Would you be in favour of retiring Spezza's number?

[PoutineSp00nZ]

I think you need to lower the bar a bit - it's probably worth retiring Alfredsson and maybe even Phillips because they are essentially the two biggest players of our modern era.

On any other team - they probably don't deserve it but we're a Canadian market trying to grow between two behemoths (Toronto/Montreal). Making Alfie and even Phillips a part of early Sens history is a good move.

Same way I look at it. Im on the fence with Phillips, but I do believe the Senators need to make some history. Those sens teams from the early 2000s were incredibly talented, if they had stayed together and brought in a goalie there would be cups here.

Besides, if the Sens retire 11, there are still 96 other numbers players can wear in ottawa. Its not like they're going to run out.

 

[NyQuil]

Nope.

Captain for one season and wants to leave?

Alfredsson is the only player thus far IMO.

I like Phillips but one of my criteria is an elite level of play and he doesn't quite reach that standard.

 

[saskriders]

Why lower the bar on anything that requires absolute excellence to merit the honor? That's how I view a number retirement. Not as some cheap PR spin to dredge up a little cash and contrived history.

If you aren't considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game why should you get your number retired?

Alfie and Phillips and all those guys are our history at this point.

We have the:
"Terrible expansion team era"
"Strong Contender era"
and the current rebuilding era


In 50 years Alfie may just be a foot note, but for now he is a huge part of our history, and he deserves the honour

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

One of the most skilled players in franchise history, but never really the go-to, game-on-the-line kind of guy. Not retiring-worthy, IMO.

Perfectly put.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Just to clarify, I don't think 1000 games should be mandatory to retire a number, it should just guarantee it

Chris Neil will reach 1000 games in 145 games, should we retire his number too when he does?

 

[BankStreetParade]

Alfie and Phillips and all those guys are our history at this point.

We have the:
"Terrible expansion team era"
"Strong Contender era"
and the current rebuilding era


In 50 years Alfie may just be a foot note, but for now he is a huge part of our history, and he deserves the honour

Yes, they are our history and deserve to have their commitments to the team recognized but a ceremony is more than enough in my opinion. They would have had to have done something exceptional to earn a number retirement.

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

No. Only Alfie qualifies for that atm.

Yes, they are our history and deserve to have their commitments to the team recognized but a ceremony is more than enough in my opinion. They would have had to have done something exceptional to earn a number retirement.

Agreed. Even Alfies accolades alone don't really warrent it imo, but the fact that he was one of the longest serving captains in the leauge, had respectable numbers, and was such a part of the team's identity gives him that little extra to deserve it I think.

 

[Quo]

No way.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Nope.

Alfie should be the only one.

 

[OttawaOilers]

He hasn't even done much. I'd retire Alfredsson's number before his and Alff's a bum.

 

[Engineer]

Nobody in modern era deserves a retired number.

Lets get a cup, or a player who actually plays their whole career as a star in the city first.

 

[Icelevel]

#11

start and stop there

 

[saskriders]

Chris Neil will reach 1000 games in 145 games, should we retire his number too when he does?

Yes. He has been a long term player for us, and for the most part has been excellent in his role.

Don't let one bad season on a line that had a bad season on a team that had a bad season at 34 years old make your decision

 

[Slack]

No player has earned that in our modern franchise. People seem to want a jersey retired just for the sake of it.

 

[Sun God Nika]

LOL Someone seriously said they would be ok with Retiring Chris Neils jersey.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Yes. He has been a long term player for us, and for the most part has been excellent in his role.

Don't let one bad season on a line that had a bad season on a team that had a bad season at 34 years old make your decision

Retiring a pugilist's number is absolutely the dumbest thing an organization can do. Bob Probert was arguably the best one ever, and I don't see Detroit or Chicago lining up to raise his number. Toronto has an unreasonable love affair with Tie Domi but his number's nowhere near the rafters. Even John Ferguson, who played his entire career with the Habs AND had an offensive touch too, has all-around better career numbers than Chris Neil in half the games played — and his number rightfully isn't retired either.

 

[saskriders]

I don't care about being "elite" or a hall of fame or anything like that

Players who have their number retired should be players who had a significant positive impact on the team for a long time

 

[2XPRO31]

absolutely not. Alfredsson yes

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

I don't care about being "elite" or a hall of fame or anything like that

Players who have their number retired should be players who had a significant positive impact on the team for a long time

Like John Ferguson. Whose number has never been considered for retirement.

 

[saskriders]

Like John Ferguson. Whose number has never been considered for retirement.

It is different when you join a team that is 10 years old than when you join one that is 60 years old.

And regardless we shouldn't just copy what other teams are doing. We should develop our own criteria

 

[salomonster]

Retire:
Alfie
Phillips
Anyone who plays 1000 games for us (so maybe Neil)

Make a Ring of Honour for:
Spezza
Redden
Bonk
Fisher
Volchenkov

Do this:

 

[Busboy]

I'm surprised at some of the bitterness over how he left. It sucks but I appreciate that he told the team a whole year in advance that he didn't want to resign and allowed us to get assets back for him.

I don't blame him for wanting to leave. His career is winding down and he'll have a better shot at winning a cup with Dallas. I wish that weren't true but I can't fault Spezza for wanting to win.

He wasn't a good captain, that's for sure so that probably factored into his decision. He won't have to be "the guy" in Dallas so he can quietly go about his business and focus on producing offence.

 

[2XPRO31]

Retire:
Alfie
Phillips
Anyone who plays 1000 games for us (so maybe Neil)

Make a Ring of Honour for:
Spezza
Redden
Bonk
Fisher
Volchenkov

Wheres patrick Lalime?

 

[mcnorth]

No.

Ring of honor is a nice idea, but if you're including Volchenkov and Bonk... the standard is way too low.

I don't think we should pretend a history. Alfie was the face of the franchise for a long time and always one of the top players on the roster during that time, which includes our most successful seasons. He earns a retired number IMO, but no to anyone else. Ring of honour can be 1000 games or something substantial such as an individual award winner (if EK played 700 games and left... he'd still deserve it for instance).

 

[tony d]

Option 2. Guy was a great player for a lot of years with the team but not long enough for us to retire his #.