Comment adds more heat to Sens’ off-season drama

Unquestionably, former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson would like to walk back from what he reportedly said about owner Eugene Melnyk late Sunday night.

In a conversation he said he believed would never be made public, Alfredsson opened up a can of worms by saying, “We hope to get a new owner.”

So much for the calm before the storm, as we wait to see whether current captain Erik Karlsson re-signs with the organization or is traded away in the summer.

With fans frustrated at the shrinking front-office, concerned about the number of stars who have left under dark clouds, anxious about Karlsson’s future, and with season ticket sales hanging in the balance, the Alfredsson noise is additional fuel on the fire that has also included the “MelnykOut” billboard campaign.

Yet when we take a step back from reading the money quote, while recognizing Alfredsson’s frosty relationship with Melnyk over the years, should we really be all that shocked or surprised at a sentiment that is shared by so many others in the city?

To rehash, the comments came in a conversation with Sue Sherring, a blogger and a former city columnist for Postmedia, as Mayor Jim Watson officially launched his re-election campaign late Sunday.

“We’ve talked a lot, we’ve talked about the future of the Senators and of its ownership, and we agree,” Alfredsson reportedly said of his connection with Watson and the state of the Senators franchise.

After making the comments, Sherring says, Alfredsson told her the comments were “off the record,” but Sherring chose to share the words on her blog, On The City, From the Burbs.

(As an aside, the “off the record” dance between interviewer and interviewee can be a tricky one, depending on when it is said and the trust that’s shared between the two sides.)

Neither Alfredsson nor the Senators responded to media requests Monday. Watson wasn’t touching the comments with a 10-foot hockey stick, either.

“Mayor Watson will not comment on a private conversation in which he was not involved,” said a statement from his office. “Mayor Watson’s focus, with a strong mandate from Council, is to work with all parties to move the LeBreton Redevelopment Project forward and the hockey arena downtown.”

Previously, Alfredsson has been diplomatic when asked about why he left the Senators organization for a second time last summer — he has typically offered up that it was for family reasons — but the history with Melnyk hasn’t been positive.

Five years ago, Alfredsson left the Senators as a free agent following a nasty contract fight, playing the final season of his career with the Detroit Red Wings.

Thanks largely to Alfredsson’s relationship with the late Bryan Murray, he returned to the Senators for a grand jersey retirement party in December 2014.

In 2015, Alfredsson joined the front office as senior adviser of hockey operations, working closely with general manager Pierre Dorion.

Last July, however, he abruptly left the organization again, leaving behind a train of rumours and speculation over his sudden departure.

During the 2017-18 season, Alfredsson was largely out of the spotlight, helping coach his sons’ minor hockey teams. In April, the Ottawa Sting named him as the organization’s volunteer of the year. Occasionally, including when the Senators travelled to Sweden for a pair of games last October, Alfredsson has said he would like to one day return to the NHL in an ownership capacity.

What adds additional spice to the fresh words from Alfredsson, of course, is that he remains close with Karlsson.

Two weeks ago, when he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in Denmark, Alfredsson was asked about Karlsson’s plans.

“To me, he says that he wants to stay,” he said. “But it’s not all in his hands.”

While the Alfredsson-Karlsson relationship continues to be fascinating, Alfredsson’s connection to Watson is somewhat surprising.

While the Senators are a private business, the mayor and Melnyk have butted heads over a variety of projects over the years. Melnyk pushed for a casino of his own and wanted the city to endorse his plans for a Major League Soccer franchise in Kanata, instead of bringing CFL football back to Lansdowne Park.

The appearance of Alfredsson at his re-election launch was no doubt aimed at helping Watson in the popularity department. Instead, the Alfredsson comments that became public have created some controversy to start the campaign.

As for the popularity of Melnyk in the community, Alfredsson’s latest words probably won’t change that many opinions.