Alfie's always been a team-first guy. Things like taking a pay cut in order to sign valued teammates/friends or taking in a rookie Karlsson into his home display that. He's also always been big on the city itself, with his suggesting that he intends to stay around instead of going back to Sweden when it's all said and done.
Well if you are talking about individual awards, ALfredsson.
If you are talking about team achievements, our captain has a Cup finals so Alfredsson.
I do have to give a massive edge to Saku for just being able to captain a team in Montreal for such a long time. There is like...zero pressure from media here in Ottawa. Jason York is sloshed most of the time he is on the radio, Steve Lloyd is somewhat objective, rest of Team 1200 basically jump if the Senators tell them to and the print media is sold out to the team as well.
The lack of overall expectations in the past few years has allowed Alfredsson to quietly help his team rebuild and while he did face intense criticism early on (pre-2007) that's all gone now.
If you look at Saku, he got it for not speaking French (would never happen in Ottawa), his leadership was questioned as well as his production and it literally took a bout with cancer to unite the fanbase behind him, a fanbase which was quite divided on his ability to be a captain. Like it or not, it's a lot tougher to play in Montreal than it is here, where we have a young franchise whose ties to history are a hundred years ago and not more recent (through no fault of our own).
He's also always been big on the city itself, with his suggesting that he intends to stay around instead of going back to Sweden when it's all said and done.
That speaks more about Alfie as a person than a captain. While it's hard to judge captains outside the locker room, Alfie was a lead by example so it's easier to judge him.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SensFanDan
where we have a young franchise whose ties to history are a hundred years ago and not more recent (through no fault of our own).
All what you said rings true for Phaneuf too if he continues to remain captain for the Leafs. Eerie. Except of course the language. Methinks your definition is not so good.
I'm going with Saku Koivu...it's unfortunate he never got the chance at the cup in Montreal. During a long period of time, he would be the only player to show up and play and had to carry the team on his back with little support.
Saku would have been a top player in this league but injuries and years of playing with crappy team mates screwed him.
Alfie's always been a team-first guy. Things like taking a pay cut in order to sign valued teammates/friends or taking in a rookie Karlsson into his home display that. He's also always been big on the city itself, with his suggesting that he intends to stay around instead of going back to Sweden when it's all said and done.
This.
Something you can't say about Koivu. The first chance and he was on a flight to California with his family .
Alfredsson is and was a great captain, he was always there when you needed him and always put the team before himself. Even when there was speculation of him being traded, he went and carried his team to the finals.
Alfredsson will always be the greatest captain Ottawa ever had, the same can't be said for Koivu.
Alfredsson is and was a great captain, he was always there when you needed him and always put the team before himself. Even when there was speculation of him being traded, he went and carried his team to the finals.
Alfredsson will always be the greatest captain Ottawa ever had, the same can't be said for Koivu.
Saku captained his team to 2 upsets vs the heavily favoured Boston Bruins, one with a 3-1 series come back. While Alfie kept leading his team (some of the most talent teams in the NHL), to playoff defeats vs the Leafs again, again, and again.
Alfredsson is and was a great captain, he was always there when you needed him and always put the team before himself. Even when there was speculation of him being traded, he went and carried his team to the finals.
Alfredsson will always be the greatest captain Ottawa ever had, the same can't be said for Koivu.
Look at what the loss of Koivu did to Montreal in 2006. They were up 2-0 in the series on the Hurricanes, after Koivu got injured they lost 4 straight.
Dumb comparison, if Alfredsson had been the captain of Montreal, he would not be the greatest captain in our history.
Alfredsson is and was a great captain, he was always there when you needed him and always put the team before himself. Even when there was speculation of him being traded, he went and carried his team to the finals.
Alfredsson will always be the greatest captain Ottawa ever had, the same can't be said for Koivu.
If Alfredsson had to compete against the likes of Bob Gainey, Yvan Cournoyer, Maurice Richard, Doug Harvey or Jean Beliveau, he wouldn't be viewed as the best captain in his franchise history.
I also wouldn't hope Alfredsson will be or has been the best Ottawa captain ever. Unless you don't mind staying without a cup for the rest of your history of course.
I like to make comments with no evidence to back them up too.
he wasn't present in the community (ok he did bought a machine for cancer treatment), did not act like a leader by motivating his teammates ,did not accept to have reduced ice time..... his feud with ribeiro that was caught on camera looked really bad for a captain
oh he gave his all on the ice.........but it takes more than this to be a good captain.
but sure for fans from other teams he looked like a good captain. He was probably a good captain for Finland since he was more comfortable there, but he wasn't in montreal.
Look at what the loss of Koivu did to Montreal in 2006. They were up 2-0 in the series on the Hurricanes, after Koivu got injured they lost 4 straight.
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That could easily be a coincidence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Montreal Shadow
I also wouldn't hope Alfredsson will be or has been the best Ottawa captain ever. Unless you don't mind staying without a cup for the rest of your history of course.
Good captain =/= Stanely Cup
Ryan Smyth is constantly praised for being such a great captain; I guess he's actually a garbage captain because his TEAM didn't win a cup.
Alfredsson is and was a great captain, he was always there when you needed him and always put the team before himself. Even when there was speculation of him being traded, he went and carried his team to the finals.
Alfredsson will always be the greatest captain Ottawa ever had, the same can't be said for Koivu.
Alfredsson didnt carry his team to the finals.
Last edited by spiny norman: 01-04-2013 at 12:58 AM.
Reason: corrected spelling
Check out 2006-2007 where he carried his team to the finals.
And obviously stellar performances from Heatley and Spezza had nothing to do with it, right? Alfredsson didn't carry anything to the finals. He was a big contributor but his team was stacked as well. I still recall Ottawa disposing of all of their opponents in 5 games. They lost a grand total of 3 games before reaching the cup final.
Then they faced the Ducks and Alfredsson was probably the only player who showed up. Heatley and Spezza were both completely shut down and the Sens couldn't compete with the Ducks physcal dominance. The whole team was very strong until they crumbled in the final, with only Alfredsson doing something effective.
TL;DR what he did was not ''carrying'' his team. He contributed with strong play on a strong team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny FTW
Good captain =/= Stanely Cup
Ryan Smyth is constantly praised for being such a great captain; I guess he's actually a garbage captain because his TEAM didn't win a cup.
You're right but a captain bringing his team to a cup in my books is far far more valuable than one who hasn't done it. If you guys ever win the cup, I believe whoever is the captain at the time should be regarded as the best captain of the franchise. As much as I love Alfredsson there is no way I'd put him above a guy who would captain Ottawa to its first Stanley cup.
Last edited by spiny norman: 01-04-2013 at 12:59 AM.
Reason: qmep
They seem to be similar personalities? Obviously Alfredsson has the better longer-standing reputation as a captain. So much is situational, though, Koivu was in such a mess for so many years in Montreal, I think with better support and structure around him he had the potential to emerge in a place quite similar to Alfredsson, but alas, it just didn't work out that way.
Check out 2006-2007 where he carried his team to the finals.
Is this the same year where they had 105 points and the best goal differential in the league and Alfredsson was the 3rd best forward on the team during the regular season? The same playoffs where his two linemates equalled him in scoring? Yeah he really carried that garbage team.
EDIT: For the record I voted Alfie, I just thought that argument was pretty ridiculous considering Alfredsson was on one of the most dominant teams in the league in those few years after the lockout.
For what it's worth, Alfie wasn't third best on that team. You could argue 2nd at most. I know that it usually doesn't apply, but just look at the +/-. It will help paint the bigger picture, considering all 3 played on the same line.
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