What are the chances Spezza, Karlsson, and Anderson get their jersey number retired?

[slapKing]

Just an off season question, but curious. So the Sens have 3 retired numbers in Alfie, Phillips, and Neil. With Spez, EK, and Andy (best centre, dman, and goalie in franchise history respectively), what are the chances they get their jersey number retired?

Fair, none of the three in question played their full careers here, but their best years were here and the place where they made a name for themselves. Don't think anyone questions of them being better players than Phillips and Neil, two guys who aren't the typical level of players of having their numbers in the rafters.

But given the way they felt (really more so Spezz and EK), do you think they won't get that honour, or have they done enough in Sens lore to get their number retired?

Thoughts.

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[xVolchenkov]

Spezza and Anderson seem like ROH types. I could see Karlsson eventfully but wont be for a while after he retires IMO. The fact that all 3 have had a decent amount of games on others teams doesn't work to their favor when none of them won a cup with Ottawa.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

EK should imo. The others no.

 

[BigRig4]

Karlsson - ~75%
Anderson ~25%
Spezza ~0%

 

[milkbag]

Six retired numbers for a franchise that's barely 30 years old is silly imo. Toss em in the ring of honour.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Ring of Honour for all three. EK an outside chance.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

I would be more liberal on retiring numbers because this team has a very short history and you want the fans who grew up with the team to feel like they were a part of something special. You also want newer fans to look back at the recent history of the team with roses colored glasses so to speak.

If this were a team that had been around for 50-100 years, I would be less liberal..

 

[Agent Zub]

Kalrsson will.

When you think of the Senators mount rushmore you think Alfredsson and Karlsson.

 

[5ive4Fighting]

Whether you like the criteria or not, every modern retirement has seemed to centre on loyalty, tenure and grit. I don't see Karlsson or Spezza in either of those conversations right now. If Karlsson ever finds his way home, that could all change.

 

[Micklebot]

I have a hard time saying no to a 3 time Norris winner that spent his best years with the team. The others are Ring of honour guys though.

Spezza is in Redden territory (a bit ahead), Neil and Phillips have their Jerseys retired due to be lifers and the first and only lifers at that. Anderson while great is similar to Spezza, he's got no hardware, and while really good, wasn't a lifelong guy.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I have a hard time saying no to a 3 time Norris winner that spent his best years with the team. The others are Ring of honour guys though.

Spezza is in Redden territory (a bit ahead), Neil and Phillips have their Jerseys retired due to be lifers and the first and only lifers at that. Anderson while great is similar to Spezza, he's got no hardware, and while really good, wasn't a lifelong guy.

Granted they weren't all with the Senators, but I don't think a lot of people give enough credit for how special 3 Norris trophies is. He's the only guy since Lidstrom to do it, and EK could have very easily had a 4th the year Doughty took it. Even guys like Pronger, Niedermayer and Chara only got one.

 

[Loach]

Granted they weren't all with the Senators, but I don't think a lot of people give enough credit for how special 3 Norris trophies is. He's the only guy since Lidstrom to do it, and EK could have very easily had a 4th the year Doughty took it. Even guys like Pronger, Niedermayer and Chara only got one.

...and the year they gave the Norris to the Yeti. If I remember right Doughty got it because Karl didn't play enough D, then the next year Burns got it for his offensive numbers, which where similar to Karl but Karl had better D numbers. I get confused sometimes though.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

...and the year they gave the Norris to the Yeti. If I remember right Doughty got it because Karl didn't play enough D, then the next year Burns got it for his offensive numbers, which where similar to Karl but Karl had better D numbers. I get confused sometimes though.

Ya I have memories of that too, but lack the specifics.

They clearly try to spread it around now, which seemed to be the agenda on those at the time. Not like the 80's/90's when it was guys like Leetch, Bourque, Coffey, Chelios winning a few times and then leading in to Lidstrom's insane domination.

 

[Loach]

Ya I have memories of that too, but lack the specifics.

They clearly try to spread it around now, which seemed to be the agenda on those at the time. Not like the 80's/90's when it was guys like Leetch, Bourque, Coffey, Chelios winning a few times and then leading in to Lidstrom's insane domination.

Either way Karl git jobbed twice.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Karlsson is the best player in Sens history. Would be dumb not to have his number retired. First Sens player to win a major award and his 2017 playoff run rivals Alfie's 2007 one.

 

[Loach]

Karlsson is the best player in Sens history. Would be dumb not to have his number retired. First Sens player to win a major award and his 2017 playoff run rivals Alfie's 2007 one.

Alfie won the Calder...

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Either way Karl git jobbed twice.

Agreed.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Alfie won the Calder...

I don't really consider that to be in the same tier as Norris and Vezina.

 

[Loach]

Cool. You can tell Alfie it doesn't matter. I'll wait here.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Cool. You can tell Alfie it doesn't matter. I'll wait here.

Well, if they did ask him, he'd probably be the first to say 65 belongs in the rafters.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Cool. You can tell Alfie it doesn't matter. I'll wait here.

Strange response. I just don't think the Calder holds the same weight as a Norris trophy.

 

[Loach]

Strange response. I just don't think the Calder holds the same weight as a Norris trophy.

Ok

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Karlsson should. Any player that wears #65 for the Senators will look foolish after Karlsson. The guy nearly dragged the team to a cup in 2017.

 

[stempniaksen]

If Karlsson doesn't get his # raised to the rafters it's a bit of a joke, imo. Not a single player reached the level he did as a Senator and no one comes close to his individual accomplishments in a Sens uniform.

Spezza and Anderson seem like slam dunk Ring of Honour guys. Very very good players while they played here, but neither one has individual hardware and neither one were Sens lifers.

 

[Tuna99]

If Karlsson doesn't get his # raised to the rafters it's a bit of a joke, imo. Not a single player reached the level he did as a Senator and no one comes close to his individual accomplishments in a Sens uniform.

Spezza and Anderson seem like slam dunk Ring of Honour guys. Very very good players while they played here, but neither one has individual hardware and neither one were Sens lifers.

No Sens player has reached his level
of play and it’s not even close IMO. Best player to ever skate for Ottawa and the heart he gave this city during his run still breaths in this city - I still think to a degree the Sens and the fanbase are still in a bit of an EK divorce hang over (and Travis Green is the sausage sandwich and hot coffee that’s here to fix that hangover)