When the Ottawa Senators selected Victoriaville Tigres star Alexandre Daigle first overall in the 1993 NHL Draft, most people believed the team had landed a generational superstar. In his rookie season, Daigle scored 20 goals and 51 points, and while he didn't thrive the way the team had hoped, he was second in scoring behind fellow rookie Alexei Yashin, who notched 30 goals and 79 points.

The two “Alexes” were expected to become foundational pieces for the franchise once it freed itself from the struggles of expansion. 

What’s often forgotten is that after Daigle's rookie campaign, he returned to junior to rejoin Victoriaville in 1994-95. That also gave him another chance to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, and his performance briefly reignited the Senators’ confidence in him.

It wasn't a bold move by the Sens, intentionally sending him back to junior for more development. The NHL was hit by a lockout that season, so there was nowhere else for him to keep playing.

When the NHL finally resumed play in January, Daigle was just back from a Canadian gold medal performance and posted 37 points in the remaining 47 games. However, over the next two and a half seasons, he simply couldn't get anywhere near the level everyone expected.

Ultimately, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1997–98 season.

As noted in now 30-year-old pieces from Chris Stevenson and Ken Campbell, pulled from The Hockey News Archive, Daigle’s return from the World Juniors once brought renewed hope within the Senators organization—though it would prove to be short-lived.

Jan 20, 1995/vol. 48, issue 18

Daigle Shows True Colours With Canada’s Golden Boys

By Chris Stevenson

Alexandre Daigle won gold with Canada’s national junior team, making him something he hasn’t been with the Ottawa Senators yet – a winner.

Daigle’s 51-point regular season last year and $12.25-million contract for five years have made the Senators a lightning rod for criticism. His contract has caused envy and has even been blamed for the current lockout.

Senators’ general manager Randy Sexton chooses not to evaluate the deal until after the five years.

But Daigle’s performance at the World Junior Championship has given Sexton and director of player personnel John Ferguson a reason-if they needed it-to sleep easier.

Playing on Team Canada’s top line, Daigle was everything he wasn’t with the Senators-inspired, confident, creative and unafraid to get involved in the physical game.

“I’m totally thrilled with Daigle.” Ferguson said. “I feel this is the greatest tonic for him. It’s going to bring his confidence back.”

Senators’ coach Rick Bowness felt the same way.

“It was great to see him carrying the puck, putting on the brakes and hitting the late man,” Bowness said. “That was a play he would try last year and it didn’t always click. It was good to see him setting up behind the net, hanging onto the puck.

“When a player plays with emotion, his confidence will come out. He was hitting people and making things happen at both ends.”

NOTEBOOK: Senators’ fans won’t be getting a first-hand look at the first-place PEI Senators of the American League’s Atlantic Division. Plans to have a game between Ottawa’s top farm team and the Cornwall Aces at the Civic Centre fell through. The plan was to make the game free to Ottawa season ticketholders, but details couldn’t be worked out… Alexandre Daigle has grown an inch-and-a-half since the Senators drafted him in 1993, putting him over 6-foot-1, John Ferguson said. ■

12 Former Ottawa Senators On The Move In Europe This OffseasonThe Ottawa Senators have seen a lot of players come and go during their rebuild.

Daigle Gets Zip Back

By Ken Campbell

RED DEER, Alta.-Randy Sexton saw something in Alexandre Daigle at the World Junior Championship he hadn’t seen in two years.

It was the same thing he saw when Daigle was getting kicked out of Quebec League games in 1992-93.

Sexton saw passion.

“I think a lot of it got zapped last year,” said the Ottawa Senators’ general manager. “The thing Alexandre has to remember sometimes, is it’s all right to play with emotion in the NHL and that people respect guys who work hard and throw their bodies in front of shots.”

Daigle, picked No. 1 overall in the 1993 entry draft, was a disappointment last year. He started the season well, winning NHL rookie-of-the-month honors in October, but collapsed in the second half.

His huge contract, with a scheduled payout of $12.25 million over five years, was a source of much controversy and blamed for adding to NHL inflation.

One year later, Daigle didn’t dominate Canada’s entry at the World Junior Championship. But he did show tremendous passing skills, blinding acceleration and a measure of courage.

Is he a $2 million-a-year a player? Not yet, if ever. But there’s no reason to believe he can’t develop into a very good player, maybe even a great one.

“We think he will be a very, very good player,” Sexton said. ’‘You can’t predict who will be a great player.”

Daigle was not a great player in Canada’s evaluation camp and came close to being cut. He finished the tournament with two goals and eight points.

“We weren’t going to ask him to play the fourth line,” said Sheldon Ferguson, director of player personnel for the team.

Instead. Daigle centered the first line with Todd Harvey and Jeff Friesen. The trio was Canada’s best unit and a big part of its lethal power play, which converted a remarkable 42.8 per cent of its chances (21 of 49).

The hard times have affected Daigle’s confidence, but not his professional or personal outlook on life. “I’m a positive person.” he said. “I’m not the kind of guy who sits there and says, ‘Oh, God, we had another bad game.’ I say, ‘Well, maybe the next game will be better.’”

Maybe better times are ahead for Daigle. ■

Read More Great NHL and Sens History atThe Hockey News Archive

More Sens Headlines:
Brady Tkachuk Adds To His Father's Comments About The Future
Senators Reach Agreement To Buy Land For New NHL Arena At LeBreton
Former Senator Mark Borowiecki Now 'Looks At Fighting From A Different Lens'
Keith Tkachuk On Brady's Future In Ottawa: 'I Don't Think He's Going Anywhere'
Next NHL Expansion Fee May Be 40 Times More Than The Ottawa Senators Paid
The Senators' 2025-26 Lineup Is Probably Already Set

Read the full article here