It might not be bad, though. If the best way to recover from this is to just give it as much time as you can and stay off the ice, then maybe he'll have given it long enough? Seven full months is quite a while and it helps knowing that it was always part of the plan (not because of some setback a few months ago or something).Cooch not skating is a blow for his odds of coming back but if it’s long term, he should consider giving up the captaincy. Granlund would be a good replacement if they want to extend him.
I hope so too. He's an incredibly useful player to our young forwards. It's just not a great sign to say you're planning on skating in July and here we are almost done with August and it hasn't happened yet. I fear that even when he decides it's been rested long enough, the moment he goes out there and exerts himself at the level needed to play an NHL game, it'll happen again. And if he's still in an indefinite state on this injury, he ought to give up the captaincy.It might not be bad, though. If the best way to recover from this is to just give it as much time as you can and stay off the ice, then maybe he'll have given it long enough? Seven full months is quite a while and it helps knowing that it was always part of the plan (not because of some setback a few months ago or something).
Hard not to be pessimistic but I'm going to hold onto some hope here until/unless we get more bad news.
Maybe the ideal is no Captain this season and afterwards Couture admits to LTIR retirement and then Celebrini take over as Captain as he should be their long term Captain even if he is a teenager.I hope so too. He's an incredibly useful player to our young forwards. It's just not a great sign to say you're planning on skating in July and here we are almost done with August and it hasn't happened yet. I fear that even when he decides it's been rested long enough, the moment he goes out there and exerts himself at the level needed to play an NHL game, it'll happen again. And if he's still in an indefinite state on this injury, he ought to give up the captaincy.
Eh if Celebrini is the plan, I’d just give it to him now and just lean into it. If there are questions then just give it to Eklund or Zetterlund or Ferraro.Maybe the ideal is no Captain this season and afterwards Couture admits to LTIR retirement and then Celebrini take over as Captain as he should be their long term Captain even if he is a teenager.
Give it to an established leader. Not a fan of making 18 and 19 year olds be forced to talk to media each night.Eh if Celebrini is the plan, I’d just give it to him now and just lean into it. If there are questions then just give it to Eklund or Zetterlund or Ferraro.
They don’t have one. And really, Celebrini is going to talk to media each night regardless. He’s the #1 pick. It’s his burden to bear. He has Thornton to talk to about that one.Give it to an established leader. Not a fan of making 18 and 19 year olds be forced to talk to media each night.
I would mind. Celebrini has the leadership skills he is notorious for his work ethic off the ice. I don’t want any captain that will block his path. Couture is fine since he has been captain and only has at max 3 more seasons but there’s a chance he will never play again. If their next captain is not Celebrini I will be shocked.If they keep Granlund beyond this season, I wouldn't mind him being the captain honestly.
I agree with this. Celebrini is an obvious future captain, but why give him that responsibility so soon when he already has enough on his plate to deal with?Give it to an established leader. Not a fan of making 18 and 19 year olds be forced to talk to media each night.
If Couture can’t play this season and is forced to retire, you are suggesting a scenario through which Celebrini could be made captain before he ever played an NHL game. Seems beyond premature.I would mind. Celebrini has the leadership skills he is notorious for his work ethic off the ice. I don’t want any captain that will block his path. Couture is fine since he has been captain and only has at max 3 more seasons but there’s a chance he will never play again. If their next captain is not Celebrini I will be shocked.
No I’m saying that Couture won’t officially LTIR retire until after this season at the earliest so this season will only have “A’s” and then next season Celebrini is Captain.If Couture can’t play this season and is forced to retire, you are suggesting a scenario through which Celebrini could be made captain before he ever played an NHL game. Seems beyond premature.
I don't see it as premature. I see it as getting on with the inevitable. The C doesn't truly matter that much especially in Celebrini's case. There are no responsibilities that come with being the captain that he wasn't already going to be responsible for. Let him grow as a player and as a captain now while there aren't team expectations when it very clearly is already his team and is being built to be his team.If Couture can’t play this season and is forced to retire, you are suggesting a scenario through which Celebrini could be made captain before he ever played an NHL game. Seems beyond premature.
Landeskog too. Even younger than Crosby too, I believe, but only by a matter of days/months.IIRC Crosby was named captain as 19yo