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OTTAWA - On July 5, 2013, Daniel Alfredsson ceased to be the face of the franchise for many Ottawa Senators fans. Browns Jerseys Online . On Dec. 4, 2014, his legacy could be restored. Alfredsson will announce his retirement Thursday in the city he called home for 17 years. The longtime captain will skate in pre-game warm-ups with the Senators one last time, take a ceremonial faceoff and in the process show that the damaged relationship between him and the organization has been repaired. It puts the shadow, whatever you want to call it - we dont need to talk about it anymore, really, Senators defenceman Chris Phillips said. All the fences have been mended and rightfully so. Alfredsson, the Senators captain from 1999 through 2013, stunned the hockey world last year by leaving to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. His departure after 1,178 games, 426 goals and 682 assists, several playoff runs and a trip to the 2007 Stanley Cup final left raw emotions on both sides. Once back problems prevented the 41-year-old right-winger from playing this season, he told the Red Wings and Senators that he was ready to call it a career. Its only fitting that he does it in the nations capital. Im really happy to see Alfie kind of reconcile with the team, said Dallas Stars centre Jason Spezza, who was Alfredssons successor as the Senators captain. How things ended and him moving on was, I think, a move that he felt was necessary. I think it was probably the right move for him. But now that its over and hes decided hes going to hang them up, I think its good that Ottawas welcoming him back. Spezza, who asked for and was granted a trade this past summer, said of Alfredssons situation that its a little bit of water under the bridge and time heals wounds. Plenty of time has elapsed since Alfredsson spurned the Senators to go to Detroit, where he tied as the Red Wings leading scorer. Thursdays Welcome Home celebration takes the healing process to another level. Alfredsson will announce his retirement at Canadian Tire Centre in the morning, then take the ice for warm-ups with the Senators before their game against the New York Islanders. Itll be the last time the No. 11 is worn on a Senators jersey and the last chance for the future Hall of Famer to soak in the adulation from the crowd before his number is raised to the rafters at some point soon. Its a unique chance for the seminal player in Senators history and the fans to say goodbye to each other. Its great that theyre going to get a chance, coach Paul MacLean said. Lots of times once you leave, its over and done with. So the opportunity of him coming back gives the fans I guess some final closure. Skating in warm-ups is also a first-of-its-kind idea, one that the Senators needed to get special permission from the NHL to execute. The league gave it, and friend and teammate Erik Karlsson is glad to be a part of it. Its the honourable way to end (his) career and celebrate a player thats done so much for this organization and this team, even before the time that most of us got here, said Karlsson, the Senators current captain. Its going to be a thing that everybody will remember for the rest of their careers. Alfredssons career is impossible to forget because as he went, so did the Senators. A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, he was a sixth-round pick, 133rd overall, in 1994 and over the years played in 121 of the 126 playoff games in franchise history. Along the way, lifted the Prince of Wales Trophy and was the spokesman and the symbol of the team for almost two decades. He was a pillar and a foundation of that organization, Spezza said Tuesday in Toronto. Theres not a lot of tradition yet in that city, and he is the first real big player thats played (almost) his whole career there. I think its good that they can recognize him and give him the recognition that he deserves. Last week the team unveiled a video montage of some of Alfredssons most memorable moments with the Senators and the Swedish national team. Set to Coming Home by Ditty-Dirty Money and Skylar Grey, lyrics like let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday and back where I belong set the tone for an emotional reunion. Owner Eugene Melnyk wrote on Twitter last week that Dec. 4 will be a truly special and historic day for the Ottawa Senators. On Monday he wrote that he had spoken to Alfredsson to finalize what will be the biggest Welcome Home celebration Ottawa has ever seen. Even though I think hes come to terms with the decision he made with retiring, I think it might hit him a little bit harder when he comes in the rink again and sees all the people, Karlsson said. I think its probably going to take him a while to realize what really happened. As a young player in the NHL, Alfredsson wasted little time making an impact on the Senators, winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1995-96. Defenceman Mark Borowiecki, who grew up a Senators fan outside Ottawa, said that season was a glimmer of hope for fans. That was pretty early on in our time as a franchise, Borowiecki said. It was pretty neat to see kind of a top-end-talent player like that in Ottawa. Alfredsson spearheaded 15 trips to the post-season, most notably in 2007 when the Senators went to the Stanley Cup final before losing to the Anaheim Ducks. He won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2006 Olympics in Turin as the teams leading scorer and helped lead an injury-ravaged 2013 without Spezza and Karlsson for major parts of the season to the playoffs. He was a guy that, through any changeover, he had been there, Spezza said. He had seen the good, the bad and the ugly. He had kind of been a part of things from the start when they were really bad, and he was with us and our captain when we had really good teams and we were knocking on the door to win the Cup, and he kind of saw us regressing a little bit towards the end. Hes a guy thats really been through it all there. Alfredsson went through it all and then some, including the ugly breakup in the summer of 2013 that was hard to see coming. In spite of that, many fans still wear Alfredsson jerseys to games, and pictures of him can still be found all over the arena. Hes etched in Ottawa sports history, something that will be front and centre as he laces up his skates with the Senators one final time. This is where he should retire, Karlsson said. He still loves this organization and this city. As of right now, the Ottawa Senators really show that they love him back just as much. --- Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had the incorrect dates of Alfredssons time as captain. Black Friday Browns Jerseys . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. Denzel Ward Jersey . The Pope greeted Klose at his general audience Wednesday and the pair had a long chat. Klose is German like the pope, although he was born in Poland. In Sundays derby, Lazio took the lead in the seventh minute after Maarten Stekelenburg brought down Klose, resulting in the Roma goalkeeper being sent off and a penalty that Hernanes converted. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseys.net/simeon-thomas-womens-jersey/ . The Durban-based Sharks withstood a furious second-half fightback to beat the Queensland Reds 35-20 for a fourth straight win which gave them a five-point lead atop the championship table. The Hamilton-based Chiefs scored two late tries to beat the Cape Town-based Stormers 36-20 for their third win, after the Stormers rallied from 24-6 down to 24-20 with six minutes remaining.Baseball season is just around the corner and TSN.ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Check in every day this week for two new division previews, finishing up with Scott MacArthurs look at the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Heres what to expect out of the American League East in 2014. Baltimore Orioles GM: Dan Duquette Manager: Buck Showalter 2013: 85-77, third in AL East. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: The Os came into 2013 feeling like world-beaters. Having out-performed presumed playoff candidates like the Tampa Bay Rays and the disappointing Boston Red Sox in the American League East and taken the wild card playoff berth from the defending A.L.-Champion Texas Rangers, the Orioles were expected to challenge in an even tougher East. However, despite career years out of first baseman Chris Davis and closer Jim Johnson, the Orioles were unable to repeat the feat. The pieced-together rotation saw four starters hit 20-plus starts but only 16-7 Chris Tillman was able to carry a heavy load, logging 206.1 innings, meaning their (admittedly excellent) bullpen was once again leaned upon to the tune of 500-plus innings. Davis had a star-making year, setting career-highs in home runs, runs batted-in, average, OPS and total bases while hitting the 160-game plateau for the first time in his career. He became the second Oriole in MLB history to surpass the 50-home run plateau, after Brady Andersons "surprise" 1996 outing. When the dust settled, the Os finished level with the depleted Yankees for third in the Division and were left figuring out ways to recapture their 2012 team spirit and compete once more. This is Now: Apparently the best way to improve is to ship 50 saves over to a fellow Wild Card contender. Johnson, who was arbitration-eligible this past winter could become a free agent at the end of 2014, may well have priced himself out of Baltimore, but the man did still put up over 100 saves over the past two seasons. So the closers gig is now up for grabs with the likes of Darren ODay, Ryan Webb and former starter Tommy Hunter looking to get the ball in the ninth. Jemile Weeks - the return from Oakland for Johnson - will likely take over the lions share of the work at second with Brian Roberts Bronx-bound. Meanwhile, the Os offensive core of Davis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis remains intact. If Manny Machado can be more of the guy he was between April through June (that is a .300-plus hitter on pace for 80-plus RBI) and not the guy that slumped through July and September with a sub-.200 average, the bats could carry this team. The Orioles took advantage of the late-winter market for free agent bats once theyd already forfeited their first-rounder to bring in Nelson Cruz. The bullpen workhorses - Hunter, ODay, T.J. McFarland - are all returning and the rotation has been bolstered with the additions of Korean free agent Suk-Min Yoon and Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez late in the winter, but will they be able to keep pace if the Yankees and Rays return to push for the Red Sox division crown? Whos In?: IF David Adams (claimed from CLE), RP Brad Brach (trade with SD), OF Nelson Cruz (one-year contract), RP Edgmer Escalona (one-year contract), SP Ubaldo Jimenez (four-year contract), UT Steve Lombardozzi (trade with DET), OF Francisco Peguero (one-year contract), SP Johan Santana (minor league contract), RP Ryan Webb (two-year contract), 2B Jemile Weeks (trade with OAK), SP Suk-Min Yoon (international free agent). Whos Out?: OF Chris Dickerson (signed with PIT), SP Scott Feldman (signed with HOU), RP Jim Johnson (trade with OAK), OF Nate McLouth (signed with WAS), OF Michael Morse (signed with SF), IF 2B Brian Roberts (signed with NYY), RP Francisco Rodriguez (signed with MIL), C Chris Snyder (signed with WAS), C Taylor Teagarden (signed with NYM). Boston Red Sox GM: Ben Cherington Manager: John Farrell 2013: 97-65, first in AL East. World Series Champions. That was Then: The Sox went into 2013 under a cloud of uncertainty as to whether additions like Mike Napoli or Shane Victorino would be enough to get them out of the Eastern cellar. There was also some concern as to whether John Farrell - recruited from the fourth-place Blue Jays - was the right man to lead the team from the bench. However, on April 15, the Sox 2012 struggles became a triviality in Boston. The City -shaken by the Boston Marathon bombings - rallied together under the "Boston Strong" mantra and the Sox returned the favour. The Sox would go 15-4 to finish April and would never look back atop the East. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz (despite the latter missing a sizable chunk of the season with a neck strain) both had tremendous seasons and the veteran leadership of Napoli and Victorino added to the core group including David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia to power the Sox to their first division crown since their 2007 World Series triumph. Staring down a possible 0-2 deficit in the ALCS, Ortiz grand slam brought the Sox level with the Detroit Tigers and turned the playoff picture around for the team. The Red Sox would complete the "Boston Strong" narrative with a six-game World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals to win their third title in 10 years. This is Now: Theres been some change to endure for the Sox over the winter, so the re-shaped Sox may once again need some time to gel. The most notable absence will be lead-off man Jacoby Ellsbury, who jumped ship to the arch-rival Yankees. The Sox will undoubtedly miss his presence on the base-paths as he was the League leader in steals in 2013. The Sox may have found an unlikely replacement in the form of camp-invite Grady Sizemore, who has not played a Major League game since 2011. Jarrod Saltalamacchia will give way to A.J. Pierzynski behind the plate, while 21-year-old Xander Bogaerts will take over from Stephen Drew at shortstop. Bogaerts will be one of two crucial young cogs for the Sox, as they may also need 23-year-old Jackie Bradley to pick up some of the slack in centre. The Sox did well to insulate now-undisputed closer Koji Uehara with Cardinals closer Edward Mujica and should have a reliable rotation with a healthy Buchholz as well as a full year of Jake Peavey. Was 2013 a product of shrewd management or one of emotional momentum? The Sox will likely be able to forget their days of cellar-dwelling, but whether they can keep ahead of the rest of the East remains to be seen. Whos In?: P Blake Badenhop (trade with MIL), SP Chris Capuano (one-year contract), IF Jonathan Herrera (trade with COL), RP Edward Mujica (two-year contract), C A.J. Pierzynski (one--year contract), OF Grady Sizemore (free agent). Wholesale Browns Jerseys. Whos Out?: SP Alfredo Aceves (signed with BAL), RP Andrew Bailey (non-tendered), SS Stephen Drew (qualifying offer declined),OF Jacoby Ellsbury (signed with NYY), IF John McDonald (signed with LAA), RP Franklin Morales (trade with COL), C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (signed with MIA), RP Matt Thornton (signed with NYY). New York Yankees GM: Brian Cashman Manager: Joe Girardi 2013: 85-77, fourth in AL East. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: The Yankees were forced to scramble to fill some roster holes in 2013, looking to the likes of Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner to fill production vacancies left by Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and more. A strong April got the Yanks off to a decent enough start, but the team was middling throughout most of the rest of the season. Team captain Derek Jeter was in and out of the line-up all year long with injuries to his ankle, calf and quadriceps, making 2013 a continuation of how his 2012 season ended. Mariano Rivera said goodbye to the Majors, picking up keepsakes in nearly every city in the latter half of the season, while Alex Rodriguez opted to fight the 211-game suspension he was handed for his part in the Biogenesis scandal and defiantly finished the season with the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers made do with what they had in 2013, but it wasnt nearly up to their fans lofty standards. They would finish the year tied for third with the Orioles while posting their lowest winning percentage since 1992. This is Now: A year without Jeter, the A-Rod rodeo and the Mariano Rivera farewell tour are all things of the past. Unfortunately for Yankees fans, the future does not include Robinson Cano at second base, the 31-year-old chasing top dollar and signing with the Seattle Mariners in the off-season. Never afraid to spend, the Yankees have brought in a lot of options via free agency to compete for playing time. Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran replace Curtis Granderson and Wells. Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts will both vie for Canos job at second while Brian McCann comes in behind the plate. The Yanks also lured the off-seasons biggest international free agent to the Bronx, plucking Masahiro Tanaka from Japan at a cost of $155 million over seven years. Pressure will likely be huge to make the Jeter era end on a high note as the franchise bids farewell to one of its icons. However, the Yanks deep pockets and "winning it for the captain" might not be enough if the teams age starts to show. Whos In?: OF Carlos Beltran (three-year contract), OF Jacoby Ellsbury (seven-year contract), 2B Kelly Johnson (one-year contract), C Brian McCann (five-year contract), 2B Brian Roberts (one-year contract), SS Brendan Ryan (two-year contract), SP Masahiro Tanaka (seven-year contract), RP Matt Thornton. Whos Out?: IF David Adams (signed with CLE), OF Brennan Boesch (signed with LAA), SS Reid Brignac (signed with PHI), 2B Robinson Cano (signed with SEA), RP Joba Chamberlain (signed with DET), IF Luis Alfonso Cruz (released), IF Alberto Gonzalez (signed with SD), OF Curtis Granderson (signed with NYM), SP Phil Hughes (signed with MIN), 3B Brent Lillibridge (signed with TEX), RP Boone Logan (signed with COL), IF Jayson Nix (signed with TB), 1B Lyle Overbay (signed with MIL), SP Andy Pettitte (retired), IF Mark Reynolds (signed with MIL), RP Mariano Rivera (retired), C Chris Stewart (signed with PIT), OF Vernon Wells (released), 3B Kevin Youkilis (signed in Japan). Tampa Bay Rays GM: Andrew Friedman Manager: Joe Maddon 2013: 91-71, second in AL East. Lost to Boston in American League Division Series. That was Then: Stop us if youve heard this before, but a shrewd piece of off-season business proved to be a catalyst for the Rays success last season. Trading James Shields to the Kansas City Royals brought in one of the games top prospects in Wil Myers and the 23-year-old turned on the jets almost the minute he made his full-time debut for the Rays in June. Less than a week into his MLB career, Myers had his first grand slam and the kid would hit .293, driving in 53 runs in 88 games en route to the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award. The Rays responded in kind to Myers arrival, losing just five games in July and finishing strong to force not one, but two win-and-youre-in playoff games after a three-way tie left the Rays, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers tied after Game 162. David Price went the full nine to top the Rangers in Game 163 and Tampa blanked the Indians to make the ALDS. There they would run into destiny in the form of the Boston Red Sox, but the Rays booked another solid season, proving themselves once again to be one of baseballs model franchises. This is Now: The Rays will once again piece together their line-up and try to get maximum efficiency out of low-profile pick-ups. James Loney and Yunel Escobar will stick around in the infield and be insulated by Logan Forsythe. Fernando Rodneys arrows will head towards someone elses rafters, replaced by former As closer Grant Balfour and one-time stud Heath Bell, whom manager Joe Maddon believes will show marked improvement at the Trop. Any team with Maddon at the helm has a fighting chance and the Rays still have tremendous balance both at the plate with Evan Longoria anchoring the line-up and on the mound with Matt Moore and Alex Cobb emerging as legitimate threats alongside Price. Speaking of Price, the vultures will be circling soon enough as the 28-year-olds clock appears to be winding down in Tampa. Likely the next high profile casualty of Tampas tight budget, Price is free agent-eligible after next season, putting his value at arguably its high-point by the middle or end of the 2014 campaign. If the Rays dont get the kind of performance to which theyve become accustomed, could a mid-season move be in the cards? Whos In?: RP Grant Balfour (two-year contract), RP Heath Bell (trade with ARI), RP Brad Boxberger (trade with SD), IF Logan Forsythe (trade with SD), C Ryan Hanigan (trade with CIN). Whos Out?: RP Jesse Crain (signed with HOU), 1B Shelley Duncan (signed with ARI), OF Sam Fuld (signed with OAK), SP Roberto Hernandez (signed with PHI), IF Kelly Johnson (signed with NYY), IF Ryan Roberts (signed with CHC), RP Fernando Rodney (signed with SEA), RP Alex Torres (trade with SD), RP Jamey Wright (signed with LAD), RP Wesley Wright (signed with CHC), OF Delmon Young (signed with BAL). Toronto Blue Jays Check back in on Friday for Scott MacArthurs exclusive 2014 Blue Jays preview. Cheap Chargers Hoodies Cheap Browns Hoodies Cheap Texans Hoodies Cheap Ravens Hoodies Cheap Panthers Hoodies Cheap Jets Hoodies Cheap Titans Hoodies Cheap Chiefs Hoodies Cheap Bills Hoodies Cheap Colts Hoodies Cheap Cardinals Hoodies Cheap Buccaneers Hoodies Cheap Rams Hoodies Cheap Jaguars Hoodies Cheap Falcons Hoodies Cheap Bengals Hoodies ' ' '