Maple Leafs assistant Daniel Alfredsson ready to switch sides in Battle of Ontario
Former Ottawa Senators legend Daniel Alfredsson has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an associate coach. He acknowledges the difficulty of switching sides in the historic Battle of Ontario rivalry but views the move as a necessary step for his coaching development.
Why it matters
This move is significant in the NHL due to the intense rivalry between the two teams and Alfredsson's deep historical ties to the Senators organization.
Daniel Alfredsson never had a rosy relationship with the Toronto Maple Leafs .
He famously mimicked a moment of frustration from Leafs captain and fellow Swede Mats Sundin. He laid out Darcy Tucker in a second-round playoff game in 2002, scoring right after and causing the Leafs winger to miss the ensuing game.
So it was a shock to all when the Ottawa Senators legend joined the Maple Leafs as an associate coach this off-season — working under special executive adviser Sundin, no less.
It may be an even bigger shock when Alfredsson faces the Senators as a Maple Leaf for the first time on Saturday (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT).
While national teammates Alfredsson and Sundin made amends long ago, the former said he made sure to do so more recently with Tucker, too.
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