When he addressed the crowd, Alfredsson told a story about forgetting his skates in Sweden and practicing in ones two sizes too big for his feet. Afterward, he was more reflective.
"You know, when I retired two years ago, it was a special feeling," he said. "I was on the ice for warmups. I sat in the locker room by myself, knowing this was going to be the last time I was going to skate on NHL ice.
"Today was different. Today was more... I'm proud of the work I did, of the people I got to know. Glad to share this with them. That's what it means to me."
He became the first Senators player from this era, which began when the franchise returned to the NHL in 1992, to have his number retired.
"It's a huge honor," Alfredsson said. "I think we talked about it, I did and Wade (Redden), about we think what we accomplished here as a young group under Jacques and bringing a franchise that was young into respectability and a contender in the league. All the work we put in,a lot of us, coaches and players and staff. I think I'm part of that success and I think it reflects that period of time. That's what I'm going to think of when I see my jersey up there."
