Vacan-C
August 12th, 2009 by Steve
Ok, so the Leafs skated last season without a designated Captain. It didn’t matter much a year ago. The team was expected to be atrocious on the ice, and they were for the most part. None of the players on the team really stood out as “captain” material, and frankly the fans weren’t exactly upset with the decision. The closest thing the team had to a captain was likely Pavel Kubina, and he’s been sent packing this off season in a trade to the Atlanta Thrashers.
So where does that leave things heading into next season? Well, as of right now, the team’s captaincy probably isn’t a huge priority as far as the club is concerned. It might not matter much to the fans either, but as far as respectability around the NHL goes, it does seem to be a bit of a factor.
Here is a list of the current Captains in the NHL:
ANA: Scott Niedermayer
ATL: Ilya Kovalchuk
BOS: Zdeno Chara
BUF: Craig Rivet
CAL: Jarome Iginla
CAR: Rod Brind’amour
CHI: Jonathan Toews
COL: Vacant
CLB: Rick Nash
DAL: Brendan Morrow
DET: Niklas Lidstrom
EDM: Ethan Moreau
FLA: Vacant
LAK: Dustin Brown
MIN: Mikko Koivu
MON: Vacant
NAS: Jason Arnott
NJD: Jamie Langenbrunner
NYI: Vacant
NYR: Chris Drury
OTT: Daniel Alfredsson
PHI: Mike Richards
PHX: Shane Doan
PIT: Sidney Crosby
SJS: Patrick Marleau
STL: Eric Brewer
TBL: Vincent Lecavalier
TOR: Vacant
VCR: Roberto Luongo
WAS: Chris Clark
Obviously the Leafs, Avalanche, Panthers, Islanders, and Habs stand out on that list for having vacant captaincies. The Habs have not bothered to re-sign Saku Koivu their captain from last season. The Avalanche lost their captain Joe Sakic to retirement. The Panthers last had Olli Jokinen act as their captain but didn’t bother to replace him after he was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes. The Islanders lost captain Bill Guerin last year in a trade deadline move to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Leafs would be the only club along with Florida to have played without a captain for all of last season. While it has been done in the past, it is rare for a team to go multiple seasons with no captain being named. The Pittsburgh Penguins went from 1968 to 1973 without a captain. The Chicago Blackhawks went from 1970 to 1975 without a captain. Tampa Bay started it’s existence without a captain from 1992 to 1995. Lastly, the Leafs themselves went without a captain from 1986 to 1989.
Obviously it’s a rare occurrence for an NHL club to go without a captain for more than one season consecutively. It’s only happened 4 times in the modern history of the NHL in fact. The Blackhawks stand out as an oddity on that list because their team was actually competitive from 1970 to 1975. They made the Stanley Cup Finals twice, and lost in the Semi-Finals twice also. The Penguins managed to make the Semi-Finals and Quarter-Finals once each during their run without a captain. Tampa Bay was an expansion outfit during their run. The Leafs made the playoffs but that was more a result of the fact they were in the horrible Norris Division at the time.
Having a captain isn’t a requirement for respectability in the NHL, but it definitely indicates something to the franchise and it’s fans. The Captain is the team leader and spokesperson, and the representative of the players. The Captain is the face of the franchise. Obviously none of the veterans on last year’s squad stood out as a potential leader. Thus we can probably exclude Tomas Kaberle and Jason Blake from the discussion.
Matt Stajan and Alexei Ponikarovsky weren’t considered leadership material by the coaching staff or management at the time, and I’m not sure that anything has changed in regards to either player at this point. Luke Schenn was touted as future captain material many times last year, but he’s still quite young and unlikely to be prepared to bear the burden of the Captaincy. This season he might get the A on his shoulder as an Alternate.
So does that mean we could consider Mike Komisarek or Francois Beauchemin, or Rickard Wallin, or Niklas Hagman as captain material? Hagman has been with the club for a year now, and he’s definitely got the character for the role. Wallin was the captain of his last team in Sweden, Farjestads, but his familiarity with NHL refs and players will be minimal. Beauchemin has never been even an Alternate in Anaheim, so he might lack the experience in the role necessary. Komisarek was an Alternate with the Canadiens prior to his signing in Toronto, so he might be asked to take on the role for the Leafs.
I would expect this season’s Captain to be Komisarek at this point, with the Alternates being Kaberle, Schenn, Hagman, Mayers, and Ponikarovsky or Stajan on a rotating basis. We’ll see how it shakes out though.
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Posted in Player Analysis
18 Responses to “Vacan-C”
By eyebleaf
on Aug 12, 2009
I say they give it to Mats Sundin.
By Steve
on Aug 12, 2009
He already had it… He gave it back when he picked the Canucks.
By doggit
on Aug 12, 2009
I think that I’m prepared to wait for Luke to be ready.
By HHH
on Aug 12, 2009
Mikko Koivu’s not a full-time captain. The Wild just rotated captains.
By Tom Cat on Aug 12, 2009
The last time they went without a C they subsequently named Rob Ramage, who at that point had never played a game for the Leafs. Then again Pal Hal was controlling the team back then. I personally think its embarrassing not to have a captain.
By Tom Cat on Aug 12, 2009
**** This Just In ****
Kaberle has been reported as hanging out with a hab overseas. “Working out” if you believe it. If that’s the company he wants to keep well, I for one will NOT support him for the C or A or even a shaggin’ Z for that matter.
By neil
on Aug 12, 2009
I’d say choose one after training camp, before the season starts. Do it timbits style - let the players’ vote!
By furcifer
on Aug 12, 2009
I’d rather the Leafs not have a captain than bestowing the honour on someone undeserving just for the sake of having one. With the notable exception of Rob Ramage the Leafs history of Captains is a short but noble one. Wait for Schenn in 2012.
By PapaLasagna
on Aug 12, 2009
I’ve got to agree that Kommy is totally the logical choice for the captaincy, if he were to have resigned with le rouge, blanc et bleu he would be Captain Kommy. Kaberle still deserves an ‘A’, and I think it would be nice to put an ‘A’ on OLAS if some regulars were out. I think the second ‘A’ should go to a forward, but there’s not a clear leader as far as performance goes. Therfore it’d have to be a pick by Ronny as to who is a ‘Rudy’ who puts in a great effort behind the scenes and has the respect of the room. From my limited view as a fan, it sounds like Stajan would be that guy.
By Kerry
on Aug 12, 2009
What does OLAS stand for?
By furcifer
on Aug 12, 2009
OLAS: Our Luke and Saviour
aka Luke Schenn
By Pseudonym
on Aug 12, 2009
I don’t care who wears the C. Who is going to score goals for this team?
By The Muppet
on Aug 12, 2009
I don’t think Atlanta has a captain. I’m also doubtful Toews is really a “captain”. What is he, 22? Guys whose balls have just dropped shouldn’t be a captain. I think the exception is Crosby, who should be too young but is the hardest working guy on the team (off the ice especially), and you won’t find anybody more committed to hockey.
Matt Duchene will make a great captain one day.
Luke Schenn, God bless him, is too “goofy” to be a captain. He needs 5 years at least.
If I had to pick right this second I would go with Beauchemin. Consistent, veteran, has a cup ring, and has had to battle to get where he is in this game. I like that in a leader.
By Steve
on Aug 12, 2009
Kovalchuk was named captain of the Thrashers on January 11th, 2009. They have a captain.
Toews is the designated Captain of the team, whether or not you think his “balls have dropped” is irrelevant to the NHL rules regarding the teams Captaincy.
He is the one doing most of the communicating with the Referees on the ice, and that’s part of the point of being a captain.
If you don’t think young players should be named captain, then maybe the Red Wings should regret naming Yzerman, the Oilers should regret naming Gretzky, and the Nordiques/Avs should regret naming Sakic?
By Tom
on Aug 13, 2009
I’m ready to risk a potential stain on the supposed illustrious list of former TML captains and name someone this year. I always though Kubina would have been a solid C.
Name Schenn now, or wait to see between Komisarek and Beauchemin who appears to be the better “leader” of the two. What if Blake were named captain? I’m only half kidding with that last one.
By TeddyDupuis
on Aug 14, 2009
Toews not a good captain? Whoo. That’s more ridiculous than using the term OLAS.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Kaberle get the C. He’s a pro and deserves it. All the Leafs players respect Kabs. The captain doesn’t have to be the one who is the toughest either. Lidstrom has done decent since Steve Yzerman retired.
By always leafs
on Aug 17, 2009
Jamal Mayers…big, tough, fast, competitive, U-educated & a Toronto boy…
By Steve
on Aug 17, 2009
It looks like Burke is saying he’s not naming a captain again this season.
“Look, we’re Big Blue,” he said yesterday. “We’re not naming a captain until we have someone who can rank with the captains that have come before.”
So it looks unlikely any of our suggestions will make a difference.
Based on that statement the Leafs won’t have a captain unless they somehow develop a superstar, or sign one as a free agent.