Alfredsson scored three goals in the six-game series.

Alfredsson continued as captain the following season 2000–01, after Yashin returned to the lineup. Alfredsson scored 24 goals and 70 points in 68 games. The Senators met the Leafs again in the first round, and Alfredsson was limited to one goal in a four-game series sweep. In 2001–02, Alfredsson set a personal best with 37 goals and 71 points in 78 games. In the playoffs, the Senators met the Leafs in the second round, where they lost in seven games. Alfredsson led the team in playoff scoring with seven goals and 13 points in 12 games.

Alfredsson signed a two-year contract before the 2002–03 season. He increased his scoring totals, finishing with 27 goals and 78 points. The club won the President's Trophy that season, 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 four goals and eight points in 18 games.

In 2003–04, Alfredsson finished the season with 32 goals and 80 points in 78 games. The club lost its first-round playoff to Toronto, and Alfredsson was limited to one goal and three points in the seven-game series. During the season, Alfredsson signed a contract extension with the Ottawa Senators for an additional five years.

File:THN Cover April 1.jpg

Cover of Hockey News, April 1, 2008
His seventh appearance on the cover.

Like many NHL players, Alfredsson played for a European team during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. He returned to Sweden to play for Frölunda HC, the team he had played for before joining Ottawa. He played on an all-NHL line with P. J. Axelsson and Samuel Påhlsson, helping the club win the Swedish Championship. Alfredsson was a major contributor during the playoffs, scoring 12 goals and 18 points in 14 games.

On October 5, 2005, opening night for the 2005–06 NHL season, the Senators played the Maple Leafs, with newly acquired Dany Heatley playing on the top line with Jason Spezza and Brandon Bochenski. The Senators were down by a goal with five minutes remaining in the third period, and Alfredsson replaced Bochenski and 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 Leafs goalie Ed Belfour 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.

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 along with Heatley. Perhaps the best game of his NHL career took place on November 3, 2005, against the longtime rival Buffalo Sabres, in which he scored a then career-high four goals and six points.

After a sub-par 2006 playoffs and poor play to start the season, Alfredsson became the subject of trade rumors from the beginning of the 2006–07 season. He improved his game, attributing the reversal in part to a change in skates, and had a six-game scoring streak soon after. On Saturday, December 23, 2006, against the Philadelphia Flyers, he notched his 600th career point, scoring two goals and adding an assist.

In the 2007 playoffs, Alfredsson was the leading scorer with 14 goals and 22 points in 20 games. He greatly helped the Senators as they advanced past the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New Jersey Devils. His improved play and leadership also helped the Senators advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in modern franchise history. He became the first European-born-and-raised captain to lead his team to the finals. When presented with the Prince of Wales Trophy, he posed while touching the trophy, which many hockey players consider a form of bad luck.

Alfredsson was arguably Ottawa's best player in the finals, which the Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks in a five game series. In a controversial incident in game four, an Alfredsson slap shot hit Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer at the end of the second period, leading to unfounded speculation that Alfredsson intended to injure Niedermayer. Alfredsson said that he had glanced up at the clock to see if he had time to move in for a better shot, and then fired.

Along with the rest of the Senators, Alfredsson's 2007–08 season was marked by highs and lows. On January 24, 2008, he scored three goals and four assists in an 8–4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. In doing so Alfredsson has 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 its First Star. Alfredsson and his linemates, Heatley and Spezza, were named to the All-Star game roster, although Heatley could not play because of 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 April 3, 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 playoffs. He had played in every modern Senators playoff game up to that point. On April 14, 2008, with the Ottawa Senators trailing in their playoff series 2–0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alfredsson made his return four weeks early in game three. He was welcomed with a lengthy standing ovation. 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 he had been playing with a ruptured medial collateral ligament.

In October, 2008, Alfredsson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to remove a bone chip. On October 30, 2008, Alfredsson agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $21.6 million. The contract, intended to allow Alfredsson to finish his playing career in Ottawa, includes a no-movement clause.

The 2008-09 season was a disappointing one for both Alfredsson and the Senators. The team failed the to make the playoffs, and Alfredsson registered only 24 goals and 74 points in 79 games. On July 8, 2009, Alfredsson became the longest serving active captain in the NHL, as former Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu signed with the Anaheim Ducks and former Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic announced his retirement.

International play

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
	2001 Cologne/Hanover	Ice hockey
	2004 Prague/Ostrava	Ice hockey
	1995 Stockholm	Ice hockey
	1999 Oslo/Hamar	Ice hockey
Olympic Games
	2006 Turin	Ice hockey

Participated in 12 Sweden international teams:

• 1995 World Championships (silver medal)
• 1996 World Championships
• 1996 World Cup of Hockey
• 1997 World Championships
• 1998 Winter Olympics
• 1999 World Championships (bronze medal)
• 2001 World Championships (bronze medal)
• 2002 Winter Olympics
• 2004 World Championships (silver medal)
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey
• 2005 World Championships
• 2006 Winter Olympics (alternate captain, gold medal)

In the 2006 tournament, he set highs in goals (5), assists (5) and points (10) and played on the second line with Mats Sundin and Henrik Zetterberg. After an injury to Peter Forsberg, Alfredsson took Forsberg's spot as the alternate captain, along with Sundin and defenseman Nicklas Lidström.

Personal life

Daniel is married to Birgitta Alfredsson (née Backman) and is the father of three sons, Hugo, Loui, and Fenix, the most recent which arrived 2008-06-04. The family resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and Särö, Sweden. Alfredsson's parents are Hasse and Margareta Alfredsson. His younger brother Henrik Alfredsson played with the Ottawa 67s junior team as a 19-year old during their 1999 Memorial Cup-winning season.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1992–93	Frölunda HC	SEL		21	1	5	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Frölunda HC	SEL		39	20	10	30	18		4	1	1	2	8
1994–95	Frölunda HC	SEL		22	7	11	18	22		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	26	35	61	28		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Ottawa Senators	NHL		76	24	47	71	30		7	5	2	7	6
1997–98	Ottawa Senators	NHL		55	17	28	45	18		11	7	2	9	20
1998–99	Ottawa Senators	NHL		58	11	22	33	14		4	1	2	3	4
1999–00	Ottawa Senators	NHL		57	21	38	59	28		6	3	1	4	2
2000–01	Ottawa Senators	NHL		68	24	46	70	30		4	1	0	1	2
2001–02	Ottawa Senators	NHL		78	37	34	71	45		12	7	6	13	4
2002–03	Ottawa Senators	NHL		78	27	51	78	42		18	4	4	8	12
2003–04	Ottawa Senators	NHL		77	32	48	80	24		7	1	2	3	2
2004–05	Frölunda HC	SEL		15	8	9	17	10		14	12	6	18	8
2005–06	Ottawa Senators	NHL		77	43	60	103	50		10	2	8	10	4
2006–07	Ottawa Senators	NHL		77	29	58	87	42		20	14	8	22	10
2007–08	Ottawa Senators	NHL		70	40	49	89	34		2	0	0	0	0
2008–09	Ottawa Senators	NHL		79	24	50	74	24		—	—	—	—	—
SEL totals				97	36	35	71	58		18	13	7	20	16
NHL totals				932	355	566	921	409		101	43	37	80	66

International

		Tournament
Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1995 World Championships		8	3	1	4	4
1996 World Cup of Hockey		4	0	0	0	2
1996 World Championships		6	1	2	3	4
1997 World Championships		4	0	0	0	2
1998 Olympics		4	2	3	5	2
1999 World Championships		10	4	5	9	8
2001 World Championships		9	3	5	8	8
2002 Olympics		4	1	4	5	2
2004 World Cup of Hockey		4	0	6	6	2
2004 World Championships		8	4	2	6	8
2005 World Championships		9	3	6	9	6
2006 Olympics		8	5	5	10	2
Olympic Totals		16	8	12	20	6
World Championship Totals		54	18	22	40	40

Awards

• 1996 — NHL All-Rookie Team
• 1996 — Calder Memorial Trophy
• 1996 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1997 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1998 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004–05 — Elitserien Championship
• 2005–06 — Second Team All-Star [1]
• 2006 — Gold medal at the Winter Olympics
• 2008 — Starter to NHL All-Star Game, Guy Carbonneau Award for 'Top Penalty-Killer'

Records and achievements

Milestones

• Is the Senators all-time leader in games played, 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 following Senators playoff records: most games played (he has played in 101 of the 103 playoff games of the modern Senators), goals, assists and points.
• Set the Senators record for most goals in a playoff run with 14 in the 2006–07 playoffs. He also led the league in goals during the 2006–07 playoffs and tied line mates Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley with 22 points to lead the league in playoff scoring.
• November 10, 2007 - Scored the 300th goal of his career.
• January 24, 2008 - Scored the 500th assist of his career. Alfredsson also set a team record for the most points in a regular season game with 7 (3 goals, 4 assists).

Awards

• Won the first major award in modern Senators history when he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1995–96.

Nominations

• Finished 3rd in Selke Trophy voting as the best defensive forward in 2005–06.
• Finished 4th in Lady Byng Memorial Trophy voting as the NHL's most gentlemanly player in 2005–06.
• Finished 2nd in Lady Byng Memorial Trophy voting in 2003–04.

Other

• Is the first European-born and raised captain to lead his team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Three other European-born captains (Johnny Gottselig and Chuck Gardiner of the Chicago Blackhawks as well as Niklas Lidstom of the Detroit Red Wings) have led their teams to the finals.
• 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 version of the 'NHL 09' video game.

See also

• List of Swedes in sports

External links

• Daniel Alfredsson career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Ottawa Senators.com - Career Notes
• Q & A with Alfredsson (2000)

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