Toronto Maple Leafs add former mortal enemy to coaching staff

In a sentence, you'll have to read to believe — former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On Tuesday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Alfredsson will join the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff as an associate to the newly-hired Jim Hiller for the 2026-27 season.

Alfredsson played 17 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, and captained the team for many of those years. Alfredsson is perhaps one of the most disliked athletes in Toronto after the Senators and Leafs faced each other in four playoff series in five years between 2000 and 2004.

In January 2004, Sundin was suspended one game when he threw a broken stick, and it accidentally went into the crowd. The game he missed was a 7-1 loss to Ottawa, where Alfredsson's own stick broke, and he faked tossing it into the stands.

Toronto fans forever booed him on the ice for that moment of mockery of Sundin. Now, the two just happen to be colleagues, with Sundin being his boss.

Like Alfredsson, Sundin was recently hired by the team to step into the role of senior executive advisor of hockey operations, working alongside new GM John Chayka.

Sundin and Alfredsson were also previously teammates on the Swedish national team, winning Olympic ice hockey gold together in Torino 2006.

Alfredsson spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach for the Senators and is now expected to step into a second-in-command role with the Maple Leafs.

Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer released a witty statement on Alfredsson's departure to Toronto.

"While I wish he wasn't joining an arch rival, Alfie is forever an Ottawa Senator, and the door will always be open for his return. He's done so much for our organization and community and has my full respect," it reads.

A statement from Michael Andlauer on Daniel Alfredsson joining the Toronto coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/9qzCcCwgtb

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) July 7, 2026

The Maple Leafs also announced more hires on Tuesday.

Toronto Marlies Calder Cup-winning head coach John Gruden has been promoted to an assistant with the team, along with former NHL defenceman Brad Werenka.

Werenka most recently served as an assistant coach for the University of Calgary Dinos Men’s Hockey program from 2022 to 2025. The two new hires mean Mike Van Ryn and Derek Lalonde will not return as assistants.