Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson rips NHL owners for lowballing players

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson criticized NHL owners’ tactics. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said NHL owners have lowballed the NHLPA since negotiations began and wanted a lockout from the start, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

“Like everybody else, I’m disappointed that the owners chose to have this tactic from the very beginning,” Alfredsson said. “They chose to give a lowball offer from the get-go. It was kind of clear what they wanted and I don’t see anything changing anytime soon.”

Alfredsson said he is “past being frustrated,” and believes the NHL wanted a lockout before opening negotiations towards a new collective bargaining agreement.

“I believe the players are doing the right thing,” he says. “We’ve been more than fair. Maybe it would have been different if we, the players’ association, had done what (the owners) did in their first offer and said ‘we want 70 per cent’. We started at a fair point, moving in their direction and now they’re frustrated that we’re not moving. It’s disappointing more than anything.”

Alfredsson won the 2011-12 King Clancy Memorial Trophy as the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice, while making noteworthy humanitarian contributions in the community. The 16-year veteran turns 40 in December, leaving his NHL future uncertain if the season is canceled.