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.
"We kissed and made up," Alfredsson joked in a press conference ahead of the game.
Alfredsson, 53, spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Senators before taking on the associate coaching position in Toronto.
He said he got to know Maple Leafs alumni at a golf tournament recently and continues to stay in touch with colleagues from the Senators. He also explained his rationale for the move.
"If I want to be a coach, you've got to experience different situations and different scenarios, different systems, and that's kind of where it went in my head. How can I evolve and get better as a coach if this is the road I'm going down?" he said.
Alfredsson acknowledged the difficulty of changing sides in the Battle of Ontario.
"It’s different, no question, being on the other side," he said. "We wish them the best and wish us a little bit better."
