Daniel Alfredsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daniel Alfredsson |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2022 | |||
Alfredsson with the Ottawa Senators in May 2013
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| Born | 11 December 1972 Gothenburg, Sweden |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Frölunda HC Ottawa Senators Detroit Red Wings |
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| National team |  Sweden |
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| NHL Draft | 133rd overall, 1994 Ottawa Senators |
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| Playing career | 1992–2014 | ||
Daniel Alfredsson (born 11 December 1972), often called "Alfie", is a Swedish-Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Ottawa Senators. He played for 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Most of his career was with the Senators. He also played a short time for the Detroit Red Wings before he retired in 2014.
Alfredsson was the captain of the Senators from 1999 to 2013. He usually played on the team's top line. This line was sometimes called the "CASH" or "Pizza" line. He played with center Jason Spezza and left winger Dany Heatley. Alfredsson holds the Senators' team records for goals (426), assists (682), and points (1,108). He played 1,178 games for the team.
He played for Sweden 14 times in international games. This includes winning a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also won a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He was the 75th player to reach 1,000 career points in the NHL. He did this by scoring three goals in a game against the Buffalo Sabres in October 2010.
Alfredsson has an Honorary Degree from Carleton University. He was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022. He also joined the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2018.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting with the Ottawa Senators (1994–2013)
The Ottawa Senators picked Alfredsson 133rd overall in the 1994 NHL entry draft. Many scouts didn't notice him. But John Ferguson from Ottawa saw his talent. He pushed for Alfredsson to be chosen.
Alfredsson won the Calder Memorial Trophy in his first NHL season (1995–96). This award is for the best rookie player. He also played in the NHL All-Star Game that year. In his second season (1996–97), he played in the All-Star Game again. He helped the Senators reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in their modern history.
Alfredsson missed the start of the 1997–98 season. This was due to a disagreement about his contract. He eventually signed a new deal. When he returned, fans gave him a big cheer. He played in only 55 games that season due to the contract issue and an ankle injury. The Senators made the playoffs again. Alfredsson scored 7 goals in 11 playoff games.
In the 1998–99 season, Alfredsson missed 24 games because of an injury. He scored 11 goals that year. The team made the playoffs but lost quickly. The next season, he became the captain of the Senators. His scoring improved with 21 goals and 59 points. In the 2000 playoffs, the Senators played the Toronto Maple Leafs. Alfredsson scored three goals in that series.
In 2000–01, Alfredsson remained captain. He scored 24 goals and 70 points. The Senators again faced the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. They lost in four games. In 2001–02, Alfredsson had a personal best with 37 goals and 71 points. In the 2002 playoffs, the Senators played the Maple Leafs again. They lost in seven games. Alfredsson led the team in playoff scoring with 7 goals and 13 points.
Alfredsson signed a new two-year contract before the 2002–03 season. He scored 27 goals and 78 points. The team won the Presidents' Trophy that season. This means they were the best team in the regular season. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the playoffs. Alfredsson scored 4 goals and 8 points in 18 games.
In 2003–04, Alfredsson scored 32 goals and 80 points. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs to Toronto. Alfredsson signed a new five-year contract with the Senators during this season.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Alfredsson played for a team in Sweden. He played for Frölunda HC, his old team. He helped them win the Swedish championship. Alfredsson was a big help in the playoffs, scoring 12 goals and 18 points.
On October 5, 2005, the 2005–06 NHL season began. Alfredsson joined Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza on the top line. This line became known as the "CASH line." Alfredsson scored the tying goal in a game against the Maple Leafs. Later, he and Heatley scored the first goals in an NHL shootout. Alfredsson's stick was sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Alfredsson had a career-high 103 points in the 2005–06 season. He scored 43 goals and 60 assists. On November 3, 2005, he had his best game. He scored four goals and six points against the Buffalo Sabres. After the 2006 playoffs, there were talks about trading Alfredsson.
He thought about retiring in November 2006. But he started using teammate Chris Kelly's skates. His performance got better, and he scored in the next four games. He finished the season with 29 goals and 58 assists.
On December 23, 2006, Alfredsson scored his 600th career point. He had two goals and one assist against the Philadelphia Flyers. In the 2007 playoffs, Alfredsson was the Senators' top scorer. He had 14 goals and 22 points. His strong play helped the Senators reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. He was the first European-born captain to lead his team to the Finals.
Alfredsson was one of Ottawa's best players in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. But the Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks. In one game, Alfredsson's shot hit an opponent. Some people wondered if he meant to injure him. Alfredsson said he was just trying to score quickly.
The 2007–08 season had ups and downs for Alfredsson. On January 24, 2008, he set a Senators' record. He scored 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points in one game. This made him the NHL scoring leader at the All-Star break. He was named NHL Player of the Week. Alfredsson faced some injuries later in the season. He missed the last regular season game and the start of the 2008 playoffs. He had played in every Senators playoff game until then. He returned early for game three of the series. Fans gave him a long standing ovation. He later said he played with a knee injury.
In October 2008, Alfredsson had knee surgery. He returned to play less than a week later. On October 30, 2008, Alfredsson signed a new four-year contract. This contract was meant for him to finish his career with the Senators.
The 2008–09 season was tough for Alfredsson and the team. They did not make the playoffs. Alfredsson scored 24 goals and 74 points. On July 8, 2009, Alfredsson became the longest-serving active captain in the NHL.
In the 2009–10 season, Alfredsson's points went down. He scored 20 goals and 71 points. On April 6, he played his 1,000th NHL game. The Senators lost in the first round of the playoffs. Alfredsson led the team in scoring with 2 goals and 6 assists. He later said he had been playing with a sports hernia injury.
During the 2010–11 season, Alfredsson reached his 1,000th career NHL point. This happened in a win against the Buffalo Sabres in October 2010.
After the season, Alfredsson had back surgery. He said the surgery went well.
Alfredsson started the 2011–12 season healthy. But he got a concussion after a hit in October 2011. He missed five games and returned in November. On December 30, 2011, he scored his 400th career goal. This was the winning goal in overtime against the Calgary Flames. Alfredsson was chosen to play in the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa. He was captain of "Team Alfredsson." He scored two goals in a loss to "Team Chara." There was talk about trading him, but the Senators played well. Alfredsson was happy to stay in Ottawa. In the 2012 playoffs, the Senators lost to the New York Rangers. Many thought Alfredsson would retire, but he decided to play his 17th season.
The lockout-shortened 2012–13 season was good for Alfredsson and the Senators. The team made the playoffs. They beat the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. Alfredsson was third in team scoring during the regular season. He led the Senators in playoff scoring with 4 goals and 10 points. Again, people thought he might retire. But on June 28, 2013, the Senators' general manager said Alfredsson would play next year. While Alfredsson talked about a new contract with Ottawa, the Boston Bruins also showed interest. They hoped he would join them to try and win a Stanley Cup.
Playing for the Detroit Red Wings (2013–2014)
On July 5, 2013, Alfredsson signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. This was after 17 seasons with the Senators. His Ottawa teammates were surprised. Alfredsson called Chris Phillips to tell him personally. Phillips said he was shocked. Alfredsson later said he left Ottawa because he wanted to win a Stanley Cup before retiring. He also mentioned a contract issue with the Senators.
Alfredsson returned to Ottawa for the first time with the Red Wings on December 1, 2013. He received a video tribute and loud cheers from the home crowd. He also scored an empty net goal in the Red Wings' win.
Alfredsson, at 41 years old, scored 18 goals and 49 points in his only season with the Red Wings (2013–14). He tied for the team lead in scoring. Back problems kept him from starting the 2014–15 season. On November 27, 2014, Alfredsson announced he had retired as a player.
Retirement from Playing
On December 4, 2014, Alfredsson signed a one-day contract. This was so he could officially retire as a member of the Ottawa Senators. He took part in the pre-game warm-ups. He also took the ceremonial face-off before a game against the New York Islanders.
During his time with the Senators, Alfredsson played 1,178 games. He had 426 goals, 682 assists, and 1,108 points. All of these were team records. Chris Phillips broke his games-played record two months later. On December 29, 2016, Alfredsson became the first player from the modern Senators team to have his jersey number retired.
International Hockey Career
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Sweden |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Winter Olympics | ||
| Gold | 2006 Turin | |
| Silver | 2014 Sochi | |
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 1995 Stockholm | |
| Silver | 2004 Prague/Ostrava | |
| Bronze | 1999 Oslo/Hamar | |
| Bronze | 2001 Cologne/Hanover | |
Alfredsson played for Sweden in 14 international tournaments:
- 1995 World Championships (silver medal)
- 1996 World Championships
- 1996 World Cup of Hockey
- 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)
- 2010 Winter Olympics (alternate captain)
- 2012 World Championships (captain)
- 2014 Winter Olympics (alternate captain, silver medal)
At the 2006 Olympics, Alfredsson had his best tournament. He scored 5 goals and 5 assists for 10 points. He played on a line with Mats Sundin and Henrik Zetterberg. He became an alternate captain after Peter Forsberg was injured. Alfredsson was named captain of Sweden for the first time at the 2012 IIHF World Championship.
After Playing Hockey
Hockey Operations and Coaching
After retiring as a player, Alfredsson worked for the Ottawa Senators. He was a senior advisor for hockey operations. He later rejoined the Senators in October 2023. This time, he was a player development coach. In December 2023, he became an assistant coach for the team. He made his coaching debut on December 19. Alfredsson will remain part of the coaching staff under the new head coach, Travis Green.
Personal Life
Alfredsson married Birgitta Backman on July 31, 2004. They have four sons. The family lives in Ottawa, Canada, and Särö, Sweden. Alfredsson's parents are Hasse and Margareta Alfredsson.
His younger brother, Henric Alfredsson, also played hockey. He played for the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's. Henric later joined the Ottawa Police Service.
On March 5, 2015, Alfredsson received the key to the city of Ottawa. This is the city's highest honor. It was given to him for his hockey achievements. It also recognized his work in the community. He supported mental health awareness and equality for athletes.
Alfredsson became a Canadian citizen on September 20, 2016. This happened at a special ceremony during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Career Statistics
Here are Daniel Alfredsson's career statistics for regular season, playoffs, and international games. Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1990–91 | Mölndals IF | Swe-2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1991–92 | Mölndals IF | Swe-2 | 32 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 57 | 21 | 38 | 59 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 70 | 20 | 51 | 71 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 54 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 75 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 47 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 33 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 68 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| SEL totals | 97 | 36 | 35 | 71 | 58 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 16 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1,246 | 444 | 713 | 1,157 | 510 | 124 | 51 | 49 | 100 | 76 | ||||
International Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Sweden | WC |  |
8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
| 1996 | Sweden | WCH |  |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 1996 | Sweden | WC | 6th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1998 | Sweden | Oly | 5th | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |
| 1999 | Sweden | WC | |
10 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | |
| 2001 | Sweden | WC | |
9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | |
| 2002 | Sweden | Oly | 5th | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Sweden | WCH | 5th | 4 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Sweden | WC | |
8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
| 2005 | Sweden | WC | 4th | 9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2006 | Sweden | Oly |  |
8 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2010 | Sweden | Oly | 5th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2012 | Sweden | WC | 6th | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2014 | Sweden | Oly | |
6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| Senior totals | 88 | 32 | 42 | 74 | 50 | ||||
Awards and Honors
Daniel Alfredsson received many awards during his career.
International Awards
| Award | Year(s) awarded |
|---|---|
| Swedish Championship | 2005 |
| Winter Olympics Gold Medal | 2006 |
| Winter Olympics Silver Medal | 2014 |
| IIHF Hall of Fame | 2018 |
NHL Awards
| Award | Year(s) awarded |
|---|---|
| NHL All-Star Game | 1996, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2008, 2012 |
| NHL All-Rookie Team | 1996 |
| Calder Memorial Trophy | 1996 |
| NHL second All-Star team | 2006 |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy | 2012 |
| Mark Messier Leadership Award | 2013 |
Other Honors
On June 7, 2016, Alfredsson received an honorary degree from Carleton University. This was for his contributions to Canadian hockey. It also recognized his work in the community. He helped with mental health awareness and equality for athletes. On November 25, 2016, he received the Meritorious Service Cross. This was from the Governor General David Johnston.
Records and Achievements
Records Held
- Holds the Senators' records for regular season goals, assists, and points.
- Holds the Senators' record for highest +/- rating in a season (+42 in 2006–07).
- Holds the Senators' record for most points in one regular season game (7 points with 3 goals and 4 assists in 2007–08).
- Holds the Senators' playoff records for most games played, goals, assists, and points.
Important Milestones
- Scored his 300th career goal on November 10, 2007.
- Recorded his 500th career assist on January 24, 2008.
- Played in his 1,000th NHL game on April 6, 2010. All these games were with the Ottawa Senators.
- Reached 1,000 career points with a hat-trick on October 22, 2010.
- Scored his 400th career goal in overtime on December 30, 2011.
Other Achievements
- Scored the first shootout goal in NHL history during the 2005–06 season.
- Led the Swedish Olympic hockey team in scoring at the 2006 Winter Olympics. They won the gold medal.
- April 10, 2010, was named "Daniel Alfredsson Day" in Ottawa. This was to honor his 1,000th NHL game.
- He was the first European-born captain to lead his team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007.
- He improved his point totals for six seasons in a row (1998–99 to 2005–06). This is a team record.
- He is on the cover of the Swedish version of the EA Sports NHL 09 video game.
- He won the first major award in modern Senators history, the Calder Memorial Trophy, in 1995–96.
- He played in 119 playoff games for the modern Senators.
- He led the league in goals during the 2006–07 playoffs. He also tied for the league lead in playoff points (22).
- Daniel Alfredsson was the first player in modern Senators history to have his jersey number retired in December 2016.
- He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Alfredsson para niños
- List of Swedes in sports
- List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
- List of NHL players with 1,000 points
