Daniel Alfredsson’s jersey to be retired this season

The Ottawa Senators teased a “significant hockey announcement” on Twitter on Monday afternoon. Owner Eugene Melnyk, GM Pierre Dorion, and ex-GM Bryan Murray were all going to be on hand, as well as some players and former players for the team. Twitter had a field day, with everything from the results of Melnyk’s Matt Cooke forensic investigation to the Sens relocating to the moon being suggested.

We finally got an answer at the conference itself, with the team announcing that franchise icon Daniel Alfredsson’s jersey would be retired. The ceremony will happen on December 29th when the Sens take on the Detroit Red Wings, the only other franchise for which Alfredsson played.

Alfie was captain of the Sens for 13 seasons (and missed one thanks to the lockout). He won the Calder Trophy in 1996, the King Clancy Memorial Award in 2012, and was once named to the NHL 2nd All-Star Team. He holds the Sens’ regular season and playoff records for career goals, assists, and points, as well as the franchise record for playoff games. (Chris Phillips has one more regular season game.) He was also recognized for his charity work in the region, especially to raise awareness and money for mental healthy initiatives. Melnyk paid special attention to the Sens’ involvement as a whole in the community. Alfredsson will be entering his second season as senior adviser of hockey operations this fall.