"It wasn't an easy decision to pick Radko," Verbeek said on Friday. "We had a lot of good candidates, which is a good thing. I think the team is happy with the decision as well. At some point, there has to be a single voice that can take charge in the locker room, and I felt Radko could be that guy."
"I've had a long history with Radko," Verbeek continued. "Steve (Yzerman) and I drafted him in Tampa. Radko plays with emotion. He's an emotional leader. We're a young team, but one of the great things about Radko is it doesn't matter what team he plays for, his teammates love him."
Cronin expressed his desire for a captain at his exit interview in April, like Verbeek, stating the team needed someone who could "hold teammates accountable" and having someone like that could "take that burden off the coaching staff." He also noted when a teammate expresses a message, it has a greater impact.
"Our team needs to have this relentless mentality. What player better personifies that than Radko," Cronin said on Thursday. "He's a really quality person off the ice. You look at his family and the way he handles himself as a father, he's just a great dad. You want somebody like that representing the organization. It's not just about our team; it's about being a spokesperson for the organization."
"He's a ferocious player," Cronin continued. "He's intimidating, he's got the beard, he's got the look that backs up his play. I knew within my (first) conversation on the phone with him he's a good guy and he has a good value system. He's totally invested, he's professional, and he's a really nice person. He's a nice guy."
"Super exciting for this team to choose a captain, and Radko is definitely fitting for the role," Killorn said. "The way he plays, his character, he's a guy that everyone looks to as the leader."
"He's got a lot of life experience," Killorn continued when asked about how he emerged as a natural leader. "He's played in a lot of different places; he's a father. He didn't try to do anything that was out of his realm. That's just who he is."
"I was so happy for him. I spent some time with him last season and got a chance to play with him at worlds," Dostal said with an ear-to-ear smile. "I’m just so happy for him. I always call him 'Dad.' He’s obviously not my dad, but I always joke, 'Hey Dad, what’s up?' Him being a captain for us shows his character. He has an amazing family, and they took me in right away. Last year, I was living with them for almost three weeks so we could get to know each other. He’s an amazing guy, and I’m so happy for him."
"He's the best guy ever," McTavish said of Gudas on Friday at training camp. "Great family, great leader, everybody was super pumped for him. We're all really excited for him, and I think he's the best choice."
