Daniel Alfredsson is reportedly too sick to play for the Ottawa Senators against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. The Sens could use his scoring acumen against a loaded Penguins team. Alf has three assists in four games so far this season, showing that he can still be fantasy-relevant at 40 years old. Perhaps the occasional break will do him some good, anyway.

With Daniel Alfredsson entering what could be his final season, 'More Alfie' ads were run in newspapers to hype up the shortened campaign. "I'm honored, obviously," Alfredsson said. "It's always humbling, when you're out, at rinks, or anywhere in the city, to get the appreciation I get, it's amazing . it's been a pretty unbelievable journey for me, my family, coming from Sweden, starting a family here and having the connection I have with the city and the fans. That's one of the reasons I'm really happy to be able to play here again." The lockout threatened to end the careers of players like Alfredsson and Teemu Selanne on bleak notes, but fortunately that scenario never played out. The season has been saved and both will attempt to defy the odds and win the Stanley Cup.

Daniel Alfredsson thinks the shortened season could work in his favour. The 40-year-old captain has been training throughout the lockout, and is confident that his groin and hip flexors will be able to handle the shortened season. "If I could choose I would play 48 or 50 games every year," Alfredsson said. "Not just because I'm older, but because I think it would make for better hockey and a better product overall. For me selfishly it's not a bad thing." Alfredsson showed he can still compete at the NHL level last season, with 27 goals and 59 points in 75 games.

Daniel Alfredsson is happy with the direction of the Swedish junior program. Sweden will take on the United States in the final of the world junior championship on Saturday. "As far as top talent, Sweden's program, in the last five or six years, has shown potential each year, and is in a good spot right now," he said. "We have a very good program overall in the country which allows us to have success at this level."

Daniel Alfredsson thinks "it's just nice to know that we're going to know, either way" as far as the fate of the 2012-13 campaign is concerned. The NHL and union have about another week to either save the 2012-13 campaign or lose it entirely. "They're talking," Alfredsson said. "It seems like real negotiating, which is good. Hopefully something gets done so we can get back to work." If not, Alfredsson's storied career could end with a whimper. This is the last season of his current contract with the Ottawa Senators and while they will surely re-sign him if he so desires, he might simply decide to hang up his skates at the age of 40.

Daniel Alfredsson will celebrate his 40th birthday on Tuesday. He said turning 40 doesn't have any significance to him. "I might sound boring when I say that, but it's just a number. I feel great. I feel very fortunate to be where I'm at, at 40. Hopefully, I will get a nice cake and the kids will sing a song for me on Tuesday and I will be very happy." Alfredsson showed he can still compete at the NHL level last season, with 27 goals and 59 points in 75 games, but the longer the lockout goes it will fuel speculation that his career could be coming to an end.

Don Cherry took exception to Daniel Alfredsson's statement that he hopes there won't be a NHLPA vote on the owners' latest offer. Alfredsson argued that the proposal would be soundly defeated anyways. "Daniel says he thinks ... In other words he doesn't know. But what's the harm in finding out for sure?" Cherry said. Cherry wants to see the owners' offer be put to a secret ballot because he thinks players will be less willing to vote for it if their peers are aware of their decision. By making it a secret ballot, Cherry reasons that we'll have a better idea of how much support the union has and if the owners latest proposal is truly unacceptable to the majority of players.

Daniel Alfredsson believes if the NHL's last offer was put to a vote by the players it would have been soundly defeated. The Sens' captain is of the opinion that the players are still solidly behind union boss Donald Fehr, despite the suggestions of many that that is not the case. We will see if Alfredsson is correct as the lockout drags on into mid to late December.

Daniel Alfredsson may play in Europe if the NHL season is canceled. "If I feel I'm going to play next season, maybe I should play somewhere," Alfredsson said. "Not that I have to, but it's probably a good idea." The Ottawa captain doesn't plan to play back home in Sweden's Elitserien league nor in Russia with the KHL. Alfredsson said he might head to "Italy or France or somewhere." He has been playing in a number of charity games and enjoyed skating in front of 11,000 fans at Operation Hat Trick last weekend to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy, which may have helped revitalize his competitive spirit.

Daniel Alfredsson will participate in a charity game in Cornwall on Monday. The Cornwall game represents the first contest in the five-game First Assist Charity Classic tour. It will feature several locked-out players, including other Ottawa Senators like Chris Neil.