Jason Spezza Named Captain Of The Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators have officially named Jason Spezza as the 8th captain in franchise history.

May 24, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza (19) on the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period in game five of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 6-2 to close out the series. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Spezza sits second in franchise history in most major offensive categories to his predecessor, Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson had worn the “C” since 1999, and is the longest serving captain in Senators history.  Chris Neil and Chris Phillips will serve as the Alternate Captains, providing a strong leadership base for the club.

The Captaincy opened up after Daniel Alfredsson chose to sign with Detroit as a free agent on July 5th, much to the surprise of the Senators and their fans.  Alfredsson was a player to look up to throughout his career, and his legacy will live through Spezza, Phillips and Neil, all career Senators so far.

Spezza served as an alternate captain since Mike Fisher was traded in February 2011, after showing great signs of maturity in the recent years.

The announcement was made on the eve of the Senators’ first preseason game, Sunday night in Winnipeg.