BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Fans of the Ottawa Senators probably never expected to see former captain Daniel Alfredsson in a Senators’ sweater ever again.
But surprise, surprise: That’s exactly what they saw at the Bell Sensplex on Monday morning when Alfredsson showed up for an informal skate with many of his former teammates wearing a Senators practice sweater.
Not surprisingly, it was a sight that triggered surprise, shock, and outrage as former fans of the 40-year-old Swede weighed in on Twitter.
Alfredsson signed a oneyear deal with the Detroit Red Wings on July 5, parting ways with the Senators after 18 years, and the pain is still raw.
On Thursday, in a scorchedearth new conference, Alfredsson said he jumped ship and signed with the Red Wings partly because the Senators twice reneged on promises over the value of future contracts.
Wearing a Senators sweater after all that was just another slap in the face.
“Rub it in, Alfie, rub it in,” wrote one disgruntled fan.
“Unsportsmanlike conduct,” wrote another.
“Is this some kind of joke?” wrote yet another.
But not everyone was offended.
“He’s moved on to a better organization,” wrote someone who is still clearly a fan. “Get over it.” After the skate, Alfredsson neatly stickhandled around the media while reporters were preoccupied in an interview with defenceman Erik Karlsson.
But for his part, Karlsson saw nothing odd about seeing Alfredsson in an Ottawa sweater.
“It looks pretty normal,” he said. “He’s been wearing one for a long time.”