Senators fans react to former captain ‘Alfie’ being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Alfie #Alfie
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“He’s the face of hockey in Ottawa.”
Ottawa Senators fan James Wood is thrilled that Daniel Alfredsson is being inducted in to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Monday, Jun. 27, 2022. Photo by ERROL MCGIHON /Postmedia Article content
Ottawa Senators fans were in a jubilant mood on Monday, celebrating long-time star Daniel Alfredsson’s election to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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The Sweden-born player, known affectionately by fans as “Alfie,” spent 17 seasons on the ice with the Senators, serving as captain between 1999 and 2013, before retiring in 2014 at the age of 41.
“He’s the face of hockey in Ottawa,” said Brandon Plant of the Sens Talk YouTube channel. “When you talk to people who don’t know anything about the Senators or hockey in general, they’ll always mention Alfie.”
Brandon Plant. Photo by Submitted
Alfredsson was one of the brightest stars of the high-powered Senators teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s, racking up 13 seasons with 20-plus goals, including a career-best 43 in the 2005-06 season, when he also hit a career-high points total of 103.
He’s the franchise’s record holder for goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108) and scored the overtime winner in 2007 that sent the franchise to its first (and as of 2022, only) Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
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But the beloved player was known for more than his presence on the ice. Fans praise him for his composure as team captain, his graciousness with fans and local advocacy that made him so impressive to hockey fans.
James Wood. Photo by ERROL MCGIHON /Postmedia
His long-time commitment to raising awareness for mental health and dedication to fans resonated with Senators fan James Wood.
“The stories about him are always that he had time to take a picture. He had time to say a few words. I’ve never heard a story of him not being gracious with fans,” Wood said.
“On top of doing advocacy work for disadvantaged communities, being a great ambassador for the team and welcoming fans is a huge thing.”
Kevin Lee with Daniel Alfredsson. Photo by Submitted /Kevin Lee
The sentiment was shared by long-time hockey fan Kevin Lee.
“It’s hard to get people’s eyes on specific causes. Once you put his name behind mental health awareness, he did a lot to get the issue to the forefront in Ottawa.”
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Alfredsson’s work with the Royal Mental Health Centre and the creation of the “You Know Who I Am” campaign were aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health issues.
In 2016, Alfredsson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by Carleton University in recognition of his contributions to the Ottawa community by raising mental health awareness and advocating for equality for athletes.
“Daniel had a quiet confidence. He wouldn’t make mistakes, he wasn’t brash. He didn’t have too much of an overconfidence in the media,” Wood said. “He led from all over the ice. He was stable. You knew things were going to be stable on the ice.”
Alfredsson has been eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame since 2017, but only recently did the #AlfieToTheHall campaign take off on social media, garnering attention and support for the adored player.
“I would like to think that it was my playing career that made them select me, but it really does feel truly special to have this support,” Alfredsson said after the announcement.
“Not only from the group that put this bid together but also all the fans that responded.”
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