Jared Crozier: Game Day: Sens Host Wings; Alfredsson Nearing A Tough Decision?

True. His number will go up.

That said, if he decided to stay here and negotiate with his team of forever years, his send off would be more than a hand shake and a "thanks for playing with the Red Wings for a season". They would've declared a day in his name and likely had a damn parade here. His legacy will forever be tarnished. All over 500k really.

Come back home Alfie. We need you in the organization.

I never quite understood what went sour with Alfie.....could someone give me the short unbiased version?

Please?

I never quite understood what went sour with Alfie.....could someone give me the short unbiased version?

Please?
- Lindeblom

He played the last year of his contract for $1M, with the alleged promise that if he kept playing that the team would make it up to him on the next contract. When it came time for that next contract, he felt low-balled and instead of negotiating with the team to get it done he decided to leave to a team he felt had a better chance to win a Cup.

Both sides F'd up the situation.

This will be a great test of our game, the Wings are a pretty fast team but I don't think they have the breakout ability of the Bruins - one thing I would like to see which we don't see much form Ottawa is them turning game momentum back in their favour - it seems they either have the puck for long periods or do not have it for long periods - and they don't have any dimensions that can turn momentum - nobody seems willing to fight, they can't do it physically with big hits and plumber play along the boards, they don't do it with a good forecheck - all that seems to happen is our goalies keep us in it and make huge save after huge save.

Would like to see Ottawa take back momentum in this game, put a stop to the wings good play.

I feel bad for Alfie, he is a good guy.

let Alfie sign a 1 day contract to retire a Sen...but I bet the sour taste is still there for him, so it wont happen.

let Alfie sign a 1 day contract to retire a Sen...but I bet the sour taste is still there for him, so it wont happen.
- Pyzik

One day contracts are so hokey and doesn't change anything that happened. That would be more of an insult to both sides and would do nothing. They made their choices and must live with them. If he retires, he is not retiring a Senator, whether he signs a one day contract or not.

zzzzzzzz, alfie is old news...

good guy, good player.. ruined his legacy, sad really.

I still love Alfie and wish him well. If he does retire then I celebrate his whole career, not just the time in Ottawa. I hope he returns to the organization in some capacity. Whether that be assistant coach/gm, president, etc...

One day contracts are so hokey and doesn't change anything that happened. That would be more of an insult to both sides and would do nothing. They made their choices and must live with them. If he retires, he is not retiring a Senator, whether he signs a one day contract or not.
- JaredCrozier

your opinion

i know publicly it was about money but I personally I wonder how much just needing a change played a part in the move.

Aside from breathing there is very little I've done for as long as Alfie played in Ottawa. Hell I've been married for only 8 years and some days I wouldn't mind a change ( fortunately she doesn't read this).

Joking aside think about it played his whole career in Ottawa captain forever, church of Alfie, Alfie chants every home game and the face of a franchise. The man was considered a hockey god in Ottawa. He gets annoyed during the negotiations and decided he wants to try something different. Goes to Detroit plays get points and goes home, oh yeah gets paid more to do it.

In the end had he stuck it out the one more year he could have retired a god. Now he will only be the greatest player in franchise history.

One day contracts are so hokey and doesn't change anything that happened. That would be more of an insult to both sides and would do nothing. They made their choices and must live with them. If he retires, he is not retiring a Senator, whether he signs a one day contract or not.
- JaredCrozier

Not sure I agree with you on this. I have no desire for Alfredsson to return as a Sens player. The team has progressed well beyond that point. Yet, there is a universal feeling throughout the NHL that the Alfredsson to Detroit fiasco was a huge mistake, a stain on Alfredsson's career and a black mark on the Ottawa Senators.

A notional one day contract is entirely symbolic. It means nothing more than its symbolic message. But, if that message is only a chance for everyone to say nothing more than we messed this up, it would be healing for all of us. I think everyone, especially Alfredsson has been deeply wounded by the entire affair. Time to ease the pain.

He played the last year of his contract for $1M, with the alleged promise that if he kept playing that the team would make it up to him on the next contract. When it came time for that next contract, he felt low-balled and instead of negotiating with the team to get it done he decided to leave to a team he felt had a better chance to win a Cup.

Both sides F'd up the situation.
- JaredCrozier

This is the jist of it. Add the fact that the team wasn't willing to spend to surround him with good enough players to contend for the cup, there was no reason to stick around. He waited a long time in Ottawa for a chance at winning and wanted one last chance. Unfortunately for him, Detroit wasn't the team to do it.

Not sure I agree with you on this. I have no desire for Alfredsson to return as a Sens player. The team has progressed well beyond that point. Yet, there is a universal feeling throughout the NHL that the Alfredsson to Detroit fiasco was a huge mistake, a stain on Alfredsson's career and a black mark on the Ottawa Senators.

A notional one day contract is entirely symbolic. It means nothing more than its symbolic message. But, if that message is only a chance for everyone to say nothing more than we messed this up, it would be healing for all of us. I think everyone, especially Alfredsson has been deeply wounded by the entire affair. Time to ease the pain.
- spatso

i agree with this.

it's a nice symbolic message that goes a long way to erase the debacle that happened at the end of his time here.

he won't get any send off in detroit, and i think after the career he's had, alfi deserves a send off.

i agree with this.

it's a nice symbolic message that goes a long way to erase the debacle that happened at the end of his time here.

he won't get any send off in detroit, and i think after the career he's had, alfi deserves a send off.
- sensarmy_11

I agree that he deserves a send-off. My twitter handle used to be alfieisgod. I started the Chuch of Alfie facebook page. I don't like the way the departure went down but still respect what he did in his time here, for team and community. That sendoff will be the jersey retirement, the ultimate tribute that a team can give a player. I just hate one day contracts in general. They are totally meaningless.

EDIT: There doesn't need to be any healing on the part of Alfredsson. He made the decision and hasn't really expressed any regret. The Senators made a decision. They weren't on the same page, simple as that. Like I said earlier both sides messed up, but it is in the past.

This is the jist of it. Add the fact that the team wasn't willing to spend to surround him with good enough players to contend for the cup, there was no reason to stick around. He waited a long time in Ottawa for a chance at winning and wanted one last chance. Unfortunately for him, Detroit wasn't the team to do it.
- Stringer74

Thats what I thought was wierd. Detroit was expected to be a good team last year. But, did anyone think they were a contender?

I'm not even talking hindsight, most people would of said Boston, Chicago or LA were the teams to go to if it was all about winning.

Who knows, if Chicago had had him, the might of beaten LA, the series was that close.

Probably more the Swedish connection?

I agree that he deserves a send-off. My twitter handle used to be alfieisgod. I started the Chuch of Alfie facebook page. I don't like the way the departure went down but still respect what he did in his time here, for team and community. That sendoff will be the jersey retirement, the ultimate tribute that a team can give a player. I just hate one day contracts in general. They are totally meaningless.

EDIT: There doesn't need to be any healing on the part of Alfredsson. He made the decision and hasn't really expressed any regret. The Senators made a decision. They weren't on the same page, simple as that. Like I said earlier both sides messed up, but it is in the past.
- JaredCrozier

fair enough......but i think the jersey retirement could be far in the future. often times you see players jerseys retired 3-4-5 years after they've retired. I think if they retire his jersey THIS season, then it's fine. if not, i think something else should be done this year. maybe not a one day deal, but something to acknowledge that he's hanging them up

Thats what I thought was wierd. Detroit was expected to be a good team last year. But, did anyone think they were a contender?

I'm not even talking hindsight, most people would of said Boston, Chicago or LA were the teams to go to if it was all about winning.

Who knows, if Chicago had had him, the might of beaten LA, the series was that close.

Probably more the Swedish connection?
- david22

at the beginning of the year, almost every expert had ottawa finishing ahead of detroit.....granted that was after we acquired ryan. i think winning had very little to do with his decision, i think he just wanted out of ottawa.

if all he cared about was winning, he would have taken less money and gone to chicago, boston, etc

Thats what I thought was wierd. Detroit was expected to be a good team last year. But, did anyone think they were a contender?

I'm not even talking hindsight, most people would of said Boston, Chicago or LA were the teams to go to if it was all about winning.

Who knows, if Chicago had had him, the might of beaten LA, the series was that close.

Probably more the Swedish connection?
- david22

They had an outside shot, but we'll never know what Zetter and Franzen said to convince him - I mean, the wings had been successful for a long, long time and a lot of those guys knew what it took to win the cup. I can see how their insistence that they could win might have been convincing for a guy who had to play against the wings at their best these last 15 years.

With a healthy Zetter, Datsyuk, Franzen, Alfie, etc all season, and Howard not having had a down year, who knows how much different the wings season could have looked.

But it's over now, and Alfie will retire without a cup ring. Way she goes.

Alfie isn't a winner. Just like Kessel and Heatley

Alfie isn't a winner. Just like Kessel and Heatley
- ClarksonDavid

i've never bought into the "a player is a winner" philosophy.

everyone talks about how toews is a winner.....and yes, he's won lots, and at many different levels.....but the guy has played on STACKED teams everywhere he's been.

his world jr and olympic teams were arguably the greatest teams (for their age) ever assembled. as for the hawks, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who will argue that during their championship runs, weren't one of the best teams in the last 20-30 years.

players aren't "winners", teams are "winners" and players win because they're surrounded by other great players.

Alfie isn't a winner. Just like Kessel and Heatley
- ClarksonDavid

At least Alfredsson and Heatley have a gold medal

i've never bought into the "a player is a winner" philosophy.

everyone talks about how toews is a winner.....and yes, he's won lots, and at many different levels.....but the guy has played on STACKED teams everywhere he's been.

his world jr and olympic teams were arguably the greatest teams (for their age) ever assembled. as for the hawks, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who will argue that during their championship runs, weren't one of the best teams in the last 20-30 years.

players aren't "winners", teams are "winners" and players win because they're surrounded by other great players.
- sensarmy_11

You hit the nail on the head, sir I remember having an argument with Tuna99 once on here because he thinks Kessel isn't a winner just like Heatley. I was just kidding, put in the right situation alfie would have won a cup in his career same with a lot of guys. Also, I think Toews is overrated, always have hes a great player sure but no where near Crosby, Stamkos, even Tavares.