Black Day in July: The 10-Year Anniversary of Daniel Alfredsson’s Trade to Detroit

It will go down as one of the most memorable days in Ottawa Senators history but it’s not a day that anyone in Ottawa remembers fondly. It was on this date, July 5th, 2013, the Detroit Red Wings announced the signing of free agent winger Daniel Alfredsson.

Alfredsson was 40 years old at the time. He’d been an Ottawa Senator for his entire 17 year career and captain for 14 of those years. His contract had just expired but he felt like he had at least one more season left in him.

With famously frugal owner Eugene Melnyk inserting himself into the negotiations, Ottawa came in with an insulting, low-ball offer to their future Hall of Famer. Frusrtaed, Alfredsson took his talents to Motown, signing a one year deal worth $5.5 million. 

The Wings were Stockholm West that season with nine Swedes in their lineup, including their top five scorers, with Alfie at the very top. 

And that's the story of how Alfredsson finished his outstanding NHL career... as a  Detroit Red Wing.

Even by Melnyk standards, insulting Alfie was a ridiculous, short-sighted decision by the club. The money Melnyk saved by not taking care of the franchise’s most beloved player wasn’t nearly worth the tidal wave of ill-will that his penny-pinching created.

Now in full scale damage control, the Senators tried to calm the waters the next day by acquiring Bobby Ryan from Anaheim for Jakob Silfverberg, former first rounder Stefan Noesen and their upcoming first round pick, which the Ducks used to select Nick Ritchie. The trade helped, but fans never forgave the Sens for fumbling what should have been such an easy decision.

In retirement, Alfredsson has remained in Ottawa and, like so many others, has tried and failed to work for the Senators during the Melnyk era.

It’s widely believed that one of Michael Andlauer’s first acts as owner of the Ottawa Senators will be to hire Alfredsson in hockey operations, mending that fence permanently.