Hours before making his player selections at the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft on Thursday, Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said that he was hoping to play next season.
Alfredsson, who was a guest on NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's weekly radio show on XM radio, revealed that since he's healthier than he was during the 2010-11 season, he's looking forward to remaining an active player.
"The way this season is going, if I'm still healthy after this season, I'm hoping I can go one more," said Alfredsson. "This year has been so good. If we can make the playoffs, that would almost be a dream come true."
The Senators could easily be one the biggest surprises in the league so far, sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, after finishing in 13th last season.
According to Alfredsson, the youth movement on the team has had a positive effect.
"You try to keep up with the young guys," he said. "You always think you can better…and you can. I've had lots of ups and downs in my career and the drive is still there for me, to see how good I can be. When I play well, I can be one of the best in the league. But when I don't, I'm just average."
The 39-year-old is having a solid season, posting 17 goals and 21 assists in 46 games and has one year left on his current contract.
- With files from the Ottawa Citizen
